Mr. Speaker, income security programs are a vital piece of the societal safety network that together help address the needs of NWT residents. Those who access programs within this complex network are often at a point of vulnerability in their lives. It is good government practice to continually review and evaluate programs, especially social ones, to ensure that those in need are being provided appropriate supports and services.
Over the past three years, the department has implemented a number of enhancements to its suite of income security programs to better support NWT residents. By seeking input through fostering positive partnerships and having solutions-based conversations with important stakeholders, we continue to gain valuable insight for further improvements.
I am pleased to advise that, in December, I met with people who have accessed programs along with non-government social organizations to hear their priorities and solutions for the Income Assistance program. People accessing services and those working directly with people accessing income assistance have the experience and the knowledge to know what's working and what is not, as well as provide invaluable solution-based recommendations.
Mr. Speaker, I am accountable for ensuring that the programs and services offered by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment are helpful to the populations they are intended to serve. I have heard from our stakeholders that the Income Assistance program can be difficult to understand and navigate. As a result, the department is working on improved communication products and ensuring staff have the right tools to help clients understand available programs and their requirements.
I have also conducted a survey of front-line staff and invited Indigenous governments and Members of the Legislative Assembly to provide their input and views on suggested changes to the Income Assistance program. All of these suggestions and solutions I hear will inform our approach to any future program changes.
I remain committed to ensuring that the priorities and suggestions that have been identified by program recipients and those who work closely with them will be considered. Department staff have already begun to identify potential changes that can be made immediately and to develop a plan to consider the more complex medium- and long-term priorities. In the spirit of transparency, the department has shared a "what we heard" report from our meeting in December with the public, on the ECE website.
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to have started this conversation with staff, partners, and stakeholders. It is my intention to incorporate what we have heard when making changes to the Income Assistance program so that Northwest Territories residents receive the highest-quality service when accessing income security programs and services. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, there have been many positive initiatives developed as we have worked to fulfill mandate commitments related to housing. Good-quality and affordable housing in our communities cannot be brought about just from the efforts from government. We need to engage all parties that have the capability and the willingness to improve housing conditions for our residents.
Mr. Speaker, I will be hosting a Northern Housing Summit in Inuvik on April 24 and 25, 2019, with the express intent of creating more housing partnerships. Invitees include representatives of all governments, development corporations, private industry, non-governmental organizations, political leaders, and other decision-makers.
We have made great strides in collaboration already through the Community Housing Support Initiative, the Community Housing Plan process, and the Northern Pathways to Housing projects. Through these initiatives, we are reaping the rewards of working together to meet community needs.
These initiatives are best practices in housing, Mr. Speaker. We need to share how we achieved these successes and move forward on implementing them in other communities. These approaches acknowledge that housing decisions and planning cannot be undertaken by one party alone. To truly lead the way with housing, we all need to work together.
Mr. Speaker, this Northern Housing Summit will also help position our stakeholders to take advantage of the unprecedented level of housing investments available now. For instance, with the National Housing Strategy, we are seeing funding that can be accessed at the local level. Speakers from the federal government in attendance at the Northern Housing Summit will give stakeholders the opportunity to learn more about how to access these investments. They will be able to sit down with multiple parties to explore their housing ambitions through the partnership-based National Housing Co-investment Fund. Participants will hear about investment opportunities under the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's Community Housing Support Initiative. Additionally, there will be information on how to access funding to train youth and support apprentices.
Participants will not only be hearing from government. Community proponents will be speaking about their experiences with housing planning and developing housing projects. Other topics include developing the next generation of skilled trade workers, pan-northern housing construction practices, and Indigenous housing design. Invitations will also be going out to housing experts in other northern jurisdictions so that they can share their knowledge and experiences.
Further, we know that there are challenges for some Indigenous groups in the Northwest Territories in accessing federal funds identified under the Indigenous Housing Fund streams. I will meet with Indigenous leaders attending the summit to look at how we can ensure that all our Indigenous governments can access this funding. We have had great success in our partnership with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and I would like to see that success expand across the Northwest Territories.
The Northern Housing Summit is also forward-looking. We must all do our part to fight climate change, and action is needed in the housing field, as well. Attendees will be able to participate in a Green Energy Solutions session. Approaches and technology change and improve over time, and this event can showcase those advances and highlight efforts already undertaken in the North that have yielded results.
Mr. Speaker, the Northern Housing Summit will be a great opportunity for communities and stakeholders to come together, learn from each other, and forge a new and shared future for housing in the Northwest Territories. I am looking forward to hosting this event and to the opportunities and investments that will come from it. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Ministers' statements. Minister of Infrastructure.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has been working hard to fulfill its mandate commitment to secure funding to advancing planning and construction of priority transportation corridors in the Northwest Territories. This includes upgrading the winter road portions of the Mackenzie Valley Winter Road to an all-weather highway and planning for the Slave Geological Province Corridor. Today I am pleased to provide an update on the status of these strategic infrastructure projects.
In November 2018, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities and Member of Parliament for the Northwest Territories Michael McLeod joined me and other special guests in Norman Wells to celebrate the official opening of the Canyon Creek all-season access road. This road will become a segment of the Mackenzie Valley Highway and is another incremental improvement to this corridor.
This project provided meaningful training and educational experience for local residents. At the peak of construction activity in March 2018, 81 people were employed, of whom 36 were local Sahtu residents and 28 were Northerners from other parts of the territory.
The Canyon Creek all-season access road is a great example of a capacity-building exercise that will prepare residents to take advantage of the opportunities that will come as we continue construction on the Mackenzie Valley Highway.
Mr. Speaker, partnerships with Indigenous organizations are critical to the success of our strategic corridor projects, including the Mackenzie Valley Highway. The Department of Infrastructure commenced its engagement efforts this past month by holding initial community engagement sessions and meetings with community leadership in Norman Wells, Tulita, Wrigley, and Fort Simpson. Discussions focused on the way forward for environmental reviews and permitting of this project, and how to maximize benefits to the people of the region. Many supportive comments were received, with leaders and residents interested in understanding when construction could begin and what types of training, employment and business opportunities would be available.
Mr. Speaker, our government reached another landmark last week to advance the Slave Geological Province Infrastructure Corridor that includes transportation, communications, and energy transmission. While at the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada Conference in Toronto last week, I joined Parliamentary Secretary Paul Lefebvre to announce funding to support this project. The funding will go toward the planning of the corridor, including the investigation of potential sources and planning and environmental studies to help advance this project as well as contribute to aerial geophysical surveys of the region. A total of $6.8 million will be invested, with the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, also known as CanNor, providing $5.1 million of the funding, and a further $750,000 will come from academic institutions, and the remaining amount will come from the GNWT.
The Department of Infrastructure is currently finalizing a comprehensive project application for funding to advance the Slave Geological Province Corridor under the northern call for the National Trade Corridors Fund. If approved, funding will go toward environmental planning and engineering studies for the corridor and completing the environmental assessment and regulatory processes for the first segment to Lockhart Lake. As we await the funding announcement, the department will continue to pursue opportunities to partner with Indigenous groups on this transformative infrastructure project.
Mr. Speaker, an important component of the Slave Geological Province Corridor that the department is also advancing the replacement of the Frank Channel Bridge on Highway No. 3. Building a new bridge across the Frank Channel would eliminate a major bottleneck in the resupply system from southern Canada to Yellowknife and the diamond mines.
When the bridge was constructed in 1960, it was designed for trucks weighing up to 32,000 kilograms. Structural improvements have been made to the bridge over the years to allow for commercial truck loads to 63,000 kilograms. However, the existing structure is nearing the end of its service life, and the through-truss design limits the size of loads.
The Department of Infrastructure is engaging with the community of Behchoko and the Tlicho Government on the required relocation of the bridge, and is continuing to assemble the required pre-engineering and environmental baseline work to prepare us for its replacement. The department is also finalizing a comprehensive project application to replace the Frank Channel Bridge under the northern call of the National Trade Corridors Fund.
Mr. Speaker, transportation corridor infrastructure plays a very important part in the health of our communities and the prosperity of the Northwest Territories, not just because of the connections that it will make, but also because of the skills, training, and economic opportunities that construction projects bring to the communities and residents. We look forward to continuing to work closely with our partners, including the federal government, and to building a safe, efficient, and resilient infrastructure system that meets the needs of the North. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Chief Phillip Blake of Tsiigehtchic. Yesterday the community was busy with the election, with a total of four people running for chief. As for the council, they were all acclaimed, with an all-ladies council made up of Julie-Ann Andre, Charlene Blake, Jamie Benoit-Cardinal, Cindy McDonald, and Shelly Vanloon.
Mr. Speaker, I look forward to working with Chief Phillip Blake and his council throughout the rest of our term and wish them all the best throughout their term, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, our children's safety is always a concern for parents, especially when it comes to their interactions on social media. The next generation is growing up in a rapidly-changing technological environment, and although this has the possibility of reward and greater individual potential, not everyone or everything online will have your best interests in mind.
News of the "Momo Challenge" has been making the rounds, reportedly an online phenomenon where people, mainly children, are sent disturbing images on social media and are told to act out until a point of self-harm. Thankfully, this has been debunked as a hoax.
Mr. Speaker, in this ever-increasing complex age, we, as parents, teachers, and even our elders, in regard to our children, must remain eternally vigilant. This is because the Internet and all of the possibilities that come with it have the potential to expand an individual's capacity and ability to network, but it also carries the risk of spreading false, misleading, and truly frightful information. I am glad to hear of some school boards from across the country issuing tips and resources for child safety and parent awareness on social media and on other web-based applications.
Mr. Speaker, when used properly, the Internet is an incredible tool for learning and communication, but our most vulnerable need to know how to be safe online and how to scrutinize the information that they come across. Parents should discuss where online devices are kept at home and when kids are allowed to have access to them.
Mr. Speaker, it is important that all of us who use the Internet practice and hone our hoax detection skills, teach them to our children, and ensure that those who are most vulnerable in our society are aware of the devious tricksters, pranksters, and troubled persons who will try to take advantage without having fully pondered the consequences.
Mr. Speaker, the online world has created an interconnected society like no other in the history of the world. Our children are set to inherit the incredible possibilities of this world, and it is up to us to ensure that they are prepared to be responsible online citizens who know how to keep themselves safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Long-term care facilities provide an essential and critical service to our elders population, along with society as a whole. Long-term care facilities, very much like the elders' home in Fort Simpson, provide our elders with 24-hour professional care in terms of their physical, mental, emotional, social, and often psychological needs. Many of our elders require 24-hour care, much of which the family is unable to provide. Consequently, making the decision to place loved ones in long-term facility is never an easy one.
When an elder moves from their place of residence to a facility, there is always a very stressful and emotional time of transition. More often than not, the elder is not able to express their personal autonomy in this decision. In these times, the professional staff offering the elder a great measure of compassion, kindness, and consideration in terms of this life-changing transition is critical.
Long-term care facilities not only meet the essential needs of the elderly population; they also assist with activities of daily living, medical help, monitoring and administration of medication, nutritious food, and the access to traditionally prepared food on a daily basis, with the health, safety, and wellness of our elders a continuous focus and priority. They often offer essential services which stimulate the fundamental need for socialization, independence, and interdependence.
Showcasing the Fort Simpson elders' home is exactly that; a home, not an institution, nor does it look or operate as such. The management and staff at the elders' home deliver exemplary, high-quality service to our elders, providing not only professional care, but compassionate, person-centred care with an optimal team approach to each resident's need. The staff is critically sensitive and aware of the culture of the residents who they serve and go out of their way to provide traditional food on an ongoing businesses. Family and community members are encouraged to participate in any and all activities and are warmly welcomed by all staff members.
A critical piece of this incredible service offered to our elders is the representation and delivery of the meals that they receive. The meals are prepared and placed on Bunsen burners to keep them warm, put on a trolley, and served to each resident in their individual seats. Residents can then choose what they would like to eat and the proportion size, hence encouraging independence and autonomy.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank the management and staff of the Fort Simpson elders' home for the generous love and care that they express to our elders each and every day. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At devolution, the GNWT finally acquired control of our waters. The idea was that the NWT could control our own resources and destiny. Upon devolution, the NWT enacted the Waters Act and Waters Regulations. These essentially mirrored the former federal acts. Since then, we have done very little to adapt those regulations to our local conditions.
Mr. Speaker, under the Waters Act, the "Commissioner in Executive Council," meaning the GNWT Cabinet, can amend the regulations. This authority could help us fulfill our mandate for growing our economy and reducing regulatory duplication. How? The most important thing that Cabinet could do is to change the thresholds for water use requiring a licence. Currently, if you use more than 100 cubic metres, you need a licence. That is the quantity that we inherited from the feds, and unlike our neighbours, we haven't updated that amount.
Mr. Speaker, after devolution in 2003, Yukon changed that threshold to 300 cubic metres. Later, Nunavut did the same. Now exploration in Yukon and Nunavut is outpacing us in the NWT.
We can change that limit, too, Mr. Speaker. We don't need repatriation of the MVRMA. We don't need new legislation. Cabinet can do this by regulation. That is what devolution intended, for us to be masters of our own house.
Why is this important, Mr. Speaker? Most of the water that I am talking about is critical for exploration projects. A limit of 300 cubic metres is enough water to operate six to nine drills. That amount strikes an appropriate balance between protecting our environment and reducing the regulatory burden. 300 cubic metres is a limit within which responsible exploration companies can operate. Beyond that, they would need a licence from one of our water boards, and Cabinet can also prescribe conditions for that licensing to go ahead.
Mr. Speaker, we compete for the same investment dollars as Yukon and Nunavut. We can offer more robust exploration capacity to resource companies by raising the water use threshold. Our sister territories have done this and still maintain very high environmental protection standards.
I am not suggesting that we allow unlimited use of our water or let developers go unregulated. Quite the contrary. They would still be required to report to inspectors and obtain land use permits. That is as it should be.
Mr. Speaker, a well-balanced regulatory system benefits us all. At the appropriate time, I will have questions for the Premier. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the importance of self-determination and the role of self-government in creating a strong and vibrant future for the communities of the Northwest Territories, specifically, Mr. Speaker, the Deline Got'ine Government.
On March 12, 2014, eligible voters overwhelmingly approved the Deline Final Self-Government Agreement. Mr. Speaker, 84 percent of the eligible voters said yes.
In September 2015, the Deline First Nation, the Deline Land Corporation, and the Deline Charter Community began the process of preparing on coming together underneath the Deline Got'ine Government structure.
The Deline Got'ine Government began operating on September 1, 2016, Mr. Speaker. This is the government that elders envisioned.
Today, Mr. Speaker, the Deline Got'ine Government is working with the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Government of Canada to implement self-government. The Deline Got'ine Government is an inclusive government that respects and serves all residents of the community. Their vision is to be able to provide quality programs and services to their own people. They are working with both governments of the NWT and Canada to do just that.
Mr. Speaker, part of self-determination is being responsible, building government-to-government relationships. Given this, the DGG is pursuing a bilateral relationship with the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, a memorandum of understanding between the Deline Got'ine Government and the GNWT is the logical first step. It will create the space for important issues such as caribou management and many others at the highest levels of leadership. The GNWT's own Respect, Recognition, and Responsibility Document commits the government to negotiating and signing these agreements.
Later, Mr. Speaker, I will have progress questions of the Deline Got'ine Government and GNWT bilateral agreement to the Premier. Mahsi.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Taking care of elders is an important part of Dene culture, and we take it very seriously in Deh Cho communities. At a recent constituency meeting in Fort Providence, it was pointed out that two additional positions are needed for homecare. [English translation not provided]
Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Health and Social Services has informed me that two home support worker positions are filled, although the homecare nurse position is vacant. I am concerned that, with about 40 clients, the home support workers are booked solid and other elders who need service are unable to get help.
Mr. Speaker, the Deh Gah Gotie First Nation previously ran a successful homemaker program through an agreement with the GNWT. Unfortunately, this funding was cut off, and we no longer have the program.
I am also concerned that more of our elders will wind up living in regional centres where our government has concentrated its facilities for seniors. When this happens, it erodes the fabric of our small communities and our culture. If facilities cannot be built in small communities, we must have more homecare to help our elders stay in their homes.
Mr. Speaker, I wrote the Minister of Health and Social Services about this issue. I explained the need for two more homecare workers in Fort Providence. It is a small request, and there are people in the community who can do these jobs. To date, I have seen no progress. There is nothing to indicate that the voices of our elders in Zhatie Koe are being heard or that their needs will be met by this government.
Mr. Speaker, residents of our small communities are entitled to health services on par with those enjoyed by other Canadians. I know very well that we do not live up to that goal. I am not asking for a hospital in Fort Providence. I am asking for two homecare workers to help our elders live well in their final years. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. The need for improved consumer rights and consumer protection remedies is a topic that all NWT residents have a stake in. I will raise a few points on this.
First is the lack of vigour and effectiveness of our consumer protection processes under our territorial Consumer Protection Act. The act lists areas of jurisdiction, but the real teeth that we're looking for, enforcement, is non-existent to weak at best. There is a process for complaints, investigations, and government intervention as an arbiter, but there is no final bite in the ability to issue binding orders, assign damages, or outlaw unfair practices.
We had the example of a local restaurant falsely describing its fish as locally caught. Media exposure was the only means that fixed the issue. We had testimony during review of the Municipal and Community Affairs budget, describing the department's follow-up on apprehensions of price fixing in the gasoline market. The MACA witness said that the department analyzed market price trends and then contacted gas vendors to discuss why prices never appeared to change. The MACA witness claimed that, as a result of this attention, gas stations' prices began to drop. Again, even if a full-blown price-fixing scheme had been uncovered, there was nothing in law the department could do to change such a situation.
I've raised these concerns before. As we near the end of this Assembly, we know that changes to the Consumer Protection Act are not on the legislative horizon. The Consumers Council of Canada cites an International Charter of Consumer Rights, which includes, "the right to be compensated for misrepresentation, shoddy goods, or unsatisfactory services." We must strive for that standard, Mr. Speaker.
Other major consumer protection issues include multi-jurisdictional authorities and remote sellers, major sources of grievance for our residents. In addition to giving our consumer law authority to allow for improved remedies, we need to align our processes with areas of federal authority -- complaints with air travel are an excellent example. Who hasn't missed a flight here because of air carriers -- and design law that has teeth in a world of on-line shopping. Big challenges, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister on how we prepare the path forward for the 19th Assembly towards improved consumer protection. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Members' statements. Member for Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about an organization that is near and dear to the hearts of many families in Hay River and has been for the last 22 years. Growing Together is a non-profit organization that offers free programs for parents and their children aged zero to five. Before Growing Together, there was very little in terms of parenting programs in Hay River. I believe there was one that parents could attend once or twice a month.
Today, Growing Together offers a variety of programs throughout the week, and they are always well attended. It is not uncommon to see two or three dozen children in attendance with their mothers, and some day-home operators, as well. When I visited, there were 50 kids, 19 adults, and three staff members. Last year, 275 mothers and children attended the program throughout the year. There is no doubt that it is popular.
However, ECE has decided to revamp its Healthy Children Initiative, which is the funding pot that has made these programs possible for the last 22 years. The new criteria has shifted focus and no longer supports parenting programs. Funding to programs like Growing Together will be phased out over the next three years. On April 1st, Growing Together will receive 25 percent less funding than it did this year. The year after, it will receive 50 percent less. The year after that, it will take another hit until it finally receives nothing in the fourth year.
Mr. Speaker, earlier I said that this program was near and dear to the hearts of many. That was a bit of an understatement. When the folks at Growing Together found out that their funding was going to be cut, they invited me to meet with some of the mothers who attend their programs so I could hear directly from them.
Mr. Speaker, I have been to quite a few public meetings, so I know that it can be tough to get people out. However, on a Tuesday evening when it was minus 30, over 20 mothers and day-home providers showed up to let me know just how important these programs are. It was quite a touching evening.
They spoke about what Growing Together means to them, about how valuable it is for their children, about how valuable the emotional support offered by the other mothers is, about how having these programs and this community as a constant has helped their mental health, about how they can share stories and get advice from other mother who have been through the same things, and so on. Mr. Speaker, in the end we received 30 letters of support, which I have passed on to the Minister.
Mr. Speaker, this is a program worth saving. I will have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about how we can do that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Your Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly is pleased to provide its interim report on increasing the representation of women to the Legislative Assembly and commends it to the House.
The Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories (NWT) has the lowest percentage of women Members of any Canadian legislature. NWT voters elected two women to the Assembly in 2015, or 10.5 percent of Members. By comparison, Nunavut has six women Members, or 27.3 percent, and Yukon seven, representing 36.8 percent.
On March 8, 2018, this Legislative Assembly adopted a motion to increase the representation of women in the Legislative Assembly to 20 percent by 2023 and 30 percent by 2027. The Assembly created the Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly and tasked it with identifying a wide range of strategies to achieve these goals.
The special committee began work on November 28, 2018 and has since held several public hearings, received written submissions and additional requests for meetings with interest groups. Overwhelmingly, we heard that women face many obstacles to running for elected office in the Northwest Territories. In addition, we heard that initiatives to assist women prepare for participation in politics are far too few and infrequent. The special committee also heard that the Legislative Assembly should be more family-friendly.
Given this feedback, we decided to provide the public with an interim-report focused on systemic barriers to women's full participation in the NWT's political life.
While the Special Committee's work is not complete, we are sharing what we have heard and recommendations intended to improve conditions for women's engagement in politics. A final report will be tabled before the end of this 18th Legislative Assembly. It will include discussion and recommendations on electoral processes and legislative change.
On March 8, 2018, the Legislative Assembly unanimously passed Motion 13-18(3), Increasing Women's Participation in the Legislative Assembly. This motion calls on the Members of the Legislative Assembly to support "the goal of increasing women's representation in the Legislative Assembly to 20 percent by 2023 and 30 percent by 2027"; "work together and individually to identify and implement a wide range of strategies, including positive action, public debate, and training and mentoring for women as leaders, to achieve these goals."
On November 1, 2018, the Legislative Assembly adopted a motion and created the Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly. The terms of reference detail the special committee's tasks and include the following:
The special committee is committed to consult with relevant interest groups within the Northwest Territories, in Canada, and internationally, as appropriate.
The special committee will consider relevant studies or reports aimed at increasing the representation of women, including Tabled Document 208-18(3), Discussion Paper - "Temporary Special Measures" To Increase the Representation of Women in the NWT Legislative Assembly.
The special committee will prepare a report and present it to the House no later than the first day of the final sitting of the 18th Legislative Assembly.
The report should identify, describe, and, where appropriate, make recommendations with respect to:
the barriers that prevent women from running, incentives that mitigate these barriers, along with incentives to increase the representation of women in the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly;
solutions designed to increase women's representation in the 20th Legislative Assembly to 20 percent, and in the 21st Legislative Assembly to 30 percent; and
changes to any current rules of the Legislative Assembly and the current and related legislation, or policies and programs of the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Legislative Assembly.
The Speaker of the NWT Legislative Assembly tabled a report to generate discussion on how to increase women's representation. The discussion paper "Temporary Special Measures to Increase the Representation of Women in the NWT Legislative Assembly" presents a model based on the system used in Samoa, which amended its constitution to guarantee a minimum number of seats for women. The paper describes how this system could be applied to activate increased women's participation in our legislature.
Worldwide, governments and political parties have adopted various measures to increase representation by women. These range from constitutional or legislated requirements to voluntary targets set by political parties. Studies show that mandatory or guaranteed seats produce significantly higher numbers and quicker results than voluntary targets. Additionally, more women are elected in systems with proportional representation than in "first-past-the-post" systems such as Canada and the NWT has, where voters indicate on a ballot the candidate of their choice, and the candidate who receives the most votes, wins.
Taiwan (Republic of China) is an interesting example. The state adopted reserved seats for women in the 1950s and was one of the earliest countries in the world to do so. Of Taiwan's 113 seats, 73 represent single-member-districts elected much as they are in Canada; 34 are filled from party lists on the basis of a nationwide vote for proportional representation, and six seats are reserved for aboriginal representatives from the three districts.
Voluntary quotas are not an option in electoral systems without political parties, such as our own consensus government. If guaranteed seats are deemed necessary in the NWT, they would have to be legislated as suggested in the Speaker's discussion paper.
Before the creation of Nunavut in 1999, an appointed implementation commission recommended a gender-equal Legislative Assembly. A man and a woman would be elected by all voters in each district. The proposal was put to a non-binding public vote in May 1997, resulting in 57 percent of ballots against the idea. Had the system been implemented, Nunavut's Assembly would have been the world's first gender-equal, democratically elected legislature. Currently, six of 22 Members (or 27 percent) of Nunavut's Legislative Assembly are women.
Electoral systems cannot be the sole tool to increase women's representation because the social, cultural, political, historical, and economic realities of each jurisdiction will influence the effects that measures and incentives have on women's participation.
Changing the workplace by providing opportunities for work-life balance also can have a positive effect on increasing the share of women in Legislative Assemblies.
Masi. Member for Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The percentage of women in national legislatures has become a standard measure of a country's achievement in women's political participation. The presence of women in legislatures is considered essential to encouraging citizen engagement and building a representative democracy because women represent half the population.
The number of women in legislatures is increasing throughout the world. The East African country of Rwanda tops the global list, with 49 women holding 61.3 percent of the seats in the national legislature. Cuba is second, with 53.2 percent; Bolivia third at 53.1 percent; and Mexico is fourth, with 48.2 percent. The 13 counties with representation of women above 40 percent include the Nordic countries Sweden, Finland and Norway, but also Grenada, Namibia, Costa Rica, South Africa, and Senegal. When looking at regional averages, the Nordic countries lead, with 42.3 percent; followed by the Americas, with 30.3 percent; and Europe, with 26.5 percent, excluding the Nordic countries.
In 2018, Quebec voters elected 52 women to its National Assembly of 125 seats, or 41.6 percent, the highest in Canada. In the same year, Ontario voters elected 49 women to take 39.5 percent of seats in Queen's Park. In British Columbia, where 111 women ran in the provincial election, 34 were elected, taking 38.5 percent of the seats. Canada's Parliament has 90 women Members, representing 26.9 percent, ranking 59th globally.
Research determined that more women are elected in systems with party lists, proportional representation, and large districts. Most political parties have introduced candidate quotas for women based on party internal decisions. However, obstacles reported in party systems include barriers in the candidate recruitment and selection process, party discipline, and gender-biased media coverage. Tactics such as assigning first-time women candidates to ridings with strong incumbents are a disadvantage to women.
In non-partisan systems like the NWT's and Nunavut's, the individual candidate cannot rely on party support nor expect the barriers mentioned above. In the absence of political parties, candidates run as independents in consensus government.
The critical threshold of women required in a legislature to bring about significant and lasting policy change is 30 percent, according to the United Nations. Globally, 49 countries have exceeded that mark. As of November 2018, the percentage of women in legislatures worldwide was 24.1 percent.
Increasing the number of women in positions of political power affects many aspects of society. Differences in priorities have been studied, with findings that women members of parliament more often address issues of social policy, family policy, and care for the elderly or healthcare in their election campaigns than their male counterparts. Research literature suggests that women politicians are more likely than men to advance women's rights in areas such as pay equity, violence against women, healthcare, and family policy.
Researchers investigated the relationship between the growing number of women in Canada's 10 provincial governments and changes in population health over time. The authors conclude that women in government can bring about desirable changes in reducing mortality rates by triggering specific types of government spending, including medical care, preventive care, post-secondary education, and social services.
Not all women Members of the Assembly prioritize and find the same solutions to the same problems. While research suggests that women's leadership may reduce partisan combativeness and advance issues of gender equality, childcare, and pensions, it cannot be assumed that women and men implement leadership in the same way, or that leadership styles are distinctly fixed to gender. One research project found women leaders tend to be more relationship-oriented, while their male counterparts were more task-oriented. However, women leaders also tend to abandon their styles when in male-dominated leadership roles.
Women in government appear to govern differently than men. Research suggests that women tend to interrupt less, pay closer attention to other people's non-verbal signs, and use a more collaborative governing style than men. Women also govern differently by behaviour, opinion, and attitude, with consequences such as change in internal working procedures or encouragement for more trust in government, according to research.
Women legislators continue to embrace women, children, and family as priority issues; men do not share these priorities as often. Research found that women and men legislators over time have been agreeing more on ideas on how to work and develop procedures and process improvements. However, when it comes to choosing subjects, women and men continue to have different priorities in the topics they wish to see addressed.
I would like to now hand the report over to the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
The United Nations (UN) Commission on the Status of Women exists since 1946. The 1953 Convention on the Political Rights of Women adopted by the UN General Assembly is the first international treaty guaranteeing that women be entitled to vote in all elections, be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies, and be entitled to hold public office on equal terms with men.
In 1979, the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women was adopted by the UN General Assembly and ratified by 189 states, including Canada. One of its 16 core provisions guarantees women equality in voting and participation in government and organizations concerned with public and political life of a country.
The 2011 UN General Assembly Resolution on Women's Political Participation expressed concern that women worldwide continue to be marginalized from political activities due to "discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes, and gender stereotypes, low levels of education, lack of access to healthcare, and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women." This resolution reaffirms obligations of all states to protect human rights, recognizes the role of UN women, its goal of gender equality and empowerment of women, and recognizes the important contributions "women have made toward the achievement of representative, transparent, and accountable governments in many countries."
Several indexes have been developed to measure gender equity worldwide. The UN Gender-related Development Index, the World Economic Forum Gender Gap Index, the International Save the Children Alliance Mothers' Index, and the Social Watch Gender Equity Index all rank countries by the number of women in parliament. The rankings are reported on the Inter-Parliamentary Union's website, http://www.ipu.org.
The pace at which women have been elected to legislatures worldwide has been called "glacial."
We heard that the essential voices of women are missing in the NWT Legislative Assembly, its committees, and Cabinet. The special committee received passionate and well-informed calls for the Assembly to take action to increase women's participation.
We also heard that equal representation can make a difference and that there is awareness that women's leadership gives strength to and improves political decision-making. When women are equally represented, multiple viewpoints are taken into account and conduct tends to be more respectful.
Cultural barriers, financial and other challenges to campaigning, access to information and knowledge on consensus government, and uncertainty about the responsibilities of Members of the Legislative Assembly were among the most common topics to arise during conversations in public hearings conducted by the special committee.
Encouragement and social support for candidates, more consideration for women's roles in the care of children and family, workshops on campaigning, helping young women to see politics as a career choice, and enhancing the Northern Studies curriculum were among the concrete suggestions to help overcome the obstacles women see on their path toward equal political participation.
The committee has received specific requests to identify how the NWT Legislative Assembly's building can be changed to better accommodate women, and how policies could be improved to create a more women- and family-friendly environment.
Canadian federal elections show that the most important factor in women getting elected is the decision to run for office in the first place. In 2015, of all Parliamentary candidates, 29.9 percent were women. Today, nearly the same amount, 27 percent, of Canada's Members of Parliament are women.
Since 1999, NWT elections have had women candidates in only eight, nine, or 10 of the 19 ridings. The high was 10 candidates in 2007. In 2015, there were nine women candidates in nine of the 19 ridings, and two were elected.
Women must be willing to stand as candidates in order to be elected. The decision to become a candidate and run for a seat in an election is an individual choice, but women report many obstacles they must consider when choosing to run.
A 2014 study by the Inter-Parliamentary Union found that, globally, the top five factors deterring women from entering politics are:
Domestic responsibilities;
Prevailing cultural attitudes regarding the roles of women in society;
Lack of support from family;
Lack of confidence; and
Lack of finance.
Media can also play a role in women's participation in public life and politics, whether at the local, regional, or national level. Gendered comments, sexist jokes, labelling of women politicians, focusing on a woman's physical attributes, and using stereotypes detract from women candidates' platforms and achievements.
Discussion is ongoing on how Indigenous communities are impacted by the gendered process of colonization, including the failure of mainstream Indigenous organizations to mobilize around these impacts. Indigenous women's experiences of colonization have had particularly negative impacts on their ability to achieve positions of power within Canadian or Indigenous governments or organizations, according to research.
Research has attempted to connect the historical stereotyping of Indigenous women to the current high numbers of unsolved crimes against them. Colonialist interpretations and misinterpretations based on ethnocentric views have contributed to stereotypes that, in turn, are said to have led to negligence in solving crimes against Indigenous women. Understanding how gender roles changed during the history of contact with a patriarchal European colonial society, how it has contributed to today's high rate of violence against Indigenous women, and how this in turn has contributed to the low representation of Indigenous women in political leadership is at the heart of some most recent research.
I will now hand over the report to the honourable Member for Deh Cho. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Member for Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Women in the NWT said one of the biggest barriers to their participation in politics is their role as caretakers of household and family. Overall, there was a strong sense that women are expected, and often expect of themselves, to be the caretaker of extended families. Their professional work and caring for family often leaves little time for preparing to participate in politics.
The committee also heard about poverty and how it heightens the pressure on women to provide for children and family. We heard often that women provide financially for the extended family and have little to spend on themselves.
We have heard that men should not keep women at home to have babies and take care of the house. We have also heard that, in today's world, it is the women who have gone to school and have jobs.
Members have heard that stigma plays a big role in women's decision-making on political participation. Women explained that they felt that being a politician is still seen as a man's job, and therefore many women shy away from political leadership as a choice for themselves.
The committee heard from many residents that deciding to run for election requires quitting full-time jobs or interrupting business activities. With the outcome of the campaign being unknown, they felt that the financial risk of running is too great.
Proposals to mitigate this risk include convincing employers to keep the position open and offer unpaid leave to employees who run for elected office. We also heard that some women will not consider running for election because they do not want to take a pay cut and reduce their current level of income to the level of earnings made by a Member of the Legislative Assembly.
Fundraising strategies are impacted by the size of a riding and the type of transportation required. Committee heard there is considerable effort required when running for election in ridings with small and fly-in communities to visit people and households.
Being reliant on flight schedules can even further extend the time away from home. For those who require childcare, the expenses are also higher. It was also suggested that eligible electoral expenses include childcare expenses.
The resources required to cover far distances within one riding are a key concern. There was mention of an imbalance in the costs of campaigning amongst NWT's ridings, as, for example, ridings within Yellowknife do not require much travel.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly Board of Management consider childcare expenses as a constituency work allowance expense.
An important factor when discussing the extended time away from home due to necessary travel is the increase in number of days for which childcare is required, and the increase in related expenses. One former woman candidate explained she took her child along on her campaign tour, covering the extra travel, in this case airfare, in addition to accommodation expenses.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly make childcare an allowable election expense.
The UN Women's programs on leadership and participation work with civil society to uphold women's rights, including the right to vote and campaign free from electoral violence. The programs advocate legislative and constitutional reforms to ensure women's fair access to all political areas. Training and empowerment are essential components of the UN Women's commitment to advance gender equality. The UN Women Training Centre offers training courses, programs and resources, including an eLearning campus and knowledge-sharing platforms.
Significant efforts to overcome barriers are being made by non-governmental organizations in Canada. A prominent example is Equal Voice, a multi-partisan organization dedicated to electing more women in all orders of government. Its Daughters of the Vote project is receiving $3.8 million in federal support over three years to encourage young women to consider a career in politics.
In the Northwest Territories, the Status of Women Council has offered information on campaigning for many years. Starting in March 2019, the Status of Women Council and the Native Women's Association will pilot a new Campaign School curriculum. Additional initiatives currently ongoing include Women on the Ballot workshops provided in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, I will now hand the report over to the honourable Member for Thebacha.
Member for Thebacha.
Training in leadership, public speaking, and how to run a campaign are key suggestions the committee received in all public hearings. The obstacles women identified, such as not being taught or encouraged to speak in public, lacking self-confidence, having no experience in campaigning, and no information on a Member's duties culminating in the expressed wish for workshops, training, and learning opportunities in communities.
Leadership training for women was identified as an important tool to increase participation in politics. The Indigenous Women in Leadership program of the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity was mentioned as a good example of a program for Indigenous women leaders.
The committee also heard that women encounter the persistent perception that women who run for the first time are not likely to perform well. Women in particular noted that, when first-timers run against male incumbents, the public reasoning of women's inexperience in predicting low performance is regarded a gender-based interpretation and a disincentive to potential women candidates. Gendered comments from the public are expected and predicted by the women we heard from. The perception of low chances of electoral success, particularly against male incumbents, is a disincentive to women.
We heard that women seek assistance in preparing for candidacy. Women asked for opportunities to gain knowledge and experience on how to handle the obstacles they must address and overcome before they feel ready to run for election. In particular women asked that the following initiatives be offered in communities:
Provide a women's forum for discussion and exchange of ideas;
Inform how to put women's issues on political agendas, locally or regionally;
Help to organize meetings amongst women for the purpose of strategizing on how to promote women and make their voices heard; and
Train women how to increase self-confidence, speak in public, and respond to gendered comments.
Campaign schools are known to community members. Participants in our public meetings had either attended one of the Status of Women Campaign Schools, or knew someone who had. The majority of references to the workshops were positive and pointed to specific content elements as useful information.
Several times, we were told the campaign schools' work should be supported and expanded to accommodate the learning needs of women in communities. We heard at every public meeting that women seek more knowledge about the scope of the task of being a candidate and that information on the candidacy process should be easily accessible. Many residents recommended that government should continue to offer campaign-readiness courses and workshops in communities, and bring educational events to the smaller communities rather than holding them only in the larger hubs.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories task and fund one or more independent individual(s) or organization(s) to deliver the Campaign School for Women initiatives throughout the Northwest Territories and offer more than two workshops in one fiscal year.
After all the feedback committee received on the need for more information and training to help women to prepare to be candidates, we heard that more money needs to be invested into campaign schools initiatives.
For example, it was mentioned that a section on roles and responsibilities is a good start to provide needed information. Many women who came to our public meetings are board members in their home communities and already involved in decision-making positions. The women identified that they require additional and concrete information to move forward to compete for roles at the next level of government.
A recent poll found that there is a clear gap in self-reported political knowledge among men and women in Canada. A 2018 Abacus data study asked individuals how much they know about politics. Responses showed that women were 19 percent less likely than men to say they know a lot or a fair amount about politics. Research has shown that, while men are likely to think they are qualified to run for office, women, even in positions of high professional achievement, remain reluctant to run because they are concerned they are not qualified enough.
The committee heard that women in the NWT perceive themselves as having insufficient knowledge and understanding of political systems and that they feel a strong need to have easier access to information on the NWT's political system. We heard that there is need to improve and broaden women's access to information across the NWT and to reach each community.
Committee heard that general education and information for candidates is needed in the following areas:
Learning about the NWT political system;
Hearing that politics can be a career;
Understanding functions of the NWT Legislative Assembly;
Knowing where to find information on how to become a Member of the Legislative Assembly;
Being aware of the duties and responsibilities of a Member;
Understanding the requirements to run for an elected seat;
Understanding the type and depth of knowledge required before one runs for election;
Learning and practicing public speaking as part of grade school education; and
Knowing where to find opportunities for leadership training for young women.
It was recommended that this information be presented in the form of pamphlets and a video. The format should be easily accessible in communities and in plain language. Information should be provided on tools such as session calendars, the technologies available at the Assembly, and ways to work remotely. The committee suggests that this might be accomplished through additional and regular communications initiatives.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly provide to the public a better understanding of the work of a Member and make available a video and other visual and written materials, including information on the prerequisites, roles and responsibilities, and benefits available to Members. Mr. Speaker, I will now hand the report to the honourable Member for Nunakput.
Masi. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Engaging women at a young age, we heard, is at the heart of getting women to participate in politics. Women had little recollection of learning about politics in school or during activities outside of school. Few women recalled any mention of "politician" as a career choice during their school years. Information on what politicians do and how one becomes one appears to be absent in school curricula and extra-curricular activities.
Young women tend to be exposed to less political information than young men. Research found that, regardless of whether the focus is on academic or extracurricular activities or media habits, women are less likely to be surrounded by political discussion and information. This information gap hinders young women's political ambition.
The committee received feedback on school education and when to best educate students on political systems, including career opportunities. Women recommended including information on civics, consensus government, and politics as a career choice in grade eight in order to reach women at a young age. In support of young women making career choices for leadership in politics, the committee heard that it would be necessary to include information on careers in politics in school career programs.
The committee members also heard words of caution. Being elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly is a position with a time limit. An MLA serves a term of four years, until the Assembly is dissolved for the next election. It was questioned if four years could even be considered a career. Every Member faces the risk of not being re-elected.
The Northern Studies program, which is part of the grade 10 NWT curriculum in high schools, includes learning about Canada's parliamentary system. We heard that it does not specifically teach about consensus government and that not all schools carry out the program with the same intensity and focus. In cases where the program has left notable impression on the students, it was the teacher's special efforts that made the difference.
Visiting the Legislative Assembly was described as a highlight of learning in school. Involving MLAs in the classes of teaching the Northern Studies program was mentioned as an important hands-on experience.
The committee heard that teaching on consensus government could be intensified and that the Northern Studies program is a good opportunity to inform young students about career choices in politics. Women stressed that, while the program is not gender-specific, it provides an excellent opportunity for young women to acquire knowledge on politics that they otherwise may not experience at this age.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly take the necessary steps to assist in ensuring that information on the NWT's consensus government is made available to any group, organization or government in the Northwest Territories involved in teaching young women;
Further, the Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly encourage its Members to be supportive of hands-on learning activities on consensus government, such as school visits to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories.
The challenge of balancing work and life is magnified for women because women are most often the primary caregivers. Scheduling childcare in an environment that requires short-notice adjustments to work schedules is challenging. Add the necessity for work travel and the outcome is a tricky negotiation among priorities.
Researchers have shown that there are factors that make a Legislative Assembly job particularly challenging for mothers. Such challenges include not being able to take time off to take care of an infant, or to turn off the phone to spend uninterrupted time with children or family. Infant and toddler care may also not be available in close vicinity to the Legislature, requiring additional arrangements particularly to accommodate late sitting hours.
Research has given some attention to leave policies, employer-supported access to childcare, alternative scheduling, and family support to enable work-life balance. However, it has been argued that much work remains to ensure that electoral politics do not present additional barriers to the participation of women.
In 2016, the House of Commons and the Legislative Assembly of Alberta tasked committees with studying ways to make their legislatures more family-friendly. Each resulted in a report with seven recommendations, many looking to improve Members' schedules. In Alberta, as well as in the NWT, there was concern that votes scheduled at the end of a week's sitting could disrupt the travel arrangements of Members with constituencies furthest away from the Assembly.
Reconciling family and professional life applies to women and men equally, the committee heard. The topic of sessional schedules and sitting hours was raised several times, often by those who had previously been Members.
We heard that the sessional schedule and long sitting hours did not accommodate women Members who had children and family at home outside of Yellowknife. Arrangements had to be made for childcare in the home community, and it was not possible to combine family and work life in one location. Loneliness, we heard, is a hard fact in the lives of women MLAs who spend the weekdays far from their family, home community, riding, or constituency.
Mr. Speaker, I would now like to hand the report back to the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Changes to facilities, installing change tables in washrooms, and quiet rooms for Members to care for children have been introduced in many public places. More than half of Canadian legislatures have installed change tables in washrooms, and several have designated quiet rooms, including Alberta, Manitoba, and the House of Commons.
Daycare facilities are not available to all legislatures. Thirty-eight spaces for children aged between 18 months and five years are provided to Members of the House of Commons in Ottawa. Ontario's Legislature holds a membership to a corporate daycare that ensures a place is available should a Member wish to drop off their child at their own expense. Quebec considered opening an early childhood centre on site, but did not do so as the city of Quebec is already well-served with childcare spaces. Alberta is considering a daycare facility on the legislature grounds.
Several legislatures allow infants or small children in the Chamber. British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and the House of Commons have either no restriction or have amended rules to allow for infants to be in the House during sittings.
The NWT Legislative Assembly currently has no family rooms, change tables, or any physical features to accommodate small children on the premises. Members who wish to bring their children have no designated spaces to care for them.
The committee heard that it is time to review how well the NWT Legislative Assembly allows Members to balance work and family life. Suggestions include a review of the building and its facilities with a view to accommodating women, childcare needs, family responsibilities, and possible access issues, such as special parking or wide enough doors to allow strollers to pass.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly investigate practical measures to make the legislature family-friendly, explore the possibility of creating a family room, installing infant change devices in bathrooms, and improving signage indicating location of family-friendly facilities.
Parental leave and absences due to pregnancy or childbirth are considered acceptable absences in most jurisdictions in Canada, though not always formalized as parental leave but accepted under other leave options, such as family or sick leave.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly recommends that the Legislative Assembly Board of Management make allowances for Members to be absent from the Assembly without financial penalty for up to four months due to pregnancy, childbirth, or the care of a Member's child following birth or adoption.
Many jurisdictions have aimed to improve on their Assembly's family-friendliness. Setting parliamentary calendars early in the year is one measure that most legislatures have taken to allow Members to better predict their schedule.
Sitting hours have been adjusted to a four-day week schedule in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon. Quebec reduced its schedule to a three-day week.
Late night sittings were eliminated in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and the Yukon. In other jurisdictions, such as British Columbia, Ontario, and Alberta, the frequency of evening sittings has been reduced. Several attempts have been made in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick to make sitting hours more family-friendly, but to date, hours have not been changed and evening sittings continue.
Proxy voting and pairing rules for voting enable Members of legislatures to be absent without impacting voting results. Proxy voting allows a Member to vote in her or his absence by delegating the vote to another representative. Most recently, the Parliament of the United Kingdom, in a briefing on "baby leave," recommended to allow their Members who have had a baby or adopted a child to be entitled, but not required, to discharge their responsibility to vote by proxy.
The House of Commons, Manitoba, and Ontario have pairing rules. This arrangement between two Members enables one to be absent without affecting the result of a vote. A Member of the opposition will agree to also not vote, therefore cancelling out the imbalance and avoiding the loss or win of a vote because of absence.
The Special Committee to Increase the Representation of Women thanks everyone involved in the discussion of this topic, with particular thanks to those who provided their input and recommendations. We appreciate the feedback received and encourage further discussion and hearing from more groups.
Masi. The motion is in order. To the motion.
