Frieda Martselos

I urge our government, along with the federal government, to negotiate this agreement fairly and in good faith, as both of those parties carry a fiduciary responsibility to do so.

Also, Mr. Speaker, I would like to congratulate the class of Paul W. Kaeser High School graduates of 2020. Your graduation is going to go down as unique because of the pandemic. It will also make each and every one of you stronger. Your journey is just beginning. Thank you again to all of the educators who made this possible, the parents, and the larger community of Fort Smith.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to thank...

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories undertake a review of the legislative framework supporting the Government of the Northwest Territories' emergency response, with a view to determining what amendments are necessary to ensure that the Premier has overall administrative control whenever a public health emergency and a territorial state of emergency are declared under their respective acts at the same time; and further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories bring forward a legislative proposal to make the necessary...

I will be supporting this recommendation because I think it's the only way to go. Laying the groundwork for the future economy is extremely important to not only the South Slave but the entire Northwest Territories, and the larger piece of the whole puzzle is that Yellowknife will get power from the Taltson, and all along the way, that they don't have now. Green energy is extremely important. Cutting the power bills so that there are going to be lower bills is extremely important. Setting the groundwork for future large proponents is extremely important. I'm very positive about the economy. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Accessibility is an issue that must be addressed and advanced with greater substance during the life of this Assembly. The Government of the Northwest Territories has already released a Disability Strategic Framework in 2017, along with a Disability Action Plan the following year. Let's build on that and put in the work to pass legislation on this very important issue of accessibility. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to the recommendations contained in this report within 120 days. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Madam Chair, I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop a digital communications plan for the Northwest Territories that: assesses the state of the telecommunications infrastructure serving each Northwest Territories community; identifies the costs and timelines associated with ensuring that all NWT communities have access to high speed digital telecommunications; and identifies who will be responsible for the work and how it will be achieved; and further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories Long-term Pandemic Response must also...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories develop an emergency response communications protocol that ensures regularly scheduled updates to the public by the Premier and the appropriate emergency authorities whenever an emergency is declared under either or both the Public Health Act and the Emergency Management Act; and further, this protocol should ensure that the Government of the Northwest Territories' public response via electronic means is supplemented by a non-electronic communications mechanism. Thank you, Madam Chair...

Thank you, Madam Chair. As noted by the Members for Nunakput and Kam Lake, the Government of the Northwest Territories' response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the long-term recovery of our economy and territory have been the focus of all committees' discussions. The Standing Committee on Government Operations focused its work on the response of the Departments of the Executive and Indigenous Affairs, Finance, Municipal and Community Affairs, and the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission.

As chair of the Standing Committee on Government Operations, I am pleased to be introducing this report...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's an honour for me to second this motion with my colleagues on this side of the House. Our elders are our knowledge base in the communities and all over the Northwest Territories. Our seniors have given us a lot throughout life. The journey of leadership, they are all leaders in their own right and they should have the dignity to have a senior's strategy by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and there should be money set aside in the department to ensure that seniors are well looked-after so that they can live with dignity. I truly believe in this motion...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week was National AccessAbility Week in Canada, which is an annual occasion for Canadians that brings attention to the issue of accessibility and recognizes the efforts of individuals, communities, and workplaces that actively work to remove barriers to accessibility and inclusion.

Mr. Speaker, the issue of accessibility across the NWT has become an increasingly pressing issue for those with less-able bodies, and the longer our government does nothing to change things, the longer we will continue to marginalize those with disabilities. This has been said by numerous...