Debates of August 28, 2023 (day 161)

In favour.

The Member for Yellowknife Centre.

In favour.

The Member for Hay River North.

In favour.

The Member for Deh Cho.

In favour.

The Member for Hay River South.

In favour.

The Member for Thebacha.

In favour.

The Member for Kam Lake.

In favour.

The Member for Frame Lake.

In favour.

Mr. Speaker, the Member for Nunakput has indicated he is in favour.

The Member for Yellowknife North.

In favour.

The Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.

In favour.

The Member for Monfwi.

In favour.

The Member for Great Slave.

In favour.

The Member for Nahendeh.

In favour.

The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake.

In favour.

The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

In favour.

The results of the recorded vote: 18 in favour, zero opposed, zero abstentions. The motion is carried. Bill 99 has had third reading.

Carried

Third reading of bills. As per my ruling earlier today, I will now hear a motion from the Member for Monfwi. The Member for Monfwi moves a motion. Member for Monfwi.

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the evacuation of Yellowknife and areas, Indigenous

Okay, thank you. Mr. Speaker, I move to set aside the ordinary business of the House to discuss calling upon the GNWT to ensure that Indigenous governments are involved in the GNWT's response to end the current wildfire management wildfire emergency. I think it's you now; do I continue, or?

Yes, just go into your the Member complied with Rule 3.5(1) and the motion does not raise a matter of privilege and does not raise any matter which can only be debated upon the motion with notice. The motion is in order. Members, the Member of Monfwi may make a statement no more than five minutes explaining the matter to be discussed and the reason for the urgency. Thank you, Member for Monfwi.

Okay, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I was saying, during the evacuation of Yellowknife and areas, Indigenous people, many with language barriers and unique needs, were uprooted to cities in the south in which no one knew their language or knew how best to help them with their unique needs. As everyone here can imagine, in addition to fearing the wildfire, this extra burden on Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories of being dropped into unfamiliar territories in the south without the needed support has disproportionately added stress to their lives and has led to many Indigenous people facing extreme and unnecessary hardships that could have been avoided.

I cannot speak for all Indigenous governments and the effects on their citizens the evacuation has had, but I can speak to the effects this lack of coordination has had on the Tlicho people as I have heard directly from them and them and from Tlicho government who are on the ground down south trying to find their citizens and provide the necessary support they need. This failure to coordinate with Indigenous governments throughout the response in both planning and decisionmaking has led to our most vulnerable population at greater risk, such as elders, the homeless, and those struggling with addictions excuse me, I'll just take that sorry, about that.

This failure to coordinate with Indigenous government throughout the response in both planning and decisionmaking has led to our most vulnerable population at greater risk, such as elders, the homeless, and those struggling with addictions. If steps were taken to coordinate with Indigenous government, they could have made sure their people were taken to the safest possible environment. In some cases, of their own communities and provided with immediate supports. Instead, Tlicho and other Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories were shipped out across the country to large centres in Alberta, BC, Manitoba, and Yukon.

I have heard directly that people went missing for several days and were put in unsafe situations, such as homeless people with no IDs, money, or contacts in streets of large cities. Even child welfare issues as well. Tlicho government went so far as to create its own registration system to track down where its citizens were. They have since staffed volunteers down south to provide necessary support to its people. They have set up their own support centre in the south and are actively engaged in supporting its people in the cities. Thousands of kilometres away from home in unfamiliar place, Indigenous people of the Northwest Territories are cut off from their home, from their home communities, and support of their people. This could and should have been avoided with proper planning and coordinations with Indigenous government and organizations.

Mr. Speaker, today we have an opportunity to change, improve, GNWT working relationship with Indigenous government and organization be involved to be involved in ending this crisis, the emergency that is before us. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Any other Members may speak for five minutes on whether or not this debate is urgent. Member for Great Slave.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've heard others say that this is not the time for this conversation in the middle of an emergency. However, I would completely disagree with that statement. This is exactly the time now to bring the Indigenous governments in and use them to bring their people home. They know who their people are. They're looking for them themselves. So bringing them in as soon as possible would actually avoid more catastrophe down south that we're hearing about as Regular Members. I understand that Cabinet is very busy, so perhaps they haven't had the time to really delve into the stories that are happening in the south. However, I have numerous advocates, shelters, others in Alberta that are reaching out to me to tell me their stories, people that need food, people that need money, people that need gas. So this conversation needs to happen immediately with the Indigenous governments and, really, and I'm quite surprised that this is not at the forefront of everyone on this Assembly's mind given the fact that we have all spoken about the need to collaborate with Indigenous governments. They can bring their people home better, safer. They know who they are, and HSS and others are not tracking that properly. We've seen that. Everybody thought the registration was their ticket out of here, and I had to tell numerous people that registering for that number with the GNWT was doing nothing for them as far as leaving town. So it was a second layer of bureaucracy. Bureaucracy is what marks this government. We have a red tape working group as a result of it. Put the power in Indigenous people's hands, give them the power to bring their people home now. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. If anyone further would like to speak to Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, so essentially, we are having a debate to whether move the motion which will then have an emergency debate, emergency debate. We are given ten minutes each, and then it kind of includes there's no actual official outcome of an emergency debate or any motions or anything concluded. I was not given any previous notice of this. Reading what the emergency debate would be, would be the GNWT to ensure Indigenous governments are involved and that GNWT's response to end the current wildfire emergency. I believe no one is opposed to that occurring. That is all what we want. Perhaps, really, the outcome here is that the GNWT go away and do that. I guess if we were to have an emergency debate and if I was given some head's up by my colleague, I would have probably had some different concerns. My concern is getting the plan to return people, period. I get we have to involve Indigenous governments, but I'm eagerly awaiting the GNWT's return plan, especially now that the city of Yellowknife fire is being held. That is where I'm hearing concerns. That is the emergency debate I would like to have. As I said, we're not having that one. This is not the time for that one. I'm hoping the Minister will get before the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight and answer our questions when people are going to get home, at least in the Yellowknife fire. I know the South Slave fires are very much still out of control and we are fighting those battles but, you know, if we're going to have an emergency debate, there is probably a wider scope I would like to raise questions on. This seems narrow. It seems to be repeating what the private Member's bill already did today. I'm not in favour of spending any more time on this emergency session. And hopefully, we can all get back to work. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Anyone further wish to speak to Mr. O'Reilly.

Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the mover of the motion for bringing it forward. I guess, yeah, I too, like my colleague from Yellowknife North, I had no notice whatsoever of this. It only really came up, I think, in your opening remarks for me. So I didn't even have a copy of the motion itself until it was provided to us in the chat function that we're using the platform for us to meet. I don't really have any yeah, I've heard a lot of these kind of concerns. I hear the same from my constituents. I've seen the media reports as well. You know, I don't know what to say. I'm not sure this is the right forum, you know, for having the a better explanation, maybe more detailed explanations from the Minister on what is happening in terms of communications and work with Indigenous governments because this is not you know, this is a debate. It's not a place for questions and answers. So, you know, I don't even know whether the government, the Cabinet intends to even make a statement here or participate in the debate, and there's no requirement that they do. I think it would be helpful as well to have some insights, more detailed insights into how communications can and should be improved, and I guess this is not just a communications issue; it's about trying to comanage some of this, and that's, you know, an approach that I've always tried to advocate.

But trying to change this or anyways, I'm just not sure that this is the right forum for trying to solve some of the issues that the mover has raised, and I've heard through the media as well, so. But, look, I'm going to be the last person to stand in the way of an emergency debate on these issues. I, like my colleague from Yellowknife North, believe that there are a lot of other issues in terms of the emergency that deserve some public airtime, and I'm not I wasn't prepared for this debate, discussion, and absolutely no notice whatsoever. And sorry, when I come to things, my colleagues know that I usually try to do my homework before I get here, and I would have appreciated the opportunity to talk to some of my colleagues, the people that work with Indigenous governments so I have a better understanding of some other issues are. But more importantly, to try to focus as well on what the solutions are. And I'm not sure that I want to revisit some of the issues that were raised in the previous debate today, so. But I'm not going to stand in the way of this emergency debate, but I'm not sure that it's really going to accomplish what the mover is hoping to do.

But maybe even just airing some of these issues today will make people more informed and sensitive, people like myself apparently. So I'm you know, I'm not going to stand in the way of this debate but a little bit more notice, I think, would have been helpful and, you know, there has been a request to meet with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs as well. So I look forward to that opportunity. But I'm not going to stand in the way of an emergency debate. Thanks, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Any other Members may speak for five minutes on whether or not this debate is urgent.

Thank you. Seeing no further speakers, I have considered the debate and find that the motion is not in order. The subject matter is now before a committee, in the form of Bill 98, of government operations. As the motion is not in order, we'll continue with the orders of the day.

Members, thank you for your work, patience, and cooperation today. You have dealt with important business on behalf of residents of the Northwest Territories. The Commissioner will be asked to assent in writing to the bills you passed today. Thanks, again, to the town of Inuvik for the use of their council chamber. Members, when it is safe to do so, I will recall the Assembly in Yellowknife. There is still important work to do before the end of the 19th Assembly. Today, we've dealt with the timing of the election, you authorized additional spending to respond to the wildfires, and referred Bill 98 to committee. Now turn your energy back to your constituents, communities, families, and friends. And continue the good work you have been doing and stay safe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orders of the day for Thursday, October 12th, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.

Prayer

Ministers’ Statements

Members’ Statements

Returns to Oral Questions

Oral Question 1548-19(2), Indian Day Schools

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Acknowledgements

Oral Questions

Written Questions

Returns to Written Questions

Replies to the Commissioner’s Address

Petitions

Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

Reports of Standing and Special Committees

Tabling of Documents

Notices of Motion

Motions

Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills

First Reading of Bills

Second Reading of Bills

Bill 64, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Bill 23, An Act to Amend the Public Utilities Act

Bill 29, Resource Royalty Information Disclosure Statute Amendment Act

Bill 77, Nursing Profession Act

Bill 82, Legal Profession Act

Committee Report 52-19(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly

Minster’s Statement 264-19(2), Response to the NWT Chief Coroner’s Report on Suicide

Tabled Document 681-19(2), Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Committee Report 26-19(2): Report on the Child and Family Services Act – Lifting Children, Youth and Families: An All of Territory Approach to Keeping Families Together

Report of Committee of the Whole

Third Reading of Bills

Orders of the Day

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. The second session of the 19th Assembly stands adjourned until Thursday, October 12th, 2023, at 1:30 p.m.

---ADJOURNMENT

The House adjourned at 4:50 p.m.