Frieda Martselos

I understand the airport runway standards are only changed by the federal government, which is the entity who sets the standards by which airports are designed and operated. Can the Minister clarify whether the Government of the Northwest Territories requested that the Fort Smith airport runway standards be changed, or were the change of standards initiated solely by the federal government?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I am going to speak once again about the issues pertaining to the Fort Smith Regional Airport. Today marks the fourth time that I have done a Member's statement about this topic in this Assembly. I spoke at length about the discontent and disappointment that the people of Fort Smith have about the changes done to the Fort Smith Regional Airport. Oftentimes, though, it seems my words fall upon deaf ears when it comes to this topic. Mr. Speaker, I am happy to share with this House that I am no longer the only voice opposing the changes made to the Fort Smith...

I'll turn to page 181, then, and go to Health and Social Services Authority funding. That went up by $22 million, so my question is for clarity. Everybody is equal in the territory, and we all expect the same services everywhere. I know it's very difficult. You can't have a large hospital in a small community, but it seems like we're always making sure that the Health and Social Services Authority funding, it went up by $22 million. It puzzles me how these budgets are presented because I just feel like it could be done more simply, so that we all understand very easily because I'm very good at...

My question is: community clinics and health centres, the budget went down. That's all the small communities, and I guess we're not considered a hospital. We're considered a health centre. The budget went down by almost $2 million. I'm just wondering, especially now that we've been through a pandemic and are still in a pandemic, why would budgets go down in community clinics and health centres? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of returning Fort Smith Regional Airport runway to former specifications.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 550 signatures, including 127 electronic signatures and 344 written signatures of Northwest Territories residents, and Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories return the main airport runway at Fort Smith airport to its former width for reasons of public safety and economic growth.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I have a short presentation. Further to my Member's...

Can the Minister explain how often reviews of airport infrastructure are done in the NWT? Are reviews done periodically within a set time frame, or are they done subjectively, based on the decisions of the Minister and the government of the day?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On May 27, 2020, I asked the former Infrastructure Minister about what specific directions were given to our government from the federal government about the Fort Smith airport changes. This Minister told me that Transport Canada provided this direction in a form of updated standards and regulations for airport runways. The former Minister also offered to share these Transport Canada standards with me. My question is: will our current Infrastructure Minister commit to sharing with me these standards, along with any information regarding previous Fort Smith airport...

Addressing the mental health and after-care component is important for all people in recovery. Would the Minister consider walk-in clinics with mental health staff readily available for the public?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister share with the House the expectations of the addictions recovery survey being done? What outcomes are expected from this survey? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, affirmative action is about P1s, P2s, and so on. Yes, I agree that Northerners have to also be part of the whole concept of employment, and we have a lot of that. Most of the people who work for the territorial government are P2s, and the advancement always seems to be a P2 and not a P1. I'm not saying that all P1s are perfect, either, but when you have people who are in place who could be mentored within an organization, why aren't we taking that opportunity?

The terms of reference with HR, I have a concern about that, especially with Lands. Two main things in Indigenous governments...