Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories wants NWT businesses to flourish. For small businesses in particular, prompt payment of invoices is critical to their financial health.
As Minister, I can assure you that the Department of Finance places a high value on maintaining a positive working relationship with the companies the GNWT does business with.
The Financial and Employee Shared Services, or FESS, is the division responsible for processing and issuing payment for all supplier invoices for goods and services provided to all GNWT departments, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, and as of last month, the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority. FESS's goal is to process payment for all suppliers within 20 to 30 days of receiving an invoice.
Over the past couple of months, FESS has looked into the reasons why some payments are delayed. We have learned that changes that were made to how we process invoices may be causing unnecessary delays. In the past, suppliers sent their invoices directly to the GNWT departments and agencies they provided the goods and services to, rather than one central source. Over time, this shift has likely led to some confusion among suppliers on who they should be forwarding their invoices to, as well as uncertainty within departments and agencies on what to do when they receive an invoice. Mr. Speaker, it is the responsibility of the Department of Finance to make sure that suppliers clearly understand our processes, as well as how to access support when they encounter issues. As a response, the department has updated its website to make certain that key information suppliers need is easily available, including where and how to send invoices, what information is required for speedy processing, and how to sign up for direct deposit instead of waiting for a cheque to be delivered through the mail.
Within the coming months, we will also be sending resources directly to our suppliers to ensure that they are familiar with our processes and know who to contact when they need support. We will also ensure that employees in the departments and agencies supported by Financial and Employee Shared Services know that they should forward any invoices they receive without delay.
Communications to vendors is one step in the process. We must also ensure that we are able to meet our internal processing deadlines. As you are aware, with the onboarding of the NTHSSA, the volume for FESS increased and as with any change, there are dips in production. We are continuing to monitor this, and over time, we will see these numbers pick back up.
Mr. Speaker, I am confident that enhanced communication from the Department of Finance to our suppliers, and within our government, continued monitoring of workflows, and internal streamlining of processes will help to address our suppliers' concerns about payment delays, and we will continue to monitor this situation to ensure that all invoices are paid within our 20- to 30-day target. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Each year the Dead North Film Festival inspires people from across the Arctic to get out and shoot short film creations in the depths of winter. It also brings Northerners together to support the film sector and have fun at this horror and fantasy genre event.
This year marks the eighth year for the Dead North Film Festival. The GNWT's Film Commission, in the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, has been a supporter and sponsor from the beginning. The annual festival has become a staple in the Yellowknife film calendar, providing professionals and newcomers alike the chance to dip their toes in the creative economy. Since Dead North was established in 2012, over 170 short films have been produced, and audiences come out in droves to see the results.
As the Northwest Territories' presence on the global film industry continues to grow, this northern event has also become a jumping-off point for the participation of Northwest Territories productions in southern festival tours.
Mr. Speaker, this year's submissions for the Dead North Film Festival set a new record, and I would like to congratulate the festival's founders and organizers, the Artless Collective, for their vision, the work they have done, and the success that they have enjoyed.
As this year's Dead North Film Festival wraps up this weekend, I encourage Members to get out and take in the screenings and events. I would also like to use this opportunity to update Members on the work and investments we are undertaking to create even more opportunities for our film and media industry.
Five years ago, Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Film Commission launched Take One, the territory's first film strategy. Through its implementation and our own government investments, the Northwest Territories has become known for award-winning films, circumpolar festivals, and one of a kind storytelling. Last year, the Northwest Territories Film Rebate Program leveraged almost $2.3 million in economic spending in the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, it is time to update our film strategy and to take the next big step in the development of our creative economy. To do this, the department has launched the Let's Talk Film and Media campaign to consider what the next phase of film and media growth in our territory should look like. Together with the Northwest Territories Professional Media Association, Industry, Tourism and Investment will be hosting a visioning workshop with representatives from across the Northwest Territories' film sector. We're reaching out to leaders, municipalities, and stakeholders across the North to get their input. Through an online idea board and discussion forums, we have started a territory-wide conversation with Northwest Territories residents about film and media development in our territory.
Mr. Speaker, in this government's mandate, we have highlighted the importance of increasing economic diversification by supporting growth in non-extractive sectors. Collectively, our vision is for a territory where there is rewarding work available for Northwest Territories residents across all sectors, and this includes film. Our territory is home to a vibrant screen-based media production industry built upon the dedicated efforts of both local and guest producers committed to telling our stories to the world. The product of their work and passion does more than generate employment and spending for actors, technical staff, and suppliers of goods and services. It also helps to showcase our incredible landscapes, cultures, traditions, and iconic landmarks to the world.
When it was introduced in 2015, the Government of the Northwest Territories' first-ever film strategy established two broad goals for the actions and investments it identified:
increase the number and quality of local independent film and television production with market interest; and
increase the number of guest productions that engage Northwest Territories residents and their services.
With success on both fronts, it is time to advance our growing industry to the next level. In the coming weeks, Mr. Speaker, Members may see or receive messages on their social media platforms saying, "Let's talk Film and Media." I encourage you to join the conversation and to share the opportunity with your constituents so that together we can share ideas on what the future of film and media looks like in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, today, I would like to make a statement regarding the highway to Whati and how the contracts were given out regarding the employment. There is a lot of employment that will go into it. It is going to be a three-year contract. We are hoping that we include a lot of training on the job and also businesses. I would like to say a few things regarding that. [Translation ends]
Whati all-season road is a P3 project with a 20 percent Tlicho Government partnership with the main contractor North Star Infrastructure, a non-NWT company. The project includes expected construction costs of $213.8 million, and project costs of $410 million over a 25-year period. The project agreement for road construction is a three-year contract. Construction work started five months ago, approximately.
Mr. Speaker, with a P3 project of this magnitude, there is a requirement that nearby communities will benefit during the life of the project through employment, training, and business contracts. From the earliest planning stages, the territorial government assured the Tlicho that its residents and business would benefit. Sadly, Mr. Speaker, the local benefits provision of the Tlicho project agreement the GNWT and the contractor have not lived up to expectations. Behchoko is home to numerous qualified Heavy Equipment Operators, but after five months, the on-site contractor has not hired one of them. Instead, they watch in frustration as a van delivers non-northern and Yellowknife-based heavy equipment operators to the work site. I've seen it and witnessed it myself, Mr. Speaker. I've witnessed it. I drive the road from here to Behchoko on a frequent basis.
Mr. Speaker, it's time that business opportunities, most contractors are going to companies from outside of Behchoko, even outside the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, this is not acceptable. The construction site is located in the heart of the Tlicho, between the Wek'eezhii Boundary and Monfwi Gogha De Niitlee Boundary.
Mr. Speaker, the window of opportunity is closing for the Tlicho. The new road opens in 2022, then the jobs, training, business opportunities will be gone. We must move now to rectify this unacceptable situation. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to work with the Minister of Infrastructure to ensure that Tlicho is not left out. I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure at the appropriate time. Masi.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. [Translation] I have spoken several times, though, in this House about the often strained relationship between the Department of Education and the NWT francophone community.
On July 2, 2019, the NWT Supreme Court ruled against this government in relation to constitutionally entrenched French-language rights. The Minister did not properly apply the policy on admission of non-rights holders. The Minister was directed to reconsider her decision while paying attention to the need for a restorative approach to French first language education.
I am disappointed with Cabinet's decision, again, to go to court. Why does our government continue to spend money on adversarial court proceedings rather than fixing the problem of a faulty ministerial directive that is out of date and too narrow?
The 2016 Ministerial Directive on Enrolment of Students in French First-Language Education Programs was not developed collaboratively with the francophone community or education bodies. It is much more restrictive than that is found in other jurisdictions, including the Yukon, and where authority has been delegated to the relevant education bodies with appropriate reporting.
Fix the root of the problem, a poorly conceived ministerial directive. I will have questions later today for the Minister on why we continue to devote resources to court proceedings rather than working with the francophone community and families to ensure that our children have access to an adequate francophone first-language school system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. [Translation ends]
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, as I climbed into bed late last night I had a much different statement planned for today. One last check of social media led me to a story of racism that occurred in one of our schools yesterday. Earlier this week, we heard of racial slurs directed at an NWT student during a SAlT hockey game in Calgary. In both instances, young Indigenous women courageously took a stand against the racism. Mr. Speaker, it is 2020 and this is not okay.
First, it is time for racism to be a thing of the past. Every time we hear of racial tensions in the United States, we sit back, north of the border and judge in dismay; but, when it comes to our treatment of Canada's Indigenous people, we do not seem to draw the same comparison.
Second, Mr. Speaker, it is not the responsibility of our Indigenous children to stand up to racism. Indigenous people have been fighting for land, language, culture, and life for hundreds of years. It is our responsibility as colonisers to stand up for our neighbours, friends, and family; to teach our children history and compassion, to build children who grow into adults who can take part in the change we are all fighting for and demanding here today.
Mr. Speaker, 90 percent of homeless people on Yellowknife streets are Indigenous, upwards of 90 percent of our corrections populations are Indigenous, and 99 percent of our foster care system is Indigenous. Our system is rooted in colonial, systemic racism, and we are working hard to change that here together, but what becomes of all our hard work when we are not doing the same work at home?
As much as it is our responsibility to stand up outside the home, it is our responsibility to have deep conversations in our homes. The transgenerational trauma of what was done to Indigenous people so that my ancestors could live in this country is raw, and it is my job to teach my children about history, racism, privilege, and responsibility. While we use the word reconciliation like a cool noun, it means nothing unless we are willing to stand up for change, to stand up for healing, and, as colonisers, let go. It means not fooling ourselves into thinking we have our finger on the pulse of our territory when we actually have our thumb on progress. As a parent, and as a politician, to be effective we have to be prepared to play the long game. The choices we make in this House, in our homes, and in social settings, all play into our success as Northerners. This change does not require more money to our education system, or more money to our healthcare network. This is a grassroots change that requires doing what is right, and what is required, for a better, stronger North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' statements. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. During our review of the mandate over the past few sitting days, one area of the mandate that stood out for me was the area where it said, "increase employment in small communities." Further to that, we spoke about an amendment under the NWT Housing Corporation policy which will allow appropriate home businesses to operate within our units. I think this is a great idea. We need to give our residents every opportunity to succeed and be self-sufficient. Our economy, right now, is not where it needs to be. We need to think of any and every opportunity to find more jobs and bring more money to our local economies.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I do have my concerns. My main concern is that we protect fledgling businesses to grow with minimal outside interference from the GNWT. There needs to be a laissez-faire, hands-off approach from our government in terms of business start-ups. My main concern is for individuals who depend on income assistance, for example, and live in the NWT housing units. I would like to see some sort of grace period in the neighbourhood of six months, for example, to help these said business opportunities to move ahead unhindered.
Again, Mr. Speaker, we are facing an economic crisis in terms of our economy, and we need to be innovative, help move along small businesses, and help create jobs. I believe this mandate item is a positive step forward, but we need a real and common-sense approach to help our small businesses thrive.
Here is an interesting statistic that might interest people; according to Statistics Canada, in 2014 small businesses in Canada contributed an average of 30 percent to the GDP of their province or territory. I have said before in this House that we need to keep every dollar we can in NWT, especially our small communities, and this amendment makes me feel hopeful on that front.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I really believe there are a lot of good business ideas out there in the North, and who knows, one of these business ideas could be the next Amazon or Apple. I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation and the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment at the appropriate time. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk about suicide. Just by saying this, I feel like I'm doing something I shouldn't.
Growing up in the North my entire life, I have seen and heard of many suicides. What I never did was talk about it after a loss, or be given the tools on what to do, or how to talk about suicide after it happened. We seem to just to try to move on, and then it happens again. The families, or those close to the loved ones lost to suicide, never get over the loss of their loved ones. Sometimes, we think, "why didn't I do something? Why didn't I help them?" The thing is that there are many social and cultural factors that contribute to death by suicide, as well as underlying mental health conditions, and asking for help can be extremely difficult for those, as mental health is not looked at the same way as physical health.
Suicide rates from the NWT Bureau of Statistics in 2018 show 11 out of the 239 deaths reported died by suicide. That's one in 22 deaths, Mr. Speaker. The NWT has a small population compared to other provinces, and everyone knows everyone, and one death is one death too many by suicide. The Public Health Agency of Canada released Suicide in Canada: Key Statistics on suicide, and it states that it is the second leading cause of death among youth and young adults, 15-24, and males are three times higher than women.
So, what can you do if you know someone who may be considering suicide as a permanent solution to a temporary situation? According to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, suggest five steps. I won't go into details, Mr. Speaker, but I will read them.
Ask. It's okay to ask them whether they are thinking about taking their own life;
Keep them safe if they acknowledge suicide thoughts;
Be there. Be willing to have the tough conversations. Listen to their distress;
Help them connect. Help the person connect with a network; and
Follow-up. Give a call, leave a message, text, drop by to see them. Your communication sends a message.
Mr. Speaker, our youth turn to each other for help. We need to equip them with the tools on what to do if someone discloses to them. As well, we need to ensure they also know how to seek help for themselves after disclosure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to talk a bit about the trucking industry in relation to safety on our highways. Mind you, they provide a valuable service in delivering cargo and goods to our communities, and to remote locations, via ice roads. Back when the Merv Hardie ferry was crossing the Mackenzie River at Fort Providence, there were times during the yearly freeze-up and spring break-up that all traffic came to a halt.
Mr. Speaker, we really miss those days of solitude and no truck traffic, specifically the semis with their prized cargo. Most Legislators will say, the days before the debt. What I've noticed the most since the Deh Cho bridge came into being is the exponential increase in truck traffic. In the spring and in the rainy, muddy days, the trucks kick up mud that covers up your windshield completely. This temporarily blinds you to oncoming traffic, and quite possibly the ditch. In the winter months, with all the snow around, when you pass a semi, then again you are blinded in the whiteout conditions from all the snow kicked up by the trucks. A lot of instances, the trucks are in convoys of two or more and following close behind each other, so that you just notice the headlights of oncoming traffic, trucks, and the zero-visibility conditions.
There are a lot of instances where I thank the good Lord that I had the sense to slow right down to almost stopping on the highway, waiting for the snow to clear. Just recently, there was a death due to a truck not slowing down and mindful of the traffic and situations on the road. Another semi hit a passenger truck near Big River Service at Fort Providence. That man was lucky to walk away, albeit shaken up and thankful for his life. There is a speed limit of 70 kilometres per hour from the south side of Big River, and the truck may have been going beyond the speed limit.
Mr. Speaker, it seems like the Wild West show on our highways. It may be a matter of time before this gets worse. There could possibly be more and more inexperienced semi-truck drivers on our roads. This begs a few questions. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure at the appropriate time. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The sealift is a vital lifeline from the remote coastal communities in my riding, Mr. Speaker. It is the only way families can lower their food bills once a year, by ordering large amounts of food that bring everything into the communities that you could imagine, such as dried goods, building materials and supplies, cars, trucks, heavy equipment, and bulk petroleum; you name it. If someone can order it, then I guarantee you it has been delivered on a sealift to Nunakput.
In 2016, the Northern Transportation Company, a subsidiary of the Inuvialuit Corporate Group, announced the company was folding. That's the year that GNWT purchased NTCL assets and established Marine Transportation Services in the Department of Infrastructure to continue providing vital services in goods marshalled out of Hay River through barges up the Mackenzie River to the Beaufort Sea.
Mr. Speaker, the 2018 sailing season was a disaster for Nunakput. MTS was unable to deliver freight to Paulatuk. They blamed high water, ice blockage in the Beaufort Sea, and a lack of fuel for the cancellation. In fact, however, ships that were supposed to be resupplying Ulukhaktok and Sachs Harbour were actually late in returning from private contracts, Mr. Speaker, which set everything back. This was shown on the coast guard's tracking system. MTS was criticized for prioritizing private contract with essential resupply to the communities.
Mr. Speaker, this cost our government $3.9 million to fly in essential goods to the communities. Those who had materials from equipment vehicles on the barge had to wait another year to arrive into the communities. When the materials did arrive, they were spoiled from sitting on the barge.
I am raising this concern, Mr. Speaker. I want the Minister of Infrastructure to know how important it is to make sure that MTS does resupply our communities, and the planning is now for the upcoming sailing season. I am really happy that the department sent out their 2020 sailing schedule. It is good to see, but I am encouraging the Minister responsible for MTS to come to Nunakput and meet with my mayors and my constituents on the MTS situation on the 2020 sailing season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Last year, I rose in this House to draw attention to a CBC investigation about sexual abuse in sports. Before I get into the details, I want to note the tireless work by many coaches and volunteers who protect, train, inspire, and teach our children. This is not about them or the great work that they do. My statement today is about protecting our children from the abusers among us.
Mr. Speaker, the CBC investigation found that at least 222 amateur sport coaches in Canada have been convicted of sexual offences in the last 20 years. Those convictions involved more than 600 victims under the age of 18. Because sexual abuse is an underreported area, experts say there could be thousands of cases we don't know about. No sport or individual is immune. Convictions have come from roughly 37 different sporting activities.
It seems that the onus is still on individual organizations to vet prospective coaches and educate their athletes on what constitutes inappropriate behaviours and how to report them. Most organizations do not have the capacity to handle all of this in-house, leaving the justice system to address this issue once something has already happened.
Anti-abuse policies exist at the national and subnational levels, but transparency is lacking. There is still no list maintained at the territorial or federal levels which tracks volunteers and coaches who have been banned, charged, or convicted. We need easily accessible ways to report and track suspected abusers.
Mr. Speaker, all of this makes me wonder what the situation is here. There are clear common-sense steps that can be taken that do not require a lot of resources to implement. MACA, working with Sport North and other organizations, could supply clear rules around sexual abuse prevention and promote training for coaches, parents, and players. We need to ensure our players are protected from psychological and emotional trauma that comes with abuse. I will have questions for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to continue the discussion on the NWT fishing industry. On September 21, 2018, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard announced the establishment of a ministerial advisory panel to examine alternative governance and ownership model for the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation which better reflects the environment and marketing conditions in today's industry. The panel was directed to explore models that support collaboration and cooperation amongst fishers and involve them in decision-making. The report also stressed the change in governance of FFMC: "Increase fisher participation in FFMC by drawing board members from fishers and fisher organizations. Fisher board members should be chosen to reflect the regional geographic diversity of FFMC operations and the demographic pattern of Indigenous participation in the fishery."
After our government received this document, and I am assuming they never read it, as they made a decision to do the exact opposite, this government removed the NWT representative from FFMC, who is a fisher, and replaced them with one of our own bureaucrats.
Mr. Speaker, this government talks about building relationships and working in partnership with our homegrown industries, fishing being one of them. In actuality, what is happening is that we are dictating to them and saying we know better. This may be true when it comes to slowing down a process or not providing a timely delivery of projects; we do excel in that area. When it comes to industry itself, it is the fishers who know best. It is the fishers who are putting their lives on the line to keep the industry alive.
Mr. Speaker, I need to know, and the fishers need to know, that approximately $9 million to be spent on a fish plant is based on sound and factual data. I understand that we have someone on the east coast providing a redesign; however, Mr. Speaker, this is not the east coast. This is the NWT. The importance of having an actual fisher on the Board of FFMC is imperative, and having NW fishers part of revitalizing our fishing industry is a given. If we ever expect to maximize financial return to the fishers for the product they deliver, we need their support and participation of all levels in a business case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We need to establish territory-wide building standards to meet the cost of climate changes today. While the standards of the national Modern Energy Building Code are required, there are no assurances that these standards are met due to the lack of small-community inspections and enforcement systems.
Project management capacity at the community level is also a concern, Mr. Speaker. For example, there is no guarantee that a new community building won't be sited on permafrost for lack of a geotechnical survey. This raises major concerns. Public safety can be put at risk. Without standards, there is no assurance of operational quality, energy efficiency, durability, or security of investment, because the best expertise for northern construction resides with our northern architects, engineers, and consultants. Lack of standards can allow our public dollars to leak south to those unfamiliar or under-qualified with northern requirements. We need to ensure GNWT funds transferred to communities are used to build long-lasting and efficient buildings, Mr. Speaker.
The NWT Association of Communities has long called for the creation of an NWT-wide building and inspections capacity, and pass resolutions pointing to the needs for improved construction. The Northwest Territories Association of Architects has repeatedly brought forward the needs for standards and compliance. The Northwest Territories Greenhouse Gas Strategy and new ministerial mandates call for NWT building standards to assist communities in reducing their energy costs via efficiency.
A northern building code would meet our responsibility for addressing these concerns, but we will also need to help our communities and citizens meet these standards by establishing an advisory and inspection capacity and by establishing systems to require professional assurances that standards have been met. We need to aim higher by ensuring our NWT standard for energy efficiency recognizes our northern conditions and exceeds southern standards.
Mr. Speaker, last week, I plagiarized a Member's statement by my predecessor, Mr. Cory Vanthuyne. The Member's statement I just read practically word-for-word was plagiarized by my predecessor's predecessor, Mr. Bob Bromley, in 2011. This issue should have been addressed a long time ago. It is the start to get the ball rolling, and once again, the simplest and most effective tools in implementing our Energy Strategy is a building standards act. I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to just take this time to recognize some Pages in the House today. From Kam Lake, we have Cyra Dizon and Isha Jha. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank our Minister of Finance for our budget address this week, and before we move it into Committee of the Whole, I wanted to provide my response.
In reply, I want to pose some fundamental questions for this Assembly, questions of what kind of territory we want to be and our place within confederation. I want to share some thoughts on where we're at as a territory and what I believe we must do to move forward. I will focus my address on the question of what it means to be seated here in this House and what it means to be a Northerner.
Given this is a budget address, I want to begin by talking about a quarter. Not a quarter of a million dollars; a 25-cent piece. Mr. Speaker, when you look at a quarter, what do you find? On one side, you see an aging monarch who lives thousands of miles from here. On the other side, you see a caribou, an animal whose future becomes more and more precarious each year. How do we in this House self-locate, even as our currency seems to simultaneously represent, overlook, and mock our interests?
The contrast is emblematic of the position we are in today: constituents of one of the wealthiest nations on earth, yet we govern a territory too often forgotten and left to deal with economic and social crises threatening a way of life. Mr. Speaker, the grand bargain of northern participation in the confederation that was Canada would be that people would have a standard of living found anywhere else in Canada. Mr. Speaker, that bargain has failed. Our climate, our economy, our education, our housing, even our actual caribou, are in crisis, Mr. Speaker, and the Government of Canada remains similar to a monarch: too slow to invest in the transformational change this territory needs, even as tens of thousands of Canadians struggle too far out of sight for outsiders to understand.
Mr. Speaker, this is not a new story. For decades, we've seen investments in the grand bargain for Arctic sovereignty fall off. Our communities remain disconnected, lacking physical and digital infrastructure most Canadians have taken for granted for years. Our people struggle with staggering rates of mental illness and intergenerational trauma, and our most vulnerable often face these struggles without roofs over their heads, and we face one of the greatest housing shortages in the developed world.
These aren't problems that can be solved with the transfer payments that trickle in each year, and, in fact, that's not what they were ever designed to solve. To tackle the big issues of the day, we need transformative investment, the sustained multi-billion-dollar kind, which our tiny tax base could never expect to afford as we pay our bills, and with the fresh scars of colonialism affecting generations of the Indigenous people in this territory, exasperating every issue, I believe it is a moral imperative for Ottawa to put that kind of money behind making it right and putting the North on even footing with the rest of Canada.
However, Mr. Speaker, I have to say I don't place all the blame on the federal government for not opening their wallets. Part of the blame lies with us, with successive governments who didn't articulate a clear enough vision of who we are as a territory. We negotiated devolution, and yet, for six years, we've hit the wall in fulfilling its true vision of further devolving powers to Indigenous governments. We've released strategies to renew children in care and to deal with our education crisis, and then the federal government via the Auditor General made it clear that we are letting too many children fall through the cracks and inflate our graduation rates. Most recently, we've answered a housing crisis by failing to put 42 inexpensive units at risk because we couldn't get our ducks in a row.
How do we get beyond the narrative of stasis? We need to tell our story, Mr. Speaker. We need to present a vision for what this territory can be, and we need to back it up. What's the biggest story I believe we can lead in this Assembly? Mr. Speaker, it's reconciliation, and, as blockades line the tracks across our nation, we in the North have a chance to show our country how to bring people together and break down the barriers dividing us.
We have already come a long way compared to our peers. We have settled a lot of big land claims, and, as those claims were settled, we saw the potential of our Indigenous governments unleashed. The Inuvialuit Regional Corporation is paving the way with hundreds of millions of dollars in assets. Communities like Deline are finally self-governing, setting their own path forward for the future. The Gwich'in jumped us by seven years on electronic voting. The Tlicho are world leaders in mine logistics.
Mr. Speaker, I could go on, but we all know we have so much more to do. We need to settle the Akaitcho and Dehcho claims. For too long, we've seen too many stories of how our government is standing in the way. It's self-defeating, Mr. Speaker. The vision after devolution was to get our house in order and continue to devolve powers and resources to Indigenous governments across this territory. The vision was to realize a Denendeh and Inuvialuit where public and Indigenous governments interacted nation-to-nation, and it's not just about finishing this long, painful process. It's about untying our hands and embracing the economic opportunities settling these questions would bring. Akaitcho believes there's $1 billion on the table when their process ends. The Deh Cho is a home to unbelievable sites and minerals. We need to get UNDRIP on the books during this Assembly. After a century of damage, we need to show we're ready to make the next step in decades of healing.
For the people who have lived on this land for thousands of years, their relationship with Canada has been devastating more often than it has been beneficial. We in Canada have much work to do in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and reconciling what our identity is as a whole. Mr. Speaker, I want to emphasize that I am a patriot, a word not often used by people of my generation, and I may not sound it at times, but I am, in fact, strongly committed to this venture that we call Canada, something, very understandably, many Indigenous people are not as committed to. That is understandable, and, if I were Dene, I am sure that I would have few nice things to say about our federal government.
As a Canadian, it is my role to acknowledge our history and our present. In the face of this reality, I am not here to give up or feel guilty. I am here to take some responsibility and amend the wrongs. This is what reconciliation truly is. It is about hope for this nation and hope for the people of the North. It is not a hollow buzzword, but a reshaping of Canadian identity. Right now, all across this country, you can hear young Indigenous people on the steps of their legislature yelling, "Reconciliation is dead." This is because people in power failed to acknowledge our history and, in turn, failed their people.
Mr. Speaker, you will hear me speak over the next four years about colonialism. I say this not for shock value, but it is the reality at the heart of northern identity. The history of Canada is one of colonialism by definition. Canada was a colony of Great Britain and, in turn, the French colonists were conquered by the British colonists. This land we are now in was given to some man named Rupert, who is even less relevant than that monarch on our money. In turn, that land was given to the Hudson's Bay Company, and finally, what is left is the Northwest Territories, a territory that was carved off, and is only northwest in its relationship to Ottawa. From where I stand, Mr. Speaker, it is exactly where it needs to be.
Mr. Speaker, the introduction of resource extraction from the North, with profits sent to other territories, took an Indigenous way of life that had sustained itself for thousands of years and forced it into a commercial and industrial system, whereby a nomadic way of life was no longer sustainable. The taking of northern resources to benefit foreign corporate entities is something we are still reconciling with today. This land, the Northwest Territories, must find a path forward, must be a leader in Canada, Mr. Speaker. I believe we must also take a strong political stance to push all other governments in Canada to do so. Northerners, better than anyone, should understand the right not to be controlled by those who don't understand the reality on the ground.
Now, Mr. Speaker, why am I speaking about all this history? It is because it is of fundamental importance that we all understand how we got here in order to understand how to move forward. For those of us who love the North and wish to move forward as part of a united and prosperous Canada, we must first remedy the wrongs of the past. That is done through our current land claim process, in which Canada, through the Crown, returns to the land to the Indigenous peoples to whom, in fact, it always belonged.
It is my hope in time, Mr. Speaker, that all Indigenous people will be proud to call themselves Canadian and view themselves as part of this country and be able to comfortably walk with a foot in both worlds. Yet, that is something I have no right to ask any person until their proper rights have been restored. You cannot use the withholding of rights as a bargaining chip in reconciliation, Mr. Speaker. The only way true northern unity can occur is willingly and with a passion to progress forward together.
Canada has often asked Indigenous people to join into this Canadian identity at the expense of their own. Mr. Speaker, reconciliation by force is a paradox. If one party remains unwilling or can't enter on their own terms, then it isn't reconciliation. It is assimilation at best. I want to emphasize that my goal in the small part I have to play is to build a strong North and a strong Canada that, in turn, builds strong Indigenous nations alongside of it. This is the complexity of northern identity that we all must reconcile, and the only way to do that is through trust, Mr. Speaker.
I must also emphasize that we are together in the midst of a large social contract. As we settle land claims and self-government to give Indigenous governments more power to be free, more power to be independent, I also hope that through that independence will come unity.
Now to the lawyer in me, Mr. Speaker. Reconciling with Canada comes with certain inalienable conditions, and this is the point where much of the tension will exist going forward. All Canadians, Indigenous and not, must respect the rights and responsibilities of our charter. All Canadians must respect the law and the institutions we use to enforce them. Mr. Speaker, I emphasize that respect does not mean one cannot be frustrated by them or work to change them. I myself am frustrated by the rigidity of many of our institutions and the resistance to change that they perpetuate. This is exactly why I stand here, Mr. Speaker, to bring about change to our institutions from within.
If Canada is going to succeed and the North is going to prosper, and I am going to be proud to call this place home, I will spend the next four years and, in fact, the rest of my life building relationships so that everyone prospers and is truly welcomed on their own terms into this weird and beautiful creation called the Northwest Territories. Maybe we could change the name, but I'm not going to go there, Mr. Speaker.
In this right, I would call upon this government, along with our Indigenous governments, to begin the push to once again enter into constitutional reform. For too long, this country has been tied up in disputes about federalism, with everything an argument about provincial or federal jurisdiction, a dispute that fails to address territorial or Indigenous rights. It is time for Canada to amend its constitution and rightfully place both Indigenous governments and territories in it. We are leaders in the North in this regard, and we must pressure Canada to do so. We are stronger united, we are stronger when we go to Ottawa with one united northern voice, and we are stronger when we demand the world take meaningful action on climate change, which disproportionately affects us, with one voice.
Mr. Speaker, the North is on a precipice. When that monarch on our money dies, to whom we all pledged allegiance, will her son or grandson unite the North? When we speak of the honour of the Crown in negotiations and courts, does anyone other than lawyers really buy into such a concept? If the Bathurst caribou herd disappears, is that caribou on our money something to be proud of or just a testament to our collective failure?
For far too long, the only reason Canada paid any attention to this place was one of resources, first furs, then gold, and now diamonds; but as our diamonds come to an end, and the NWT identity is not directly linked to resource extraction, some very pressing economic realities come into play.
Firstly, Mr. Speaker, the NWT is a fake economy. Our economy is entirely dependent on federal funding, so when we live in a fake economy, where it makes more economic sense to just stop fighting a losing battle, pack up, and move down south, all of us must ensure we have a convincing answer as to why the rest of Canadian taxpayers are paying for all of this when there is no fur, gold, or diamonds for them in the deal.
The answer to this, Mr. Speaker, lies in the inalienable rights of all Canadians, the right to be provided with adequate services wherever they live in Canada. If economic efficiency were the only factor in nation-building, we would all simply live in urban centres where the reality of economies of scale make providing services significantly cheaper. Yet, Canada, in exerting control over these lands historically, has an obligation to both reconcile Indigenous rights to the land and support those who call this place home with the same level of service that a Canadian anywhere else gets, regardless of cost, Mr. Speaker.
This, Mr. Speaker, is the nature of public government. Given our small population, we may, in fact, spend millions of dollars providing services to a single person, but that is part of the Canadian social contract. We provide the same level of healthcare to all Canadians, no matter the cost.
Mr. Speaker, I am convinced that the federal government has forgotten that this is the heart of the social contract. We took on devolution as an interim measure to undo colonial control from Ottawa, but such power must inherently be used to undo colonialism at all levels.
The resources in our land are our savings for the future, and to only allow our continued existence to be contingent on the resources we send back to Ottawa is unjust. Canada needs to stop using the North and its symbols as a uniting cultural aspect without providing the people who live in the North an adequate level of government service.
Mr. Speaker, I thank you all for listening to me. I hope this address can spur some larger conversations about what the NWT is and where it is going. I also ask any who may disagree to please come and speak to me. First and foremost, it is all of our jobs to listen more than we speak, something that is a little ironic, given that I just spoke for 20 minutes, Mr. Speaker; but I believe that it goes without saying that the only way to reconcile and build a united and prosperous North is through healthy dialogue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Will the Minister of Education tell me or provide me with what programs and supports are currently being provided to junior and senior high students in our territory related to mental health and suicide, peer counselling, or anything like that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is curriculum in the school that deals with this, as the Member is well aware, and I believe she referenced some of it earlier. If not, I know that she's spoken about it before. I can get a list of those programs or those courses for the Member.
This has been an issue for a while now. One of the issues I find with the school curriculum is there are a lot of things that we should be teaching, and there are only so many hours in the day. When you talk to schools, they want to teach what they need to in order to take students to the next level academically, but also teach the type of life skills that students need. It's a struggle to find that balance of what we can fit in and where we can fit it, because there are only so many hours in the day. We do work on that. As for the particular courses and the particular programs, I can get that information for the Member. Thank you.
Will the Minister commit to providing ASIST, the Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training that the health department offers, or some type of peer counselling geared for students who have been taking on this role in person and through social media by default by not having anyone consistent that they can talk to but each other?
I will definitely look into that. We had a conversation about this yesterday. It is a very real issue that students are facing. They become counsellors, peer counsellors, who are dealing with heavy, heavy issues. That weighs on someone. People internalize that, and that becomes an issue for them. I am committed to looking into this.
I believe that the rates of suicidal ideation, which are thoughts of suicide, in our youth are higher than we want to believe. We as parents are struggling alone, thinking that we are the only ones dealing with this issue, but more and more I am talking to more parents and more educators; we are having a crisis that is not being brought to the surface. I want to ask if there is a way that the Minister of education can work with the health department to really capture how many of our young people are struggling with suicidal ideation.
Absolutely. I can work with my colleague, and we can look deeper into that. It is an issue. It is a recognized issue. That is why, in partnership with Health and Social Services, we are rolling out child and youth counsellors across the territory, because we recognize that this isn't something we can ignore. Schools are places where you go to learn, but you can't learn if you are dealing with so many other very, very serious concerns that are consuming all your time and are very emotional. I will do that work with my colleague.
