Ronald Bonnetrouge

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak to our education system and my concerns that we are not providing our youth with the tools needed to succeed in life.

Mr. Speaker, eight years ago, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment published the Education Renewal and Innovation Framework. It was a tenyear strategy guiding the department's activities until 2023. The intent was to radically change the NWT's junior kindergarten to grade 12 education system.

In 2020, the Auditor General of Canada published a report called Early Childhood to Grade 12 Education in the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I see the Grinch has shown up early. Christmas is around the corner, and my stocking is going to be empty going home. I'm not too pleased with the government's action plans for our small communities, and stating that we need to increase RCMP presence in our communities. We already did that when the Deh Cho Bridge was built. They added two more staff, so we got a total of four RCMP in our communities. They're overworked. You know, there's lots of issues within our small communities and we really need that help, and we need that government to have that focus to help our small...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that answer. It's too bad that I have to go ask somebody else rather than the department for help.

Mr. Speaker, most of the victims of domestic violence have family that they count on, but there is the issue of overcrowding, and we all know too well the health issues that come with this situation. Many of the families don't want to see anyone leave their community, especially with children in tow.

In small communities, we seldom ask for anything, but will the Minister take a serious look into providing the necessary infrastructure and services so...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I wish they would have renamed this week 'the small communities appreciation and funding week'. But maybe that will come sooner than later. I also want to thank my colleagues for their indulgence in helping our small communities to address their issues. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring attention to the lack of many services and infrastructure in my small community and of other similar small communities.

Mr. Speaker, far too often the residents of small communities have to leave their home communities to access programs and services offered in larger centres. The...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that answer. Yeah, I have a problem, we have to phone a help line. You know, this government recognizes that there's reconciliation with First Nations and First Nations communities, and some of the ways that we do that is to provide them the services needed in their communities without having to leave home. I know there's a need for some of them that want to leave the community but we can still do it in a safe manner within our communities, Mr. Speaker.

I see that, you know, we need an action plan from this government to address the lack of much...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement highlighted the need for much needed infrastructure and services to small communities. I stated several of the types of programs and services, but one that we could start with is a safe space for women and children who are victims of domestic violence.

Can the Minister of Health and Social Services ensure and look into creating these spaces to provide the necessary staff required for the shelter. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, and mahsi, Minister, for that. He talks about floods and everything. But First Nations people have lived on these lands for centuries. You would think that they would know that if they would ever have floods or any problems along the riverbank.

Mr. Speaker, government is great at suppressing and taking away life's liberties to First Nations for centuries. This government is no different from those governments. That is a shame. This government talks about reconciliation with First Nations but does not walk the talk. The Minister should be mindful that he represents a majority of...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker, and mahsi to the Minister for that answer. I'm not sure who the leadership of the day were at the time, but we have to be mindful of the fact that there's never any meaningful consultation by the federal government, nor the Government of the Northwest Territories in deciding to a impose land use plan into many communities, including this community. And a lot of times, they go on a plan, well, this is square so we're going to keep it square. You know, it's so...

Can the Minister enlighten this House to whether or not the First Nations community was invited for input on the...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I know it's been a very long day. Mr. Speaker, I would like to raise an issue of my First Nations members are having with the Department of Lands regarding riverbank lands. One of those communities, and it is a very small community, is off the main highway and very seldom do people, including tourists, venture into the community.

Mr. Speaker, this probably goes for many other small communities not accessible by highway. In most instances, the river is the only mode of transportation.

Mr. Speaker, the waterways, which includes rivers, are sacred to First Nations peoples, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On September 29, 2021, the committee held a public hearing with the sponsoring Member and invited public presentations. The public hearing was live streamed on the Legislative Assembly channel.

In advance of the hearing, the committee received five written submissions from:

The Northwest Territories Power Corporation (NTPC)

Northland Utilities

The Northwest Territories Public Utilities Board (PUB)

Two members of the public

Almost all stakeholder submissions were opposed to Bill 23 (see Appendix A). Public utilities viewed current legislation, which permits the use of load...