Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So there is no committee at this point. I'm not sure what the working group proposal looks like. So I can't really make any commitments around that. That being said, obviously there's a lot of value in ensuring that everyone's on the same page and everyone's communicating. And so we're in the early days of this interest in the North and talking about investments and Arctic security. And my officials are working with officials from Joint Task Force North and the Department of National Defence, and we share information as required. And I know that officials from the Department of National Defence, or Joint Task Force North perhaps, are in contact with officials in the Member's community in Inuvik. I know that they're disseminating information as well. That being said, once we get to a point where we need to ramp up and ensure that we're all, you know, working together on the same page and in the same direction, I'll ensure that all voices, all relevant voices are at the table. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thanks to the Premier. I appreciate that, and I know the Premier's live to this, and I know he knows that I get plenty of e-mails and telephone calls from my community on this as military, again, as I've stated before, is important to my community, to my region.
So, you know, the Premier's people and the people in Inuvik, everyone is aware and everyone is speaking to each other, I guess if the Premier is planning to send a delegation or heading to the -- I noted in my statement there's meetings at the end of May between Joint Task Force North, the Department of National Defence, with our territory as well as Yukon and Nunavut, would the Premier consider looping in potentially the mayors of Inuvik and Iqaluit for that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I think the Member might be talking about the Arctic security working group, which is an officials’ level working group. They meet twice a year. I believe it's once in Yellowknife, once in the Yukon, and so this time it's in the Yukon. And we are not organizing that, the Joint Task Force North. I believe the Yukon might be co-hosting it so they might have a role in it. But we're not in a position to invite anyone to attend this event. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just hope the Premier will use his significant influence in that situation.
I also mentioned that there's a conference taking place in the Yukon this month called Conference Zero which is their Arctic security council have set up through funding through CanNor. Will the Premier or anyone from his office be attending that conference? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't be able to attend that conference, and so we're still looking at options to ensure that there is some sort of presence there from the Northwest Territories. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So following up on my Member's statement, my questions are for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
So even for those projects we may have decided are necessary, like roads, we need environmental assessments with full and open participation by scientists and traditional knowledge experts in order to make them the best they can be. So on a project like the Mackenzie Valley Highway, once the GNWT's already submitted its developer's assessment report, as the government did in 2023, are there any further opportunities within the environmental assessment process for those government-employed scientists to engage in the back and forth dialogue with TK experts about how to make the project better? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there is much discussion amongst all the parties during the environmental assessment process. And, you know, the feedback from all of those parties is very important as well because that's what actually improves the project as we move forward. ECC, on this specific project, is supporting the Department of Infrastructure as the project lead, and infrastructure is engaging and working with traditional knowledge holders and communities in regards to advancing this project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So as I understand it, the role of the GNWT-employed scientists is to give their input and expertise internally before that gets fed into the process. Does the GNWT employ any traditional knowledge experts that the GNWT's scientists can engage internally with to have that dialogue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, ECC is working with the Department of Infrastructure as the project lead to support the development of the project and providing technical advice in this regard. And as mentioned in my response to the first question, the GNWT is engaging and working with the traditional knowledge holders and the communities in regards to advancing the project. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I suppose I'll assume, unless directed otherwise, that the government is not employing traditional knowledge experts directly to have that internal dialogue.
But the final question is while I understand that government-employed scientists are still allowed to participate in responding to information requests, are those scientists allowed to collaborate with any other parties in issuing information requests as part of the environmental assessment process? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is using a whole-of-government approach to the Mackenzie Valley Highway environmental assessment, similar to the approach that was used on the Tlicho All-Season Highway or the Giant Mine remediation project through those environmental assessments. And this approach involves collaboration between the GNWT, our subject-matter experts across the different departments, to consider the GNWT's submission within the board process. You know, our experts also work within that process, for example technical sessions, to hear input from other parties respond to concerns and, if warranted, adjust the approach through collaboration and discussion, which is always a really important part of this whole process. They also participate in hearings which truly are a quasi judicial process. And during that process, you know, they bring their opinion and their position on -- very freely on whatever questions are raised through that process. The GNWT project that will contribute to this -- this is in advancing our mandate, and all the departments are working together in this advancement, no different in how we are supporting infrastructure in this way on this specific project as other departments would support environment and climate change on initiatives initiated by our department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, Ingraham Trail is Highway No. 3, and Dettah is Highway No. 4. Mr. Speaker, since the mining industry's been around for a while, they used to have anywhere from 13 to 15,000 truckloads that go through to the mining ice road, and they'd pass the junction of Dettah Road of Highway No. 4. I raised this issue in the 19th Assembly, and I was told that there was a study that was done. I just wanted to ask the Minister maybe she could let me know what the study was about and what were their findings. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was not the Minister in the 19th Assembly. I'm happy to see if there was a study done on that stretch of road and to share whatever outcomes or recommendations there are with the Member for the region. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Pine Point mine is looking at restarting up again sometime in the near future and my question, again, now is the Minister of Infrastructure is that is there also another study on this road for high traffic demands on that road? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we do take the safety of highways quite seriously. There's regular inspections of all the highways. To what extent there are inspections versus specific studies or studies related to private projects, I'm happy to look into it. Mr. Speaker, it may well be that the project proponents themselves have done some examinations. I know, for example, over in another -- in your own region, Mr. Speaker, the Norzinc mine certainly was looking at what impacts having extra highway traffic would bring to those, to the highways in that area. So happy to look into it and see what I can find. I can't say for sure, but I will certainly look into it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Final supplementary.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Ingraham Trail, again, is Highway No. 3. Dettah is Highway No. 4. Highway No. 5 is Fort Smith. And Highway No. 6, Fort Resolution. Mr. Speaker, to meet the 20th Assembly's mandate for safe residents and communities, my question to the Minister is that what can we do to work towards to put up junction lights in these two locations probably in the next -- in the near future? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I had heard the Member's statement earlier with respect to the junction between Fort Resolution and Fort Smith and did already begin to inquire of the Department of Infrastructure as to what previous studies might have been done. I can say we do monitor accident reports along all the stretches of highway in order to determine if there is a need for different types of signage. And, Mr. Speaker, I'm pleased to say that Highway No. 6 has actually not had any reported events or collisions since 1989. So in terms of any significant or serious injuries, I'm sure some folks do run off the highway at times and may well miss the junction at times. Mr. Speaker, lights are hundreds of thousands of dollars, but signage is significantly less. So it may well be that we can in the near future look at signs leading up to a juncture to give folks more warning so that they are not slamming on their brakes and hopefully creating more safety for all of these various regions that the Member is raising. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister of Health and Social Services provide this House with a comprehensive plan for primary care reform that is fully costed, has clear milestones, and is based on input from patients and healthcare workers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did send a letter to the social development committee offering a briefing on primary care reform. And so I'm hoping to be able to have a lot of that discussion and the Member's question to be answered in that briefing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we see that some of the aspects of the plan that's already ongoing is being reported in the media. There was a story on it just the other day -- or just today, I think. Maybe yesterday. But it's active out there. I think it's important that the public be aware of this. Can the Minister commit to make that plan public? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the primary care reform is a long-term commitment, and it'll take time and engagement, and it is something that is ongoing as it's been -- right now we've implemented it into Yellowknife, Fort Smith, and Fort Good Hope. And so as we start to expand, you know, we will continue to have these discussions with public throughout the primary care reform. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is it a plan, though, that's being executed, or is it piecemeal decisions called primary care reform? We're hearing a bunch of different facts. We're seeing a bunch of different actions being taken. We still don't have online booking. Other places do. So is this, again, a comprehensive costed plan with clear milestones that this Assembly can judge, the public can judge, and we can actually see some improvement? And not just for us but for the people who work within the system as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, primary care, as I mentioned in this House many times, takes a wholistic approach to healthcare system transformation. And it is not a one size fits all. And so there is not a costed plan as to this is what it's going to be in the Northwest Territories A, B, C. It is what are we working within our communities? We are doing the assessments as we're rolling out into the different regions. So Yellowknife's primary care reform, yes, it does have these issues that have been raised in this House. We're finding that, you know, in Fort Smith, we've heard a few things. We're trying to improve those before we expand it out further into other regions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of environment some questions regarding caribou.
Mr. Speaker, I was on the highway a couple weeks ago, and I saw a small herd of eight caribou near the Whati Road, and I only thought to myself jeez, I sure hope they know where they are. Because I'll tell ya, they looked delicious. Anyway, that said, the numbers have always been at risk and hence my question specifically to the Minister is is what is the most current count of herds, and do we have any that are on the increase? Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm happy to hear that the Member saw a nice small herd of caribou over there. It's nice any time you can experience that. Those specific numbers I don't have with me today, but I'm happy to provide to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister aware of any herd on the increase? In other words, has it been rebounding from some of the record lows? At one time in the Yellowknife area, we had the Bathurst at close to 500,000 and, you know, just a few years ago, it was just under 7,000, Mr. Speaker. I'm curious is the Minister aware of any that are on the increase? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the one I am -- that comes top of mind is the Bluenose-East herd which has increased in numbers. Approximately 14,000 or so, give or take, increase from 2021 to 2023 is the one that comes to mind right now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Mr. Speaker, I would certainly describe moose as the northern delicacy. But that said, dry meat from caribou is always welcome and delicious, Mr. Speaker. What types of working groups are out there that the Minister's working with trying to encourage sustainable harvesting so we can see the herds increase in numbers so they will be there for further generations? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's a tremendous effort between the Department of Environment and Climate Change working with all of the Indigenous governments across the Northwest Territories. You know, climate has certainly played an impact on the caribou as well and, you know, the caribou are a very traditional part of the culture all across the NWT. So you know, we are working with all of the Indigenous governments. We're working with the -- sorry. Yes, thanks, drew a blank. My apologies.
Working with the -- sorry, working with the monitors, with the monitoring programs across the NWT. Fortunately, I was lucky enough to go up the actual -- the winter road yesterday. We went up to MacKay Lake and, unfortunately, we didn't see any caribou, but we had five officers up there. There are a number of monitors. The Yellowknives Dene are up there. The North Slave Metis are up there, as well as the Tlicho. So there's a lot of work going on amongst those groups as well as, you know, our engagement with the traditional knowledge holders and working with communities all throughout the North Slave region as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since the Northwest Territories nominee program has opened its doors to new applicants, well my office has been flooded with frustrated and worried people about their fate in the program. I am hearing through various sources that there may be options to restore our numbers back to 300. Can the Minister clarify some of these -- the information that's been going around this space and let us know where her negotiations with the federal government are at. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, through my conversations with the federal government, the federal minister did offer to the Northwest Territories an opportunity to potentially increase our allotment for the Northwest Territories nominee program, and the conversation there revolves around the Northwest Territories welcoming asylum seekers to the territory. Thank you.
