Colleagues, pursuant to Motion 6-19(2), I hereby give notice that I will recall this House to sit on Monday, March 16, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. After consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, I am satisfied that the public interest requires that the House meet earlier than the scheduled resumption of the House on March 24, 2020.
In light of the growing concern surrounding COVID-19, I believe it is in the public interest for Members of this House to consider and adopt an interim appropriation bill to approve routine government expenditures for the first three months of the 2020-2021 fiscal year. Sessions of the Legislative Assembly require the support of substantial Cabinet and public service resources and the suspension of our current sitting will free up these resources to focus on preparing for and responding to the potential spread of COVID-19 to the Northwest Territories.
Monsieur le President, I am proud to celebrate the francophone community of the Northwest Territories during the 22nd Annual Rendez-vous de la Francophonie. This nationwide
initiative, held every March, is an opportunity for Canada's 9.5 million French speakers to promote the French language and celebrate the many ways it is expressed throughout the country.
The Rendez-vous encourages us to celebrate the strength in our diversity and cooperatively address the challenges we face as a territory. This year's theme of "Au centre d'un changement" is especially relevant as we begin the work to achieve the priorities of the 19th Legislative Assembly. It is a welcome reminder to embrace a spirit of unity aimed at improving the quality of life for all of our residents.
Monsieur le President, this government is committed to providing our French-speaking residents with quality public services and communications. That is why we launched our first annual Francophone Community Satisfaction Survey earlier this month. The survey, available on the Department of Education, Culture and Employment's website until March 31, 2020, will help us to determine the francophone community's level of awareness of the GNWT's French-language communications and how satisfied they are with those services.
We are partnering with francophone organizations in areas like immigration. During Francophone Immigration Week in 2019, the Government of the Northwest Territories launched the Welcome to the NWT resource book for newcomers at an event hosted by the Northwest Territories' francophone immigration network. This guide was designed to help attract, settle, and ensure the retention of foreign nationals to the Northwest Territories and connect newcomers with the services and resources they need to settle comfortably into their new home communities.
We continue to support and engage with College nordique francophone. College nordique francophone plays a significant role in ensuring diversity in the postsecondary education system, offering language courses and a variety of post-secondary education diploma programs in cooperation with southern institutions. To support this important work, we recently signed a new three-year contribution agreement with College nordique francophone that will begin in the new fiscal year.
Monsieur le President, our diverse French population contributes a cultural richness to our communities, not only through language, but through dance, art, food, film, music, ideas, love for the land, and, above all, a passion for interconnectedness and cultural exchange. I am grateful for the gifts we continue to receive from the members of our vibrant and growing francophone population. Let us continue to work together to celebrate our diversity and to strengthen the social, cultural, and economic landscape of the Northwest Territories. Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Today, on behalf of Behchoko, I am going to be talking about some of the emotions about the Behchoko. There are more houses. There is a huge population in the community of the Behchoko. It is one of the largest native communities in the Northwest Territories. I am talking about the regional office. I will be talking about the regional office. I will ask questions, Mr. Speaker. [Translation ends]
[Microphone turned off] ...town in the Northwest Territories. It is the territory's largest Indigenous community. It is the centre of one of the most dynamic and vibrant regions in the territory. Yet, Mr. Speaker, the territorial government has no regional offices in Behchoko. It maintains regional offices in Inuvik, Norman Wells, Hay River, Fort Simpson, and Fort Smith, two of which actually have fewer population than Behchoko. Meanwhile, the Behchoko regional office is located in Yellowknife.
This is a disservice to the people of the Tlicho region. They observe Norman Wells and Fort Simpson, and wonder why they don't have the same access or decision-making powers, programs, employment, and career development as those communities that enjoy it by virtue of their regional government offices.
Mr. Speaker, the regional delivery model brings government closer to the people. It makes programs, policies, and services more culturally sensitive. The regional delivery model builds public buy-ins and makes communities more self-reliant. It has been 17 years since the Tlicho agreement was signed, making the Tlicho Nation one of the most progressive self-governing Indigenous nations in the world. It is time that this territorial government is recognized by giving the Tlicho a regional government presence to match. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Masi.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In the last of the week of statements on justice issues, I want to reflect on the journey of developing the new Corrections Act. This was a journey I took with the Standing Committee on Social Development last year. Mr. Speaker, the committee was dismayed by the bill presented. It didn't reflect the many changes in approach and practice since the original Corrections Act came into force more than 40 years ago. It didn't compare well to new legislation in other jurisdictions such as Nunavut, which provided for more rehabilitation and re-integration of offenders. As well, the bill didn't reflect changes in case law around solitary confinement or provide for procedural fairness with the complaints process. Last but not least, too many issues that are rights-based were relegated to regulations and policies rather than being found in the bill itself.
I reached out to subject-matter experts, and we benefited from the advice from the BC Civil Liberties Association; the former Director General of Corrections for Canada; the Canadian Bar Association, NWT Chapter; the former ED of the John Howard Society; and the Information and Privacy Commissioner. With all this analysis, we were able to refocus the bill away from administration of corrections and make it more inmate-centric, so to speak. We looked at how we take care of inmates when they are in one of our correctional centres and how we can assist them in turning their lives around so there is hope for a better future.
It was really beneficial that the Minister of Justice in the last Assembly and his staff worked so well together with the standing committee and our staff to accomplish very extensive and useful changes to the bill. The new NWT Corrections Act is equivalent to corrections acts anywhere in the country. This process demonstrated the strengths of consensus government. I used to say to people while this was going on that this was the bill that kept me up at night. After waiting 43 years for it to be thoroughly overhauled, we needed to do a really good job so that it would last another 43 years. While I was initially doubtful that could be done, it was done. I am very proud of the result. I will have questions for the Minister of Justice on the next step, implementation of the act. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you Member for Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased. Yesterday, we brought up the COVID-19. I am pleased this government is working so hard to get this pandemic for the people across the territories sorted out on a plan to go forward. I want to know this plan for our schools, Mr. Speaker, and our small communities. Yesterday, Ontario announced the unprecedented decision to shut down their schools for two weeks after their spring break to try to slow the spread of the virus.
I believe the Minster of ECE should be doing the same here, Mr. Speaker, across our territory. In every district, give the local DEAs the authority to shut our schools down for the teachers. Everybody has a timeline when their spring break ends. The day it ends, it should be shut down for two weeks for self-isolation, because we know all the teachers in Nunakput where I represent, Inuvik, all the Beaufort-Delta, took off that day south. This will give our teachers who travelled south a chance to get back to our communities, self-isolate for a two weeks' extended period, with pay. I also want to know if the school staff will be making sure that their school staff is paid regardless if they are self-isolating or not.
Today, I am asking the Minister of ECE: is he planning to extend spring break across the territory, say, Yellowknife, South Slave, Nunakput, Mackenzie Delta, the day that they come back, two weeks after they get back in the community to self-isolate and shut down our schools for the safety of our kids? Because, in the communities, we don't have access to medical like they do down south, Mr. Speaker. Make sure the Minister of education gives our local DEAs the authority to do that and let it be their choice in the matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think my colleague and I sat down and wrote our Member's statements together. Spring break is a time for families and teachers to escape the cold, dark weather for a couple of weeks. The spring break in my community started March 6th; therefore, everyone should start returning from their vacations from all over Canada and the rest of the countries by next weekend. This has people concerned. In other provinces, they are taking precautions by way of closing down schools for an additional two weeks after the spring break to reduce the possible spread of the virus.
Mr. Speaker, we have to remember there is no vaccine for this virus. There are people who are healthy and will risk being sick and do not mind taking the chance, but what happens, Mr. Speaker, to those who are immunocompromised, like our elders, our babies, and those with chronic diseases? Inuvik is the hub for all travel back to the smaller communities, and, therefore, we need to have a plan for when everyone returns to the Beaufort-Delta. In light of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus, my community is worried about what will happen if the families and teachers return with no plan. We also have no relief healthcare staff in Inuvik, and, therefore, if we get hit with the virus in my community or one of the smaller outlying communities in the Beaufort-Delta, they will deplete the staff in my community. We need to have a plan. We need to have the resources to protect the people in my community and the rest of the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister of ECE. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to rise in support of your decision to end this session early and pass an interim appropriation bill. I had a number of concerns about taking up the department of health's time, and all of the senior management, in questioning them over their budget while they have much better things to do.
I just wanted to speak briefly on this COVID-19 thing. I think the main priorities here are continuity of government and protecting our most vulnerable people, Mr. Speaker. I would like to commend all of the departments on the work they are doing, even without a confirmed case in the NWT as of yet. I've seen departmental response plans, and I have seen people really kick into action, just the power of what government can do. I think it's important here to reassure citizens that it's a matter of preparation, not panic.
I would like to in advance just provide some of my suggestions to Ministers that I will continue to press them, even without the House sitting. I think we must protect our most vulnerable. If we have a full-blown pandemic in the Northwest Territories, I would like to see the Housing Corporation stop evicting people. I think the idea that we would put people in self-isolation and then evict them is inhumane. I would like to see the Power Corporation stop throttling power on people who are self-isolating, Mr. Speaker. I would like to see our homeless and most vulnerable provided housing if they have to self-isolate. I would like to see those in corrections make sure that they can be protected in this.
Mr. Speaker, during this time, even though this Assembly is not sitting, I want to assure the public that all MLAs will be in contact with government and that we will be continuing to have open communication with all of our citizens. Most importantly, this is about making sure that our healthcare system is prepared and not overwhelmed, and so I would like to in advance thank all of our healthcare workers, who are already overworked. Things are going to be harder for them, but I know that we are all there behind them, all of our healthcare workers, and so I just want to thank everyone in advance. Let's get through this together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With permission from the Member for Hay River North, I am going to use a good part of a previous statement he made on dredging.
Mr. Speaker, the build-up of sediments in the Port of Hay River has reached a critical level. The federal government used to dredge the waterways around Hay River and at points in the Mackenzie River. That program ended in the early 1990s, and virtually nothing has been done since. The result is that tugs are dragging barges through silt, boats are being damaged, and sport and commercial fishermen are finding it unsafe. I am aware that dredging is the federal government's responsibility as that has been the answer that previous Ministers have provided over and over again. Regardless of whose responsibility it is, it is in our backyard, so, as far as I am concerned, it's our problem and we have to do something about it.
Mr. Speaker, safe marine operating conditions are vital to maintaining and growing the South Slave economy. The Port of Hay River is the largest inland port in Western Canada. It is home to a Canadian Coast Guard base, the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and our own marine transportation service. It is part of the reason that the Town of Hay River exists, so it's shocking that we have let this condition worsen each year.
Our priorities contain a bold vision for the NWT's economy, which includes the fishing industry. The problem is that, if the fishermen cannot get to the fish because the port is too shallow and unsafe, then we do not have an industry. It's as simple as that. Hay River has also a growing tourist industry with amazing potential. With our southern proximity and access, the town could be a destination for recreational boaters and sport fishers, and, in fact, there are businesses making investments in the market right now. Mr. Speaker, without action on dredging, that opportunity will be lost.
The vitality of our shipping industry and the cost of goods up the Mackenzie are also directly and negatively impacted by our lack of action. This problem has consequences beyond Hay River. As each year passes and the sediment builds, the risk of flooding grows greater. From what I could tell, the previous government did little more than provide a weak argument to the federal government to dredge the harbour, which has gotten us nowhere. I urge this government to address the dredging issue during the term of this Assembly. What we need is more action and less finger-pointing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Members' statements. Item 9, returns to oral questions. Okay, colleagues, I will go back to Members' statements, but please put up your hand so that we mark you down. We will carry on with the Member for Thebacha.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, the town of Fort Smith is saddened by the passing of Mrs. Betty Mason. Betty was well known for the years she worked at the town hall, including when my husband Peter was mayor. Betty was a huge presence in the community, and, after retiring from the town office, she worked at Kaeser's Stores, where everyone was greeted with a smile and a laugh. Betty was well known for her great sense of humour, and everyone was a target of teasing, no matter who you were.
Betty was loved by all and will be sadly missed by her St. John's Anglican Church family and the town of Fort Smith. I would like to offer my sincere condolences to her daughter, Linda, and her grandson, Carson, and all of her extended Fort Smith family. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The review of the Mineral Resources Act involved a four-and-a-half-hour clause-by-clause review and six hours in Committee of the Whole. To say it was contentious would be a huge understatement.
The Mineral Resources Act is not about promoting mining. It's about setting up a system for mineral rights management. The bill was supposed to be about trying to balance a complex set of rights and interests. Significant improvements included notice to Indigenous governments of mining claims and exploration work. There may be requirements for benefit agreements with Indigenous governments before a mine can go under production. Regular MLAs worked very hard to get some further improvements, but many were rejected.
The bill failed to recognize the legitimate interests of community governments in protecting their lands and infrastructure. There is no precision or clarity when it comes to public benefits, as there are no triggers or details on those benefits. The ill-defined zones are bad public policy and likely to create a race to the bottom, where different regions are incentivized to lower standards to try to attract investment.
There is virtually unfettered discretion for the Minister and Cabinet over the development of regulations. Regulations will cover very significant areas of public interest, including royalties, the definition of work to keep rights in good standing, map staking, and more.
There have been at least two public presentations on the next steps of the Mineral Resources Act; one of the Geoscience Forum in November of 2019 and another at an event sponsored by Alternatives North in late January 2020. Regular MLAs have yet to receive a briefing from the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment on this topic.
Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done to begin to implement to Mineral Resources Act. Ontario took about 10 years to fully implement its new legislation with a suite of regulations and policy. What I'm looking for from the Minister, and the public deserves, including the mining industry, is a clear plan. Everyone needs clear timelines and opportunities for public engagement in the development of numerous sets of regulations that will be required to implement the Mineral Resources Act. I'll have questions later today for the Premier on the next steps for the Mineral Resources Act. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I spoke about mental health triage for our children. Today, I would like to focus on how we can help grow resilient children. Adolescence is a challenging time. Teens' bodies are changing as their minds are expanding. In addition to school and home pressures, teens are expected to travel the rocky roads of self-discovery and self-expression as they prepare for life after high school.
We do have NGOs like the YWCA, Rainbow Coalition of the NWT, FOXY/Smash, Northern Youth, community governments, and local sports associations working hard with volunteers to offer leadership, self-esteem, and physical activity programming for youth. As we grow our mental healthcare supports and processes, we also need to continue to evolve how we are helping youth build their resiliency toolbox.
Mr. Speaker, art has always been a part of my life. Art is a powerful connector. It connects people to one another, land, and culture. Art therapy can be used as a complement to traditional mental health treatment, where the aim is to manage behaviour, process feelings, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and increase self-esteem. Studies show that creating art stimulates the release of dopamine, the chemical released when we do something pleasurable and literally makes us feel happier.
We live in a unique part of the world, Mr. Speaker. Our arts and crafts are celebrated by locals and foreigners alike, and our need for cultural resurgence throughout our society is prevalent. NWT schools currently follow Saskatchewan's arts curriculum for grades one through nine, and Alberta's for grades 10 through 12. The Saskatchewan curriculum was last updated in 2011, whereas the Alberta arts curriculum was last updated in 2015.
Mr. Speaker, it is time for a made-in-the-North arts curriculum that allows us to continue building mental health supports and self-discovery tools for our youth. A made-in-the-North arts curriculum would celebrate cultural resurgence through Northern art, promote self-discovery, and help us continue to evolve the way we work at building healthy communities. It would also enable us to tap into the network of talented northern artists that already live and create here. Today, I would like to hear from the Minister of ECE about the work that the department is doing to support the arts, and whether or not they are prepared to entertain a made-in-the-North arts curriculum. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Kam Lake residents seven-year-old Prudence Kalnay-Watson and her mother Sarah. Prudence is here on her day off and her first day of March Break to learn about consensus government. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank my constituent Sophia Lagenais(ph) for being a Page in the Assembly during this sitting, and I would like to thank all the Pages for the work they've done for us. Thank you.
Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, I rise to welcome my Pages from Sachs Harbour, Tony and Rylan. Thank you for doing a good job here this week. I really enjoyed having them in the House, here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I rise again in regard to COVID-19, and the concerns that I have for my constituents in Nunakput and across the Beaufort-Delta, and across the territory. Will the Minister be giving direction to the district education authorities to shut down two weeks after the kids are back from their spring break? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is following the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer, and the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer is not to shut down the schools. I don't even have the authority to shut down the schools. I can't tell the DEAs or the DECs to shut down the schools. Legislatively, it's just not in my toolbox. The DEAs and DECs do have the authority, though, to close schools temporarily for public safety issues, so if they believe that there is a public safety issue, then they have that ability, but it's not being recommended at this time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
That's not what I want to hear. We have [inaudible] like they do in the South, here. We have to make a stand in regard to this COVID-19. People are worried; people are panicked. The thing is, I'm not trying to put people into a panic, but I'm just making sure that, when the teachers are coming back from the South, or anybody coming back from the South for spring break, if the DEA says, okay, we're going to shut down the school for two weeks after, making sure that the teachers get paid and the Minister supports the local DEAs on that call.
It doesn't matter if I support them or not. They have the right to do that. I just want to let everyone know that this is a very serious concern. I take this very seriously, as do all the Cabinet Ministers. This has been our lives for the last little while, now. This is what we're focused on, is making preparations for this. There are a lot of concerns about blanket closures of schools. It can't be overstated, the types of socioeconomic impacts that closing a school can have on a community. There are childcare concerns. It would mean people would have to stay home from work. Some of those people might be healthcare workers, and they might not be able to go in and do the work that they need to, right now. So there are a lot of factors to consider, and I don't want to say that schools will be open forever. There are situations where they could be closed, but that is not my call to make. We are relying on the advice of the chief public health officer.
Well, I'm making a stand right now. As MLA for Nunakput, I am going to be talking to my local DEAs and requesting them to shut down the school for two weeks for the self-isolation when the people come back from the South, to self-isolate. Will the Minister commit today that there will be no harm in pay, or anything? Will the Minister support this? Thank you.
I can't overreach my legislative authority. Education is delivered by the education councils. That's one of the reasons why I'm looking at reforming the Education Act so that, perhaps, if this happens again, I would be able to stand up here and say I have the authority to do some of these things that the Member is asking.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.
Mr. Speaker, I didn't get the answer I wanted. Will the Minister support the local DEAs on their decision that they make? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Like I said, we are relying on the advice of the Chief Public Health Officer. If the DEA makes decisions in line with that advice, then I would fully support it. If not, we'd have to look at it on a case-by-case basis. This is not something I can just stand up here and say, "yes" or "no." There are a lot of variables here. This is not a black-and-white situation. My number one concern is the safety, not just of the children, but of the community, because it's not necessarily the children who are affected by COVID-19; it's the elders in the community. I think that, as a government, the discussions we've had, we are doing everything in our power to ensure the safety of the residents of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
