Good afternoon, colleagues. I would like to draw your attention to the presence at the table of our Honourary Clerk, Mr. Anthony W.J. Whitford. He’s celebrating the 25th anniversary of his election in this House. On behalf of all Members, thank you for joining us here today, Tony.
Mr. Speaker, educational change, without question, is one of the most critical initiatives we must enact in the NWT. The Education Renewal and Innovation Initiative has been underway for approximately a year, and we are seeing some exciting directions emerge for true foundational change.
This work will create a different way of teaching our youth. It will involve partnerships, improved relationships between communities and schools, and a focus on helping our children develop a strong sense of identity. It will support our educators and lifelong learners to renew authentic learning experiences inside and outside the classroom, and develop effective assessment tools that measure this learning.
This kind of change in education is happening around the world. We are directly involved in many of the key areas of educational change that Alberta is undertaking. We have reviewed NWT student achievement data; benefited from international, national and northern research; and thoroughly engaged with Aboriginal governments, education authorities and councils, and superintendents. We also held sessions with non-governmental organizations, teachers, students, and other GNWT departments.
Mr. Speaker, later today I will be tabling the product of all the research and engagement that has been undertaken over the past year. The Education Renewal and Innovation Framework: Directions for Change document has a 10-year horizon and will be supported by a multi-year action plan detailing the direction, actions and timelines, along with costing. ECE will now develop an evaluation framework supporting the renewal work and setting clear targets.
Mr. Speaker, we have not been elected to maintain the status quo. There are inequities in our system. Students in small communities need to have access to quality education as much as those in our larger centres. We are committed to addressing this challenge. Whether students are in Colville Lake, Yellowknife, Inuvik or Jean Marie River, we will develop programming and ways to deliver that programming that allows their teachers to open up a world of learning that leaves them hungry for more.
There are challenges that go beyond the classroom and the school walls that we must address as we develop our initiatives: poverty, addictions, lack of hope, the legacy of residential schools, and attendance. There are other challenges that need to be met primarily through school programming and policies themselves: authentic learning; staff recruitment, training and retention; and training and transitions to jobs. We are already addressing many of these as we renew the education system that will prepare our children for a more prosperous and healthy future. The framework I am tabling later today suggests initiatives and hopeful directions that, if brought to life, will address these challenges.
On July 12, 2013, a speech was delivered to the United Nations by a young Pakistani girl that had been shot by the Taliban for being outspoken about education. Malala Yousafzai delivered a message critical to the principles of education, and one that we are visualizing for the future of our territory. She said, “One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world.”
Mr. Speaker, we must have the collective courage to move forward towards that change. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Before we continue, I’d like to welcome back to the House Mr. Jake Ootes and his wife, Marg. It’s good to see you back in the House today.
---Applause
The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Beaulieu.
Mr. Speaker, improving the delivery of programs and services, especially to residents of smaller, remote communities, is an important goal for our government. Later this fiscal year the Department of Transportation will be providing residents with the option to access driver and motor vehicle services from the comfort of their homes, workplaces or from anywhere else with an Internet connection. Services will be available from any computer, smartphone or tablet with an Internet connection, and with expanding cellular coverage across the territory, that’s just about anywhere.
It has taken over five years of dedicated work to get the Motor Vehicle Information System upgraded to be in a position to provide on-line services while maintaining and protecting the integrity and quality of our programs and information.
Earlier this year the department completed the migration from our 1980s Motor Vehicle Information System to a state-of-the-art system called DRIVES. This work was undertaken by Transportation staff with consultants hired for specialized work. This multi-year project was completed on time and on budget. The project was also completed without any disruptions in service. Mr. Speaker, this was no small feat.
DRIVES now provides enhanced processes to streamline client driver’s licence processing. Heightened security and system processes reduce the risk of fraudulent requests associated with identity theft. The new system also includes enhanced medical compliance standards and driver profiles standards. The on-line financial transaction security and encryption is equivalent to that of a bank. Now that the background system is in place, we have been shifting our focus outward to expanding on-line services to our clients.
Included in the first suite of on-line services to be rolled out before Christmas are e-notification reminders. How many of us have forgotten to renew our registration or driver’s licence, only to be reminded by a ticket? You will soon be able to register to have reminders come directly to your inbox or to your hand-held device.
Early in the new year you will also be able to renew your vehicle registration, schedule appointments such as driver tests, and obtain your driver record on-line.
These services will be available in every community with an Internet or cellular connection. We expect that this will be greatly appreciated in remote communities where there currently are no issuing sites. These clients will no longer have to wait for services to come to them or travel to a larger centre for service.
We expect that on-line services will also shorten existing wait times for those that choose to continue accessing services in person. At our busiest issuing site, here in Yellowknife, we have recently implemented a number of initiatives including queuing systems, posting wait times on-line and implementing measurable service standards to improve the client experiences. We expect that as much as 50 percent of registration renewals will be processed on-line once it is available. If that is the case, it will result in even shorter wait times to receive service. Clients will be able to get the services they need when it’s convenient, without having to wait in a line-up.
In future, we will be proposing to expand on-line services even further, to include driver’s licence renewals, address changes and obtaining commercial vehicle permits, to name a few. With technology, there are now endless possibilities for innovative service delivery. I look forward to keeping you updated on our ongoing efforts to improve service delivery and reduce government red tape. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to follow the lead of my colleague from Hay River North from earlier this week, and speak briefly to the issue we are seeing every day in the media with regard to our country’s capital and the elected and appointed leaders there.
As a territory, we have a close working relationship with the Government of Canada through the party and leaders in power. We have most recently had considerable dealings with Canada in pursuing our aspirations for greater self-determination through our Devolution Agreement.
I am saddened as I watch the nightly news as the saga of the Senate expenses continues to play out. It’s sad that for a country of Canada’s stature and reputation on the world stage that it is threatened to be tarnished by something that was so avoidable and, I believe, could be resolved without further collateral damage.
It seems that the line between the work of the Senate in dealing with legislation coming forward from the House of Commons, as one of the things they do, has been very blurred with the work of parties that the Senators are appointed by and work with. This confusion has led to a lack of clear delineation of expenses related to Senate work versus party work. A review of the role and responsibilities of Senators seemingly needs to be addressed. The fact that Senators are appointed on a regional basis creates the perception that they need to be from and residing in the province of origin when, in fact, the work before and during the Senate appointment may have required that they actually live some other place. So regional representation is a notion that needs to be more clearly defined.
It would be interesting to find out how many sitting and retired Senators actually took advantage of this capital living allowance improperly, as it seems void of any clear rules. If there had been rules, the claims of the Senators in question should have been caught by administration.
Although these Senators filed expense claims, they didn’t have any authority to pay themselves from the budgets of the Senate. They didn’t issue the cheques, and for those who did, where was the monitoring scrutiny that one would expect? Mr. Bouchard made reference earlier in the House this week, even in a small jurisdiction like ours, how the rules are set out and how they’re followed.
So now we find ourselves in a situation where a succession of serious errors in judgment has occurred and they threaten the stability of the party that governs this country. That’s a sad day for Canada, regardless of what political stripe you hold to.
This is an amazing country. We have a democracy, despite some recent challenges, that is really still the envy of many, many countries. The leaders of any of our national parties did not get to that level of leadership without having earned the respect of a lot of Canadians along the way. As a legislator, I have had the privilege to meet many party leaders on trips that they’ve made to the North, and as a keen follower of politics, even prior to entering public office, I can say without hesitation that each one of them were very impressive Canadians and leaders in their own right.
I’d like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
My wish is that a group of mature, seasoned Senators could take a lesson from what’s happened, to agree going forward there needs to be more clear definition brought to the roles and responsibilities of Senators which activities are eligible for claiming expenses from the Senate and which are not, a revisiting of the rules around primary residence and capital living allowance and a team of administrators of those allowances and indemnities that would not allow Senators to be reimbursed for claims that they are not eligible for.
My wish is also that this could be accomplished before the lives and reputations of any more people are destroyed, that people be held accountable for the funds they received in error and be allowed to move on with the work that they were constitutionally directed to do in the Senate.
This show going on in the House of Commons right now may be wonderful fodder for the media and a lot of fun for some leaders and a lot of posturing for senior politicians, but if there was any chance that people involved could stop for a moment and ask themselves if what they’re doing is beneficial to our country and the citizens who elected them, maybe they would work together to find a constructive resolution to a situation so that it never happens again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this summer I had the pleasure of accompanying our Minister, R.C. McLeod, the Minister responsible for sports, to Sherbrooke, Quebec. We were attending the federal/provincial/territorial roundtable discussions on sport and I wanted to say that it was a very enlightening experience and I want to say that the NWT is well-represented at this table and I think it’s through the good work of our Minister. Sometimes we forget to say those good things and I want to make sure it goes out publicly.
Before I talk about our other mission that we were there for, which is the Canada Summer Games, I wanted to say that we need to talk about the sponsors of our Team NWT that made it possible for our athletes to actually attend this event. So with my commendable expression, I want to say thank you to NorthwesTel, First Air and Coast Fraser Tower for their stewardship and their ability to help our young athletes. So that’s first and foremost.
It was a pleasure that Team NWT had 84 athletes, 23 youth ambassadors, and I can’t tell you enough how well our youth ambassadors are received not only from here, from the Northwest Territories, but nationally. They get heartfelt acclaim. We had 12 mission staff there led by Chef de Mission Bill Otmyer, who likes to be referred to as Billy “O.” Billy did a great job. We also had 16 coaches and managers there. So, all in all, we had a great team.
It’s important that we also thank some of our own government stakeholders who were there. These are people who, behind the scenes, spend countless hours and I want to make sure Mr. Ian Legaree gets full credit here for this as well – that’s well deserved – and Damon Crossman. He was not only there on behalf of the government, he was actually there as a coach for basketball as well. So hats off to those two people as well.
Of course, I can’t mention everyone. There are too many people to mention here today, but you know who you are and pat yourself on the back.
Although Team NWT did not medal at our Canada Summer Games, which is always our target, I’m very comforted knowing that everyone, I think, got a really good, lasting memory and will definitely remember their time there.
I just want to conclude with it’s always fun to find a special quote that summarized, I think, the true essence of our Team NWT. This is from Bill Bowerman, who is a 1972 U.S. track and field co-founder of Nike.
With that, Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude.
---Unanimous consent granted
Again, with Mr. Bowerman’s quote here and he says in his quote: “Victory is in having done your best. If you’ve done your best, you’ve won.” So I’m proud to say that all NWT athletes were winners, in my eyes. I think we’re winners in everybody’s eyes in the Northwest Territories. Thank you very much.
Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to discuss one of the topics near and dear to my heart. In Hay River we are very proud of the commercial fishery on the Great Slave Lake. As many people know, in the summertime most of the production is being done in that season. I’m glad that we’ve completed that season just recently.
Along the Great Slave Lake we have a two million pound quota that we have the capacity to produce. The sad part is that in past years we’ve only collected about 300,000 of those pounds. So I’d like to discuss with the Minister and question the Minister today about some of the production and how we’re looking to increase that production.
Like I said, I have brought this to this House several times, but I want the Minister of ITI to know that this is very important for the people of Hay River as well as the people of the Northwest Territories. This is a commodity that we should be using and maximizing and a commodity that we should be very proud of.
Later today I will have questions for the Minister of ITI on this summer’s production and what the department is doing to help this industry. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Nadli.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true that the theme song for devolution should be “you can’t always get what you want,” except in this case we can’t get what we want or what we need. What we need is more jobs in the smaller communities and the capacity to fill those jobs with local residents. Where there is hope, there is despair. Once people have jobs, they have hope. When people are working they can support their families. They contribute to their communities and look forward to a better future.
I say this to remind the government the devolution promise of more jobs in the communities is critical and the stakes are very high. In this House last week, Premier McLeod indicated that as part of the phase to devolution, something in the neighbourhood of about 90-some positions have been decentralized to the regions and that more decentralization will come with phase three. I’m concerned that most of these jobs are going to the regional centres, or that they will wind up being pulled back to Yellowknife if they can’t be filled.
Speaking of regional centres, the work of decentralization will require innovative thinking. I would like to see the government consider establishing Fort Providence as a regional centre. Given its strategic location on the water between Fort Simpson and Yellowknife, it is perfectly situated as a marine hub. In spring the ice does not melt and move out of Great Slave Lake until early June. At Fort Providence the river is free of ice in mid-May, making it ideal for early river transportation activities. If done properly, decentralization can give us opportunities like this to organize government services more effectively.
With respect to decentralization, I’m also concerned that the majority of these jobs require a high level of education with specialized skills that will discourage people in the communities from applying. Getting positions into communities is only part of the equation. Filling those positions with qualified local people is the bigger challenge. Some people seem to equate 10-year positions in the community, for example, with the need for a 10-year process for 10-year families. But for the communities lucky enough to get 10 new positions, it is my hope those positions will be filled by 10 local residents already living in the community. People who want to work but maybe lack the skills or knowledge to take on new jobs.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
To me the biggest challenge will be to assist people living in the communities to qualify and train for those jobs that devolution promises.
I look forward to hearing more about how the government will rise to the challenge through the Regional Recruitment Strategy. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the spirit of Halloween, I decided to change things up just a little bit and just for today. As such, in the spirit of working together, I did give the Finance Minister a heads-up and I said I’m going to have a little fun with my statement today. Of course, his response was, “At who’s cost?”, and I assured him no, in all fairness.
There was a television rerun show that I used to watch and I remember it very well from my youth. As such, it has inspired my Member’s statement today. Colleagues, all colleagues, I say I know you know the melody, so don’t be afraid to jump in and sing along.
They’re creepy and they’re kooky, their policies are mysterious and spooky, the more you get to know them, they’re altogether ookie, the McLeod Cabinet family. Da da dun – don’t be afraid, guys – da da dun, da da dun, da da dun, da da dun.
Most days you dread to see them, with their policies you think they’re dreamin’, and the morality leaves you screaming, the McLeod Cabinet family. Da da dun – come on, colleagues – da da dun, da da dun, da da dun, da da dun.
So get out your decoders, the foolishness we’re bound to, dreamlike charms they’re selling the McLeod Cabinet family. Da da da dun. Thank you very much, folks.
---Applause
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins.
---Interjection
You said it, not me. I can’t sing. Order! Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Mr. Hawkins, I think. I stand again today to once more voice my concerns about the way the Department of Education, Culture and Employment funds inclusive schooling in our schools. The department directive on inclusive schooling states, “Inclusive schooling is intended to ensure equal access for all students to educational programs offered in regular classroom settings.”
As I pointed out in March of this year, this very preamble highlights what is wrong with how inclusive schooling in the NWT is currently being funded and addressed at the departmental level. Inclusive schooling should not be about ensuring equal access. It should be about ensuring equity for our students, and there’s a big difference there, Mr. Speaker.
As a former educator, I hear a lot from other educators, parents, education councils and authorities and board members, who all want the best for the children in their care. But in order for teachers to do that, to properly respond to each individual student’s needs, the department has to come up with a funding formula for inclusive schooling that ensures success for NWT students. The department must work with all education councils, authorities and boards to develop that formula, not impose it on them.
I hear from the Yellowknife school boards regularly about their ongoing concerns with how inclusive schooling is funded. I hear over and over how it’s not working for them, how Yellowknife students are not receiving equitable access to resources as a result of inequities in the funding formula.
About 18 months ago, Education, Culture and Employment, in its wisdom – I have to say it was poor judgment, in my mind – reduced the inclusive schooling funding by about $1 million across all NWT school districts. As a result, Yellowknife Education District No. 1, for instance, has had to supplement the cost of their inclusive schooling programs from their budgeted surplus. In school year 2011-12, both Yellowknife Education District No. 1 and Yellowknife Catholic Schools spent approximately $2.5 million in inclusive schooling over and above the funding provided by Education.
Now, two years later, they have used up their surpluses. It’s not available for them to use anymore to sustain those inclusive schooling programs. Next year, if nothing changes, both boards expect to have to either increase taxes or cut programs.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Some months ago, the Minister promised the department would do a review of the inclusive schooling funding formula, but there is no evidence to date that that has been done. It’s time to revisit and redefine the funding formula for inclusive schooling. The entire inclusive schooling directive must also be revisited, revised and redefined. Both of these must be done in consultation with education stakeholders, developed with them, not designed by the department and then presented to stakeholders for comment.
We spend a lot of money on inclusive schooling. We must evaluate how we are spending it, revamp it accordingly, and ensure equitable access to education programs for all students. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Moses.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m going to speak about an act that was assented to in the Legislative Assembly in June of 1985 and that’s the Mental Health Act. In the last 28 years, nothing of significance has been done to this Mental Health Act. There haven’t been any major amendments to this act to provide our workers and our stakeholders and those that provide the mental health services in the Northwest Territories to do a better job or else get the services to people that need it. Those 28 years is a long time.
The reason I’m bringing this up today is because on the Department of Health and Social Services website are four discussion papers that are looking at updating this Mental Health Act, which I have taken a strong look into the Mental Health Act and there were a lot of holes in it. It wasn’t very strong, and in some cases, it was very confusing to myself and health professionals when we looked at it.
Today I am encouraging all key stakeholders, concerned residents of the Northwest Territories who have family members who might have mental disorders or have people in their communities that they want to take care of, to review these discussion papers that are on the Department of Health and Social Services website, and add their feedback, add any comments that they might have, and provide input into making this Mental Health Act stronger to provide the right services and programs for the people of the Northwest Territories.
When I was looking at some of these other reports, in 2004 there was a Mental Health and Addictions Services Report that clarified that mental illness is a major cost-driver in the Northwest Territories, and that, in the Northwest Territories at that time, suicide rates were twice the national average. I’m pretty sure nothing has changed in that time. In fact, at the beginning of this 17th Legislative Assembly, when we were going through our orientation and getting our updates from the Department of Health and Social Services, it was mentioned that mental health and addictions is the biggest cost-driver for the Northwest Territories today.
I encourage all residents of the Northwest Territories and key stakeholders in the Northwest Territories who provide mental health and addictions services to review these discussion papers, give us your feedback so we can have a very strong Mental Health Act at the end of this government, moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Moses. Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last night I attended, as did the Member for Frame Lake, an event sponsored by the local chapter of the Council of Canadians, a national non-profit group supported not by governments or corporations, but by individual citizens in Canada. The event featured a talk by Maude Barlow, national chairperson of the council.
Maude Barlow is an amazing person, the recipient of 11 honourary doctorates and untold awards and recognitions. She recently served as the United Nations first senior advisor on water issues. During this term, in July 2010, through Resolution 64/292, the United Nations General Assembly explicitly recognized the human right to water and sanitation, and acknowledged that clean drinking water and sanitation are essential to the realization of all human rights. This resolution provides an obligation for all countries, including Canada, to ensure these rights are upheld.
Maude has written 17 books and, most recently, one titled, Blue Future, Protecting Water for People and the Planet Forever. She always takes the long view.
During her talk, Maude detailed the global water crisis, providing specific examples of issues in Canada as well as around the world. She detailed the shocking consequences of the crisis that is happening today in the global south and what is beginning to happen in the global north.
From there she went on to describe some of the work she does to mobilize communities and coalitions, including her work with indigenous people, to deal with the waste people and removal of clean water from our homelands around the world. One core observation was her understanding that production of most things, from the shirts we wear to the cars we drive, use and pollute water. For example, extraction of fossil fuels requires massive amounts of water. In the latter case, she also noted that that tragic double loss as we put all our efforts and creative thinking into fracking instead of renewable energy and efficiency.
Finally, Maude brought a message of hope. As revealed in Blue Future, she profiled how water and our need for it to teach us how to live together. This compelling woman has spent a lifetime fighting for democracy, healthy families and healthy communities, always with hope and compassion.
I left the event thinking, what a great Canadian. I wish this House could hear the inspirational words of wisdom she so generously shares. Thanks to the local chapter of the council for bringing their leader to town. Mahsi.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We either have the best incident reporting policy in Canada or we have the worst-kept secrets of oil and gas incidents in the Northwest Territories.
According to a recent CBC report, the National Energy Board, Canada’s pipeline regulators, showed that more than 70 incidents from spills, leaks and injuries or fires were reported in Norman Wells. That’s in six years.
Mr. Speaker, we have a problem. Are our regulatory laws strong enough? I say no, because we need to tighten them up, as per the report that CBC clearly indicated. This has shaken my confidence in our coordinator with our regulatory bodies and our legislation.
When you have Imperial Oil, a big time oil and gas operator in the North, who is one of the biggest violators of these incidents and stating there’s no impact to our land, our water or our air, it’s like having the fox telling us the chicken coup is fine.
First we had leaks of crude oil of thousands of litres. We had 40 million litres of water used for cooling the operation then released into the Mackenzie River going down to the community of Fort Good Hope with indications of levels of copper in them. We had water contamination of hydrocarbons released back into the water. Again, we have Colville Lake people telling us there’s something wrong with the water.
What are the rules? What if we had never heard of these 77 incidents? It frightens me to know that Imperial Oil can do this and more. What else is it that we don’t know about since 1920 when Imperial was operating? I see more fighting. It’s what we know.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you. Now that we know, I’d say we are paid to solve problems. Let’s do this together.
I’ll have questions for the Minister of ENR at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 4, reports of standing and special committees. Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure is pleased to provide its report on the tabling of the Pembina Institute Report titled Responsible Extraction: An Analysis of the Northwest Territories Mineral Development Strategy Panel Report and commends it to the House.
In conjunction with the release of Pathways to Mineral Development: Report of the Stakeholders Engagement Panel for the NWT Mineral Development Strategy in June 2013, the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure commissioned the Pembina Institute to review the report and related documents, and offer its comments and recommendations on the Government of the Northwest Territories’ approach to future mineral development in the North.
The committee commissioned this review out of concern for the perceived industry bias and lack of public involvement in the work of the advisory panel that the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment commissioned in the preparation of the Mineral Development Strategy. The committee wishes to publicly release the Pembina Institute’s work, entitled Responsible Extraction: An Analysis of the Northwest Territories Mineral Development Strategy Panel Report, and offer residents an opportunity to get involved in the creation of responsible public policy for mineral development.
The Pembina Institute’s analysis supports some areas of the advisory panel’s recommendations, but strongly recommends a more balanced approach and open public consultation as the government prepares to implement the Mineral Development Strategy. Members of the standing committee invite the public to comment on the Pembina Institute’s analysis as well as the Mineral Development Strategy Advisory Panel’s report. The Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment is ultimately responsible for the direction of the Mineral Development Strategy and has an important role in commenting on this work. The committee members are disappointed that the Minister has, so far, declined to offer a direct response to the Pembina Institute’s assessments.
As the Northwest Territories takes on responsibility for land and resources management, Northerners must work together more than ever before. Taxpayers cannot afford to support the exploitation of publicly owned natural resources. The Northwest Territories cannot afford another Colomac or Giant Mine. It is time to develop projects with legacies we can be proud to share.
Mining offers many opportunities, but for the long-term benefit of our people, it must be governed by responsible public interest policy, and supported as one of many vital components of a diversified economy that builds and sustains the Northwest Territories as a whole.
The committee will be formally tabling the Pembina Institute report and welcome public comment in the development of this important policy framework.
That concludes the report of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Infrastructure on the tabling of the Pembina Institute Report, titled Responsible Extraction: An Analysis of the Northwest Territories Mineral Development Strategy Panel.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. There is a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion.
Question.
Question has been called.
---Carried
