R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We're just so lucky to have so many dignitaries in the audience today.

I'd also like to recognize the Yamoga Land Corporation president Joseph Tobac who, when I travelled to Fort Good Hope, he was the deputy chief at that time. As well as Bob Overvold who was, at one time, the deputy minister of the department, so I want to welcome him. And, of course, Marc Whitford, president of the North Slave Metis Alliance. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And so EIA recently took over this file, and so the team is building capacity. I can't really commit the team to, you know, connect people in Yellowknife to services and people in the other 32 communities. That might be a bit much. But that being said, we will work with the population. We are working with the vulnerable population and the NGOs to see how we can best serve their needs and how we can do it in an integrated fashion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm sure the Member can appreciate that we've been busy this week. I haven't had a chance to read the report myself. But I know that staff are reviewing it, and staff from EIA did contribute to the report as well. So after that review is done, I look forward to speaking with the department to figure out what the next steps are going forward. Because as I've said many times in this House, the Street Outreach is a valuable service, and when I'm in Yellowknife, I stay downtown and so I see their work on a regular basis, and I very much appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize our former colleague and current Grand Chief Mr. Jackson Lafferty as well as Major Tony Brushett with the Salvation Army, who is one of those NGO partners that I spoke about earlier today. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, we wish to deal with Tabled Document 193-20(1), 2025-2026 Capital Estimates, to conclude consideration of all departments, and Bill 15. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Northwest Territories Coroner Service 2023 Annual Report; NWT RCMP Policing Priorities 2024-2027; and, Territorial Police Service Agreement - RCMP Annual Report (2023-2024). Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the leadership council has some specific requests, I'm happy to hear those. We're happy to help however we can. If it's assistance looking for, you know, federal programs that could help operate a facility run by the leadership council or by an Indigenous government, we can assist with that. If there's information about the existing facilities in the community that they may be able to use, we're happy to assist with that. So I look forward to hearing directly from them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So earlier this year, this Assembly considered the main estimates which is the budget document for the Government of the Northwest Territories. One of the items in there was the Fort Smith Correctional Centre, the men's unit, and there were deliberations in this House and ultimately that budget was passed. And so the work that went in to the lead up to that is that we had a look at all of the programs and services we deliver across the Department of Justice, looked at what was legally required to be done, what programs and services were legally required to deliver, what...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following two documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 12: Business Day Statute Law Amendment Act; and, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Action Plan Committee Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.