Kate Reid

Member Great Slave

Kate Reid was elected to the 20th Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly to represent the constituency of Great Slave.

Ms. Reid was born in the city of Oshawa, Ontario in 1981. She has lived in Yellowknife since 1989. Ms. Reid’s journey is a testament to her diverse interests and unwavering dedication to making a positive impact in her community.

Ms. Reid’s career began in journalism, after graduating with a bachelor of journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University in 2003. Her interest in research led her to work at the Yellowknife Public Library, which in turn took her to the University of Toronto for a master’s degree in information studies, graduating in 2009. Returning to the north, she was grateful for the opportunity to join the staff at the NWT Archives, where she cultivated a deep appreciation for preserving and sharing the stories that define the territory and its government. Transitioning to the Government of Northwest Territories, Department of Environment and Climate Change, Ms. Reid brought her expertise to the forefront of environmental issues, contributing to sustainable development through legislative and policy work for five years prior to being elected.

Away from the demands of her professional life, Ms. Reid is married and finds solace and inspiration in an array of hobbies. Her love for music, art, burlesque, drag, film, and travel speaks to her eclectic tastes and a thirst for cultural exploration.

Ms. Reid’s dedication to community service is exemplary, marked by her role as the President of YWCA NWT from 2021 to 2023. Her leadership extends to the cultural realm as a past director for Folk on the Rocks, an annual music festival that enriches Yellowknife's cultural landscape. Additionally, Ms. Reid has actively contributed to community events such as NWT and Yellowknife Pride, Burn on the Bay and served as the UNW Local 40 President in 2019 and from 2021 to 2023, demonstrating her commitment to advocacy and the well-being of her fellow citizens.

Great Slave Electoral District:

Committees

Member Kate Reid
Great Slave
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize my previous colleagues from the UNW, Gayla Thunstrom and Melvin Larocque, as well as three members from the Fort Simpson Housing Authority who are here today watching the proceedings. Welcome. And, also, I would like to say a very warm welcome to my page from Great Slave, Jack Lau. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like my colleague from Inuvik Boot Lake, I would also like to thank all of the interpreters, pages, and staff who have put up with us very well for the last three and a half weeks, or however long it's been; I'm not quite sure anymore. And I would also like to thank you, Mr. Speaker, for coming out to the Taste of Palestine last weekend. Over 200 Yellowknifers took part in a community dinner for over 200 people.

As you know, Mr. Speaker, limited resources are available for the children and families of Gaza, and Yellowknife raised $11,115 at that dinner and auction on...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two of my constituents, Ms. Zoe Guille and Ms. Gabby LaMarsh, they're up here. They are both student midwives who some of the Members have met in the past few weeks. They've worked hard in these past weeks to advocate for midwifery. They're student midwives. They're committed to continuing the work in the coming years to plant roots in Yellowknife so we can see midwifery care grow throughout the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 27)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have a fancy speech; I have bullet points so bear with me. I think overall, generally speaking, it's a sign of a good negotiation when both sides come away somewhat unsatisfied. I also want to thank the AOC chair and AOC deputy chair. These two folks have done a fantastic job for the folks that are here on this side of the House. Much gratitude to you both.

The conversations that I will continue to have with this Cabinet focus on four main areas. The first, after listening to my colleague from Yellowknife North, is the Office of the Children's Lawyer. When we...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table two documents today: A letter dated June 11th, 2024, from Fertility Matters Canada regarding the Case for Support for Fertility and Family Building Care in the Northwest Territories; and, a survey by the Midwives Association of the NWT titled NWT Residents' Opinions on Midwifery 2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I'm hoping that policy can be changed slightly but I can talk to the Minister of Finance about that.

What work can be conducted so affected employees are appropriately trained or assisted to continue to work in the public service at their current or better pay? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How many vacant positions are there open and available in Fort Smith that are not proposed to be cut in this budget? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the Fiscal Sustainability Strategy was announced, the finance Minister specifically said, quote, I do not want people to presume that this is about job cuts. It's not. We are experiencing labour market shortages across sectors, and we need our public servants.

Mr. Speaker, we also need our public servants to feel valued. A large part of why I continue to ask about the status of government renewal in my reply to the budget and overall budget discussions in the House is because I want the Minister to use its findings strategically, to help place staff in areas and...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I'll keep short and brief. I do agree with the intent of the motion, and I agree with much of what my colleagues have said here today, and I will be happy to support the motion. I think it's very important, as my colleague from Yellowknife North stated, that this will look different in every community. I think that this is currently framed in a sort of Yellowknife centric sort of way, so I hope that in the government's reply we have that fulsome breadth of a reply for what it might look like in some of our smaller communities as well.

I would also like to point out...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present the petition dealing with the matter of improved fertility and family planning supports in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains a total of 368 signatures collected on change.org. Of those signatures, 189 are from residents of the Northwest Territories. And, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories direct the Minister of Finance to work within a whole-of-government approach to investigate the following:

The impacts to the territory of a declining birth rate...