[English translation not provided]. Thank you.
Members, on behalf of the Assembly, I would like to thank our elder, Sarah Cleary from Yellowknife, for joining us today and leading us in prayer. I would like to thank her for that. Masi cho. I am pleased to welcome you all back to the House to resume the third session of the 18th Legislative Assembly. I also want to welcome our visitors to our gallery, as well. Colleagues, I know that you have already met together in committees last month, but this is the first time in 2018 that we have come together in the Chamber. I wish to extend my best wishes to all of you and all of the residents of the Northwest Territories for a happy and healthy 2018.
On behalf of this House, I would also like to express my sincere condolences to all of those we have lost, the loved ones we have lost over the years, over 2017, since we last got together. I would also like to welcome all of the Pages that we will have with us throughout our sitting here. We have students from across the Northwest Territories. It is always a pleasure to share this Chamber with the future leaders of our territory.
As we begin the budget session, I would like to acknowledge on behalf of the Legislative Assembly the tireless efforts of the government employees, the officials, the Ministers, Assembly staff, MLAs, and standing committee members in contributing to the budget development process. I know the months since we last met have been very busy for all of you.
I look forward to our session over the next few weeks. I also look forward to hearing good debates on issues that are important to all people of the Northwest Territories and to having a good discussion that leads to positive, informed decisions. It is through our choices and our actions that we all have the ability to influence our futures and take steps to create a meaningful and prosperous future for our people and also for our land.
As we turn our minds to the hard work ahead of us, I ask that you conduct yourselves, each and every one of you, within the rules that we have set for this House and, through your words, continue to show your respect for each other, this House, and also for our unique form of consensus-style government.
Now it is my duty to advise this House that I have received the following message from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. It reads:
Dear Mr. Speaker,
I wish to advise you that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of:
Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), 2018-2019;
Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 4, 2017-2018; and
Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures), No. 4, 2017-2018
during the third session of the 18th Assembly.
Yours truly,
Margaret M. Thom, Commissioner
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to welcome Members back to the Legislative Assembly as we continue our work to create a better future for the people of the Northwest Territories. Time is passing quickly, Mr. Speaker, and we are past the halfway point in the mandate of the 18th Legislative Assembly. There are just 20 months left until the end of our term, and there is still a lot of important work for us to do.
One of the most important challenges we face is securing a strong and sustainable economic future for the people of the territory. The people of the Northwest Territories want jobs in their communities and regions. They want to be able to look after their families and themselves without depending on the government. They want to participate in the benefits of a strong national and territorial economy that gives them the financial security and personal independence that all Canadians strive for. Our job is to deliver on those aspirations.
A few months ago, I called for a national discussion on the future of the Northwest Territories. I received many messages of support for taking this strong stand for our territory and its people. A few people have also expressed surprise. I agree that such strong statements in defence of the territory are rare, but sometimes they are necessary.
Good jobs start with a strong and vibrant economy in all of our regions and communities, and there are some challenges that we need to understand and overcome if we want to grow a strong economy for a secure future. The Northwest Territories does not exist in isolation. We have a small, open economy that is subject to external pressures. In 2007, the territorial economy was worth $4.5 billion. The global financial crisis and weak commodity prices in subsequent years took a significant portion of that value away. As of 2016, the Northwest Territories economy still only stood at $3.7 billion.
Mr. Speaker, a smaller economy means fewer jobs and economic opportunities for Northerners. Figures from last year show there are 2,000 fewer people working in our territory than there were in 2007, even though our population of working-age people has increased. Unemployment in the territory was still higher, at 6.6 per cent, in 2017, than in 2007 when it was 5.7 per cent. We need to reverse this trend by regrowing our economy, especially in communities and regions. Mr. Speaker, it's no secret that the health of the economy in the Northwest Territories rests with resource development right now. In 2016, resource development contributed $938 million to the economy of the Northwest Territories, with over $650 million of that coming from mining. While that is good news, we also have to remind ourselves that in 2007 resource development was contributing $1.8 billion to the Northwest Territories economy.
Mr. Speaker, seeing our most important economic sector decline by approximately half over the course of nine years should tell us that we cannot take our economic future for granted. Economies need support and strong leadership; a wait and see approach will not do. That is one of the reasons why I called for a national discussion on the future of the Northwest Territories last year, and why I continue to deliver that message. I have frequently argued that Northerners need to be the ones who make decisions about the North, and that was why devolution was so important. Indeed, a basic principle of the Canadian federation is that provinces and territories should have the ability to direct the development of their economies to best benefit their residents. Unfortunately, the national commitment to that principle seems to be slipping in recent months. We in the Northwest Territories have seen it in unilateral decisions of the federal government that directly affect our interests. Alberta is seeing it now, too, in recent announcements from British Columbia that will effectively place limits on their economy.
I want to make it clear that it is the principle of the matter that I am concerned about here. I am less interested in advocating for any specific sector of the territorial or national economy than I am in ensuring that residents of all provinces and territories have equal opportunity to benefit from being part of a thriving prosperous country.
Mr. Speaker, I understand that resource development is primarily a business decision. I also understand that individual governments have their own views and preferences about what kinds of economic development are best. I also think that, if those governments are going to impose their own preferences on other ones, they need to be prepared to step in with plans to put something else of equal value on the table. So long as decisions made somewhere else have an impact here in the Northwest Territories, we need to be making sure northern voices are part of those conversations.
We need to make sure that northern views and priorities are understood and respected, and that there is some national consensus on how Canada will ensure a strong and prosperous North. Mr. Speaker, while other arctic nations are proceeding with ambitious plans for social and economic development of their northern regions, there is no similar vision for Canada.
Canada should have its own plan, one that is developed by and for Northerners. The people who live in the North are the ones with the most to gain or lose under such a plan, and our priorities and values have to be front and centre. That plan needs to include the best ideas from Northerners for developing new and promising sectors that have the potential to contribute a billion dollars or more to a vibrant territorial economy.
Mr. Speaker, it needs to identify the kinds of investments and decisions our government and the government of Canada need to be making to help us manage the transition into a new, green economy. It also needs into account that growing another billion-dollar sector of the territorial economy will take time, and that we cannot simply discard those economic activities that are the source of jobs and good middle-class incomes to thousands of residents.
We also need to be sure that our plan takes into account the economic realities of the whole territory. While Yellowknife had an unemployment rate at 3.4 per cent in 2017, the rate in the rest of the territory was 10.9 per cent. That is a significant disparity that suggests that the benefits of economic development are not being shared equally throughout our territory. That is something we should all want to fix.
Mr. Speaker, I'd like to say when I am in the South that Northerners should not be punished because of where we live. The same holds true here at home, too. The people at Tsiigehtchic, Sachs Harbour, and Colville Lake should not be punished because they live in remote, small communities.
Mr. Speaker, we need to renew our focus on providing jobs in communities outside Yellowknife by growing strong and diversified economies across the Northwest Territories. There is no question that the Northwest Territories has great potential. We used to talk about how our territory could make a meaningful contribution to the national economy based on our world-class resource potential. We still have all the ingredients for success as a territory, but we are going to have to work together to capitalize on it. We can't take it for granted or let ourselves get complacent; we need to make it happen.
As leaders, we have an important role to play in bringing forward the ideas and priorities of the people we represent so they are part of the plan. We also have an important role to play in advocating for the best interests of the whole territory here at home and around Canada. I've said many times before that one of the best social programs is a good job. A good job is a path towards self-reliance, personal financial security, and hopes for a better future for our residents and their families. Our work isn't done. We have done much to stabilize and regrow the Northwest Territories economy as a whole. It is now time for us to complete the task and make sure that the benefits of jobs and a strong economy extend to all our residents thought the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that I will deliver the Budget Address on Thursday, February 8, 2018. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to welcome everyone back to the house for 2018.
Mr. Speaker, [English translation not provided].
Mr. Speaker, today I would like to propose an idea to the government to turn the Stanton Hospital into a Long Term Care (LTC) school for nurses and long-term workers. Mr. Speaker, we all know that there is a plan to turn the current hospital into a long-term care facility and an extended care facility. What better opportunity would exist in this territory than it to create a nursing school right on site?
Mr. Speaker, students and teachers would provide the necessary care to run the facility. As a by-product, we would be creating a field of home care workers and resident aides who can go back to their communities to care for their elders and keep them out of long-term care as long as possible. As I have said in this House many times, every senior that we are able to keep out of long-term care, we would be avoiding spending $140,000 annually. Recent surveys indicate that the NWT needs 258 long-term care beds. Our current plan may provide about 200 long-term care beds spread out around the NWT. If we are strategic, perhaps we would only need those units and no more.
Mr. Speaker, our small communities would be in a better position to employ these students, whether they be nurses, licensed nurse practitioners, or resident aid workers. Either way, Mr. Speaker, it would have a positive impact on our small communities. Mr. Speaker, this will have an effect of creating good employment opportunities for small communities where employment is needed most. Mr. Speaker, should we not need the additional long-term care beds, the capital cost of the construction of those units plus an annual cost savings of just over $8 million could be realized moving forward.
Mr. Speaker, the students would have many options after they graduate. They can work in the various long-term care facilities across the NWT, or work in home care allowing seniors to age in place in their own homes in their home communities, and this will make for a much happier and healthier population of seniors in the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Stanton Renewal Project is the most expensive project in the history of the Northwest Territories financed by the GNWT. So, news that one of its key private partners might be in financial trouble is naturally causing serious alarm among residents and colleagues.
The government has established the practice of creating P3 relationships for its recent major infrastructure projects. P3s are a common practice intended to help bring private sector money and expertise to a project while increasing accountability, protecting from cost overruns, and reducing the risk to taxpayers from things possibly going wrong. At least, that's what we're led to understand.
What happens when one of the private partners is unable to meet its commitments? We were faced with that question recently when the partnership undertaking the Mackenzie fibre optic line had internal troubles, and now we face that question once again. The Boreal Health Partnership, or BHP, is the private consortium responsible for the construction and management of the Stanton Renewal Project. The P3 partnership covers not only the design and construction of the building, but the financing and operating of the hospital for the next 30 years. That's a considerable investment that NWT residents have made in this project and this partnership. A 50 per cent partnership in BHP is held by Carillion Plc, a company with considerable project experience in the health sector, but now Carillion Plc is under liquidation. This raises serious concerns and questions about our public investment and the future management of our health services.
Mr. Speaker, even if the NWT taxpayers are shielded from financial risk by the terms of the P3 agreement, they deserve to be assured that our health services are secure and in good hands. So, how will we mitigate the loss of Carillion's known expertise in health services management? What is the contingency plan, if any? How much oversight will the government have in selecting new partners? These are critical questions.
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, the Stanton project is not only the most expensive public project undertaken in the North; the health services it will provide are an essential "public trust" between Northerners and this government. Our residents require certainty that financial events across the ocean will not place that public trust at risk. At the appropriate time I'll have questions for the Minister of Finance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the collapse of Carillion Plc, based in England, grabbed international attention in early January. The subsequent application of its subsidiary, Carillion Canada, for creditor protection brought the issue to our door here in Yellowknife. Carillion Canada has, as my colleague said, a 50 per cent stake in the Boreal Health Partnership, the consortium that is financing, building, and maintaining the new Stanton Hospital.
The question of what will happen to Carillion Canada has a direct impact on the 30-year contract to operate and maintain the hospital. The Department of Finance has produced two briefing notes that are aimed at reassuring us that it's business as usual for the Stanton renewal project. Construction is said to be 75 per cent complete now and on track to be finished in November this year.
Carillion Canada has $750 million in debt and cash to last until February 17th, according to court documents. It is now trying to raise cash by selling its assets, such as an oil sands-related business. The Financial Post quoted a Canadian construction analyst as saying, "I would expect that, over time, all of their assets are going to come up for sale. I don't expect that Carillion Canada will re-emerge as an operating company down the road." It's time for the GNWT to start telling us about Plan B.
I am aware that, under the terms of the contract between the government and Boreal Health Partnership, BHP is required to provide a new service provider in the event that Carillion Canada is unable to follow through its operation and maintenance role. I understand Bird Capital and HOCHTIEF are massive companies. They are also part of the Boreal Health Partnership, but Carillion has the biggest stake in this project. What is Plan B for Boreal Health Partnership to fill the gap that Carillion Canada will almost inevitably create? The Department of Finance has said only, "The GNWT has raised the concern of a compressed commissioning schedule if the worst-case scenario unfolds and Carillion cannot meet its obligations and a new service provider needs to be provided. BHP acknowledges this concern and again confirmed they are taking proactive steps to stabilize the situation and uncertainty." Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the Department of Finance is watching this situation closely. I will also be seeking assurance from the Finance Minister that he is planning for the worst-case scenario so that there is no delay in opening the new hospital. Mahsi.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the final months of 2017, the Premier took to the national stage to declare serious allegations towards all of southern Canada concerning the economic future of the NWT. The Premier has said that "the dreams of Northerners are dying." Mr. Speaker, the dreams of Northerners are not dying. They are renewed by the next generation who want a prosperous future for their communities with a sustainable economy that provides benefits to all of our residents. This is why I take issue with the Premier's rhetoric, and most recently his position that the NWT cannot have a strong economy and a strong environment. This backwards thinking is a relic of the past.
Northerners know that this government is not only capable of responsible resource development, but that our citizens demand it. The very mandate of this government is based on this idea, and the Premier is unwise to make such proclamations. Here in Yellowknife the toxic legacy of Giant Mine is more than enough evidence to support sound environmental regulations that prevent billion-dollar liabilities for future governments, especially in light of devolution where this government will be solely responsible for remediation.
Mr. Speaker, despite the intentions of the Premier, it is clear to me that this red alert is nothing more than a political ploy to stoke economic anxiety in Northerners and to pin the lackluster economic performance of this government on someone else. After two years of austerity budgets, is it any wonder why the NWT's economy continues to lag behind the rest of the nation? I think not. We need bold thinking and ambitious initiatives to boost economic performance, not time on national television to broadcast our disputes with Ottawa. If there was any real substance behind this red alert, such as a blueprint for economic development, then perhaps I would think otherwise about the Premier's agenda, but as it stands Northerners have nothing to consider apart from fear that future prosperity is falling out of reach.
As for the supposed "re-emergence of colonialism" from Ottawa, I am surprised the Premier would make much a claim when this government has so much work to do in reconciliation. I am shocked by the outrageous labelling of nation-to-nation relationships between Canada and Indigenous government as "divisive" and "colonial." This new relationship and approach from Canada has been applauded by numerous Indigenous leaders, including here in the NWT. I am just as concerned about the limited progress that has been made on pending land rights agreements. It is clear to me that this government takes issue with the advancement of Indigenous self-government, and I will have questions for the Premier on how we are fulfilling our constitutional obligations towards Indigenous self-government in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members’ statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur Ie President. Without consulting Regular MLAs, the Premier went to Ottawa in October to launch his so-called red alert to complain about federal colonialism and interference in resource extraction. Many constituents and others contacted me expressing concern and disagreement with the Premier's negative and divisive statements. Almost every regional Indigenous government responded with their own concerns about lack of consultation on the red alert.
If there is to be a debate about the future of the NWT, and I believe there should be, it needs to start here in the Northwest Territories; not in Ottawa, not in Vancouver. It must also provide Northerners with an opportunity to have their voices heard.
The red alert diverts attention from poor leadership and lack of progress on this Assembly's mandate. The current Assembly has passed almost no substantial legislation. We haven't changed a word of the mirrored devolution legislation passed in early 2014, and no new land rights agreements have been negotiated. The red alert arises from the Premier's outrage with the federal five-year moratorium on Beaufort offshore rights issuances. There has been no exploration in the Beaufort for years, and even the Mackenzie Gas Project is now dead. The Premier himself proclaimed the death of oil and gas due to low commodity prices during his 2015 re-election campaign.
Given the imperatives of climate change and advances in renewable energy, it is highly doubtful there will be a resurgence of fossil fuel development in the Northwest Territories. The Premier also drew erroneous conclusions about the amount of NWT lands protected and over-emphasized the contribution of resource extraction to the NWT economy. He later had to correct these alternative facts when questioned by the media and by myself. With a different federal government, change is possible, and real partnership opportunities exist for the North. We need leadership with ideas for a vibrant and diversified economy that distributes wealth more equitably and sustainably, to move us beyond an export-based, externally controlled future.
That is the kind of leadership and collaboration that many NWT residents expect of our Premier and Cabinet. I challenge the Premier to begin the debate on the future of the Northwest Territories here on the floor of this Assembly, to develop a new vision for a diversified and sustainable economy. Mahsi Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided]
Tarek Chicot was recently selected to travel to Calgary to meet the Flames' defenseman Travis Hamonic and take in a hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks. Tarek was chosen on merit, including his achievements in high school. This honour came about through the Calgary Flames and Hockey North, in their efforts to build Canada's "hockey family" and promote positive life skills.
The trip included airfare, two nights in Calgary, two Hamonic jerseys, and a meeting with Travis and other players in the dressing room after the game. It was a very exciting experience. Travis was accompanied by Chief Lloyd Chicot. I congratulate Travis Hamonic and his wife Stephanie for reaching out to northern youth in this way. As hockey fans know, Travis is Metis and very proud of his heritage.
I am particularly happy for Tarek's selection. All of us face adversity and tragedy at some time in our lives, and at age seven, Tarek lost his father, but Tarek was well-raised raised by his mother, Sheila, as a single parent, along with her family. She is very dedicated to him, and today Tarek is a fine young man.
Of course, high school and this hockey trip are not Tarek's only successes. He assisted in a study of the Tathlina Lake fishery, conducted by his community and a Master of Science student from Wilfred Laurier University. The lake has supported a small commercial walleye fishery as well as whitefish stocks that are so important to the community.
Tarek has also benefited from his relationship with his uncle, Chris Chicot, and Melaine Simba through the Guardians program. Tarek continues to fish with his Uncle Chris on weekends and has been filleting fish since he was seven years old. I am pleased that Tarek is learning the ways of our world as he is. His is the way of the future, and I am very proud of him. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Welcome back, colleagues, to the third session of the Legislative Assembly. Mr. Speaker, closing our 2017-2018 fiscal gives me great pleasure on several reflecting highlights of this past achievement, with events being carried forward.
Mr. Speaker, to point out the highlights and share with our listening audiences:
the Government of Canada announced $182 billion over 12 years of infrastructure growth, and $40 billion to support national housing strategy;
the Government of the Northwest Territories Marine Transportation Services' first year of summer operations for many and servicing four of the Sahtu communities;
the NWT Housing Corporation "Voices on Housing," providing core need per community assessments, strategic programming renewal;
the devolution implementation to updating the Mineral Resources Act mirrored legislation;
the fulfilling job opportunities and connecting our remote communities to the resource access with the recent Whati all-weather road procurement announcement;
also, the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk road completion and celebrations of November.
Mr. Speaker, the foundation of the Northwest Territories economy is resource development. With the diminishing road utilization, simply attributable to Mother Nature and her vengeance through climate change, seasonal communities have their lifeline to southern groceries, supplies, and staples significantly shortened. A coincident reality translates to higher prices and critical lack of inventories for simple day-to-day needs.
Infrastructure development is a major solution, while subsidies as providers, however, can only be viewed as interim. Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I look forward to the implementation of both our governments on infrastructure developments, and more specifically, the distribution of resources under the National Infrastructure Program. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this time last year I gave the House an update on housing conditions in the Nunakput region and its communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok. The most recent public data from the 2014 housing survey tells us that almost 40 per cent of Nunakput households have housing problems, with about 28 per cent in core need.
Mr. Speaker, this reflects what I heard in my constituency travels recently. Housing is on everyone's minds. I heard from residents with concerns about overcrowding and others concerned by evictions taking place in the winter months, the coldest time of the year. Other residents are troubled by unsustainable costs, with public housing rates too high for those who are no longer working now that the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway is complete.
Mr. Speaker, like Northerners in other communities, Nunakput residents are also all too familiar with the pain of watching powered, heated market rental units sit empty while the community's families are on the public housing waiting list, housed in units that are not appropriate to their needs or to the standards enjoyed elsewhere in the territory.
Mr. Speaker, residents are also worried by an uptick in criminal activity and substance abuse. Mr. Speaker, things like this happen when people are dispirited and demoralized, when their situation feels inescapable and they are discouraged from taking pride in their community. It is easy to see how community morale takes a beating without the confidence that safe, secure housing can be had in a reasonable timeframe. Impacts on mental health, on family dynamics, on employment, and on education opportunities cannot be overstated.
Before Christmas, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation released its newsletter, Under One Roof. This newsletter outlined the corporation's ambitious plans for improving the services it delivers to Northerners. The situation in Nunakput is serious, Mr. Speaker, but I know too that the government's housing portfolio is led by a Minister clearly determined to make large strides. I thank her for it, because the time for action is now. Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Hamlet of Aklavik, the Aklavik Community Corporation, the Aklavik Indian Band, and the Ehdiitat Gwich'in Council recently came together to discuss a subject of great significance to the community and its residents.
I refer to the planned replacement of Moose Kerr School, a building first constructed almost 50 years ago. This replacement was something highly anticipated by the community of Aklavik. As I have said in the past, it is not just a school; the building is used year-round for community and sporting events, for celebrations, for public talks, and more. Like I did, residents understood from the work of the previous Assembly that a replacement project was forthcoming. After all, according to the GNWT's planning standards replacements typically come 20 years after a major retrofit, and Moose Kerr's last major retrofit was in 1999.
For several years now, I have been told in this House that Moose Kerr School was identified for renovations or replacement in 2018-2019. For several years now, the people of Aklavik have been waiting, but now we are told that, thanks to the "government's commitment to ongoing maintenance and improvement," Moose Kerr can wait another 20 years.
Mr. Speaker, our territory is a diverse one with diverse needs, and I understand the difficult calculations Ministers must make when setting the five-year capital plan, but I am gravely disappointed, Mr. Speaker, by the suggestion that sensible economy and sound asset management in Aklavik means that the community's needs take a back seat to other communities' needs. The four organizations I mentioned earlier agree: a replacement is needed, and this government's capital planning must reflect this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I will have questions later today.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to welcome everybody back for the third session as we work for the residents of the Northwest Territories and look forward to the next six weeks. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recap and highlight some of the things that I have done since our last sitting.
This past November, the various standing committees had the opportunity to review and discuss the business plans of all of the departments as we prepared for the 2018-2019 budget. I would like to thank the Ministers and their staff and look forward to the debate and discussion for the budget this year.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Social Development had the opportunity to travel with the Minister of Health and Social Services and a number of his staff to tour the four addiction treatment facilities that the government has contracts with for our residents. I found the facilities to be unique and we had a lot of questions and good information exchanged. Later, I will be doing a couple of Member's statements in regards to this trip and the committee will be tabling a report.
Mr. Speaker, from December 20th to 28th I had the opportunity to visit all my siblings, my children and their spouses, and all my grandchildren. This is the first time I have ever been able to do that. I drove over 4,000 kilometres to eight communities. It was an amazing trip, and I got to see the whole family during this time. Like the old saying goes, the trip was priceless.
January 3rd I took my youngest son to Fort Smith. To say the trip was an adventure would be an understatement. I will be addressing this adventure in another Member's statement later on in this session. The following Monday, Minister McLeod and his staff arrived in our region to do a regional tour. I would like to thank the Minister for wanting to drive the whole trip. I know in speaking with the residents that they really appreciated us driving to their communities. Unfortunately, we were not able to get to one community, and we made plans to reschedule later on.
Mr. Speaker, I also had the opportunity to participate in three community sporting events. One was hockey, senior hockey. I played four games, and then the next weekend I curled in the Merchants' Bonspiel. There, we were down eight-nothing after three ends, and we were able to come back to tie and play an extra end. Unfortunately, we did lose. This past weekend, we had the pleasure of going to Fort Smith and playing the Old Timers' Tournament. It was a great weekend, a bit tiring. We played six games in 28 hours. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank all the volunteers and organizers for making these three events great. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you are well aware, the life of an MLA can get quite busy. That is true if you are a Regular Member or a Minister or even Speaker. There is a never-ending supply of constituency issues, policy issues, legislative issues, meetings, appearances, travel, and so on, and with so much going on we always run the risk of losing focus on why we are here. That is why it is important that, once in a while, we take a step back and reflect on what our role really is.
Despite the diversity of our responsibilities and the complexity of many of the issues we deal with, the reason we are here is simple. It is to work for the benefit of the people of the NWT. I am positive that all of my colleagues know this, but we have to make sure that it is in the forefront of our minds every time we make a decision. We must always ask: how is this going to affect the people on the ground? We are not engaged in some academic exercise. The decisions we make here have real-life consequences for our residents, but I find that too often we end up providing lip service to that fact.
We are only human. We all have our own principles and ideas about how things should be done, but we cannot let those distract us from our central role. We need to ensure that we do not make decisions with the sole purpose of advancing a cause or championing an ideology. We have to make sure that egos or hurt feelings do not get in the way of our decision making. It is a shame, but it happens, and it is a disservice to our residents.
Ministers have to make sure to remember that first and foremost they are MLAs elected to represent to people. They are not senior managers, and they are not the GNWT's board of directors. The GNWT is their tool to serve the people. Regular Members have to remember that we are here to make sure that the GNWT is serving the people. We are not here to grandstand, represent special interests, or make headlines.
Mr. Speaker, I apologize if I am coming off as a little preachy, but sometimes I find that we cannot see the forest for the trees. I truly believe that all of us who are here took on these roles with the intention of improving the lives of our people. To do so, we have to stay focused, we must not get distracted, we must not let ourselves be managed, and we must not forget why the voters elected us. It is not good enough to know that we are here to serve the people. We have to act like it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like yourself, I would like to recognize the esteemed resident of Yellowknife North, Mr. Tony Whitford. Thank you.
Masi. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Member for Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two Range Lake Pages that are here today, young Mr. Logan Hayward and Ms. Danica Taylor. Welcome. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the achievement of my constituent, Bes'ha Blondin, who is a Member of the Arctic Indigenous Wellness Project team which, as you may know, won this year's Arctic Inspiration Prize. The project won the $1 million prize for their plan to combine Indigenous cultural education with traditional therapy to improve the mental health of at-risk Inuit, First Nations, and Metis people through collaborative, culture-specific, community-supported programs. Please join me in offering congratulations to Bes'ha for receiving this award. Mahsi.
---Applause
