Members, the flags at the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly have been lowered in recognition of the 215 Indigenous children who died at the Kamloops Indian Residential School.
I ask that all Members join me in a moment of silence in remembrance of the 215 Indigenous children who died at the Kamloops school, all residential schools, and give your thoughts to those who survived.
Moment of Silence
I remind everyone to take the Government of the Northwest Territories' Living Well Together cultural awareness program. It provides a valuable and muchneeded education on the lasting effects of colonialism in the North and the path to reconciliation. Thank you, Members. Please be seated.
Mr. Speaker, before I begin my statement today, I want to acknowledge that many people, including those who work in and around this Legislative Assembly and Government, are being retraumatized by the confirmation of the mass grave of Indigenous children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School. I am providing this notice so that those who are hurting may choose not to listen if they will be triggered by what I say.
Mr. Speaker, the confirmation of the remains of 215 Indigenous children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School last week is a reminder of a dark chapter of Canadian history rooted in the attempted cultural genocide and assimilation of Indigenous people across the country.
We are all grieving at the confirmation of the mass grave by the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation. This is a devastating moment for so many, especially Indigenous people who have experienced firsthand the system that tried so hard to destroy them and steal their culture and language from them.
On behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, I want to extend our deepest condolences to Chief Roseanne Casimir, the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation, and to the families of the 215 spirits who can now come home to rest after all these years.
Mr. Speaker, this is not just a dark chapter in Canadian history; It is part of our present day, as it continues to live on through the multigenerational trauma that has impacted Indigenous people for decades. Because of the physical, psychological, spiritual, and sexual abuse experienced by those torn away from their homes by the Government of Canada and the Catholic Church, the impacts continue to live on in Indigenous communities across the Northwest Territories and throughout Canada.
Mr. Speaker, this is a harmful reminder to so many that the history of the residential school system continues to have a longlasting impact on families and survivors.
In the Northwest Territories, most of us know someone who has attended a residential school, and we have all felt the impact of the legacy it left and will for generations to come. It is important that we all take care of one another during moments like this. Now is the time for us all to check in on the people in our lives who may be having difficulty as a result of this.
I want to say now to anyone who may be struggling, you are not alone. For immediate assistance to those who may need it, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24hours a day at 18669254419.
Mr. Speaker, we are mourning the many young lives who never made it home from that school, their lives cut short at the hands of colonialism. This is a difficult time for anyone who has experienced the horrors of the residential school system, and the many generations of Indigenous people who have been impacted by it.
Flags are flying at halfmast today. We want to honour the memory of the thousands of children who were sent to residential schools, for those who never returned, and honour the families whose lives were forever changed.
Mr. Speaker, there is a great deal of work that remains to address reconciliation in the Northwest Territories and Canada, and we continue to move forward on that journey. While it may be long and at times difficult, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to this journey every step of the way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Ministers' statements. Honourable Premier.
Mr. Speaker, the COVID19 pandemic has been a challenging time for all of us. Like all jurisdictions, our initial response was focused on public health measures. To date, we have been successful in protecting the health and safety of our residents thanks to the actions we took early and the commitment from residents to follow the public health orders and recommendations in order to limit the spread of COVID19.
As we continue our efforts to be one of the first jurisdictions in the country to successfully implement a vaccination program, we have also been focused on our social and economic recovery.
Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time later today, I will be pleased to table Emerging Stronger: a Social and Economic Recovery Plan for the Northwest Territories.
The pandemic has exposed economic and social gaps in our society and has increased the urgency to address these issues. Emerging Stronger complements our mandate by highlighting areas of responsiveness and further growth.
Emerging Stronger identifies the lessons learned from the urgency and intensity of the pandemic and examines these in the context of our Government's existing mandate to present a set of actions the Government of the Northwest Territories will take to support longterm social and economic recovery.
While our government's mandate itself provides a foundational plan for strengthening the economic and social conditions in the Northwest Territories that precedes the pandemic, Emerging Stronger builds on our existing commitments to strengthen the government's vision for social and economic development postpandemic.
Emerging Stronger includes, for example, commitments to review the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation policies, accelerate work on the Alcohol Strategy, and increase support for addictions programs, as well as efforts to diversify the economy through remediation activities.
Mr. Speaker, our success in social and economic recovery from the pandemic depends on partnerships. Emerging Stronger was shared with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations for comments earlier this month, and we have discussed it with community governments and the Business Advisory Council.
I would also like to thank the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight for their comments on the plan. We have incorporated the Committee's input, and we will be welcoming comments and feedback from the public on the social and economic recovery plan on an ongoing basis to inform our actions as we move forward with recovery efforts.
Mr. Speaker, the pandemic is ongoing, and many jurisdictions in Canada have been hit hard. The Northwest Territories' recovery planning needs to be responsive to changing circumstances. All actions must take into consideration our fiscal situation and the variability and unpredictability of the pandemic's severity and duration in the Northwest Territories, across Canada, and worldwide.
I am hopeful that we can tackle our biggest social and economic challenges with the same urgency we saw in our initial response to the pandemic. That work involves strong partnerships and collaboration with Indigenous governments, communities, and other stakeholders. The plan notes the expectation for ongoing engagement, including through the Government of the Northwest Territories' budget dialogues as work to plan recovery efforts together continues over the near, medium, and longterms.
Mr. Speaker, I am proud of the actions this Government took early in the pandemic to support individuals and businesses, particularly vulnerable populations and sectors hit hardest by the pandemic. I believe that Emerging Stronger will be an important tool for continuing social and economic recovery as we emerge from the impacts of the pandemic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Ministers' statements. Minister for Environment and Natural Resources.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, wildfire season is here, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, or ENR, and our dedicated fire management team are ready.
Today I'd like to provide an update on what ENR has done to get ready for the 2021 fire season and the role residents and communities across the Northwest Territories have in preventing wildfires.
Mr. Speaker, preparation for the wildfire season begins with people. To that end, we have made sure that we have welltrained and wellprepared staff and contractors in place to respond to wildfires across every region and that they are ready to go. We have 37 fourperson crews ready to attack early and fast. This includes ten Indigenousowned companies contracted to provide local fire services. This will serve not only to keep us safe but to build and maintain the skills needed for careers in forest management.
Mr. Speaker, protecting our people and our community is top of our mind as we deliver these essential services in a pandemic. Our wildfire team has maintained strong COVID19 protocol which the pandemic began in 2020 made some adjustments to how we fight fires to keep people safe.
This year is no different. We continue to have exposure control plans in place designed to protect our staff from the office to the fire line. We have had hired additional staff in smaller communities to make it much less likely we will need to bring in firefighters from other regions or from outside NWT. We have also added two additional air tankers to help us respond quickly when fires are small. We have specific requirements for firefighters if they go to other jurisdictions to help, and we've worked closely with those other jurisdictions to ensure best practices are followed.
Mr. Speaker, our government is targeting significant reduction in humancaused fires in the NWT over the next five years, and everybody has a role to play. It starts with personal responsibility. It is about taking the extra time to douse your campfires with water. It is about getting a burn permit if you're cleaning up yard waste and following the defined safety requirements. It is about doing your part to stay informed on wildfire dangers in your area and choosing not to have open fires if the fire danger is high or extreme, and it is about understanding that fire restrictions are put in place for reasons and follow them.
Mr. Speaker, our government invested in outreach and education to give folks the tools to prevent wildfires. Our staff worked with schools and community organizations to provide practical advice to those heading out on the land. They work with local governments to give support and advice as they implement community wildfire protection plans.
Mr. Speaker, even with the best efforts towards prevention, there will always be wildfires. That is where FireSmart principles come in. FireSmart is a practical guide to proactively reduce the risk of damage to your home or cabin before a wildfire. Many of the actions can be done easily and do not cost much, and every single one is proven to make a real difference. We are encouraging individuals and communities to step up and do what they can. We are planning events to build FireSmart awareness at the grassroot level. We are getting these principles out online and over the airways. We are ready to work with homes and cabin owners looking for FireSmart advice.
Mr. Speaker, as the ground dries out and fire danger risks rise, I urge everyone to take responsibility for preventing and protecting against wildfires seriously. It is good for our territory. It's good for our firefighters. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Mahsi, Monsieur le President. I move, seconded by the Member for Kam Lake, that Minister's statement 16119(2) regarding Emerging Stronger: Planning NWT Social and Economic Recovery be referred to Committee of the Whole for consideration. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. The motion is in order. To the motion? Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Any abstentions? Motion is carried.
Carried.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are still reeling from the devastating findings last week at the site of Kamloops Indian Residential School. Ground penetrated radar revealed the remains of 215 children, some as young as 3 years old, Mr. Speaker. Chief of BC First Nations says there are bound to be more. Perhaps many, many more as they comb the rest of the school's grounds. It's a terrible reminder of the unspoken abuses Indigenous people have historically suffered in Canada, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, those 215 skeletons were somebody's children, somebody's nephew, niece, and they had family, cousins, brothers, sisters, aunties, and uncles.
Mr. Speaker, as a residential school survivor myself, this is truly disturbing and traumatizing. I cannot imagine what the families of these children are going through. It is very devastating.
Mr. Speaker, praying is very powerful. Our prayers and thoughts for those 215 children, their families, and for all the Indigenous children and families who have suffered under the Indian Residential School system, we need prayers for the families and our nation for the continued strength and support for continued reconciliation during these very difficult times in Canada's history.
Mr. Speaker, let's never forget this happened. It cannot be hidden. We need everyone in Canada and people throughout the world to know that this history is real. The loss of the children is real. Mr. Speaker, let's remember this day forever. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a child, my summers were often spent traveling around British Columbia and Alberta with my family in our old Econoline van. Whenever we passed through Kamloops, my mom never failed to point out in a sombre voice the ominous brick building on the river, the residential school. As a child, I had no idea what that meant. My school experience was of an encouraging place full of books and wonder, where my biggest concern was a stolen eraser.
25 years later, after moving north, while I was waiting at the Greenstone building, I started speaking with an elder who was there for his settlement cheque. That, at the age of 29, was the first time I'd spoken to anyone about what had been done to "remove the Indian from the child", the first time I heard directly from a victim about the atrocities committed during the formation of the kind, benevolent Canada I'd grown up with, the first time I was aware of the lie I had been fed since birth.
Residential schools operated in Canada for over 120 years with Indigenous children taken from their families and loved ones, sent hundreds of kilometres away, and beaten and abused in the most horrific ways imaginable.
Last week, the discovery of the remains of 215 children at the Kamloops Indian Residential School was made by the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation. This discovery has shocked Canadians. However, how could anyone who's been paying attention be shocked?
The NWT had the highest percentage of students in residential schools in Canada. The legacy of this is huge, as many of our current social, health, and educational challenges faced in the Northwest Territories can be traced directly to the effects of over 100 years of residential schools.
Our needs are some of the greatest in Canada, yet our response is sorely lacking. No treatment centres for addictions; children still being taken from their parents by CFS; poverty mistaken for neglect; and systemic racism inherent throughout all our processes.
After hearing of the discovery in Kamloops, I feel we must initiate such an investigation in our own territory. 14 residential schools operated in the Northwest Territories with 14 more in Nunavut. If we truly want to have reconciliation in the North, we must return the stolen children to their homes.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The technology used to find the children in Kamloops is the same as used to measure thickness on the ice roads, ground penetrating radar. Could equipment already in the territory be modified to look at the ground instead?
Alternatively, there are specific units that could be purchased for this work. One of the priorities of the 19th Assembly is to advance the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples or UNDRIP. How can we begin this work when we haven't made any efforts to return the stolen children home or acknowledge the true extent of our issues? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.
Mr. Speaker, today I am going to speak further to my statement from last week about human resources and the many structural issues pertaining to barriers for people seeking employment with the Government of the Northwest Territories.
In the four days since I delivered that statement, I was approached by at least ten people in Yellowknife whom I've never met before. These folks were Indigenous, nonIndigenous, and other minority backgrounds.
They all said that I am on the right track and encouraged me to continue with this new level of inquiry regarding human resources.
Mr. Speaker, I am acutely aware of the various human resource hiring barriers faced by people in my region. But if I'm approached by this number of people in Yellowknife alone, then this must indicate much broader issues across the board in human resources' hiring practices.
There are so many qualified and experienced people across the NWT who are routinely overlooked for any advancement in the Government of the Northwest Territories.
The Finance Minister can enlist all the programs she wants for those seeking employment with the Government of the Northwest Territories, but these issues cannot be solved by existing programs alone. How do we solve a problem with our current tools if the tools we're using aren't efficient enough in addressing these issues?
Mr. Speaker, the Finance Minister is unwilling to admit that any issues exist with the hiring practices in Human Resources. Her reluctance is no surprise, though, as governments are rarely open to admitting a failure, especially one that is ongoing and as widespread as this one. There are problems that are hard to measure and quantify, and this is one of those situations.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted.
Mr. Speaker, there is an unspoken culture embedded within human resources in our government. It can be hard to see and identify if you're not looking in the right places. There seems to be a punitive side of human resources, because when employees try standing up for themselves by speaking out about issues they see or by appealing a job hire by the Government of the Northwest Territories, they get branded and blacklisted. Outspoken people become undervalued, discarded, and frowned upon by hiring personnel and, therefore, shut out from the system itself. It's like an unbreakable cycle or a feedback loop that never ends.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, I believe there is also a lack of interpersonal connection and human compassion that applicants receive from hiring personnel. It's almost like some staff enjoy saying "no" to applicants who aren't chosen for a job. Staff needs to know their hiring decisions impact people's lives, and it usually isn't for the better.
Lastly, there's also an overrepresentation of nonIndigenous people within most senior management positions in the Government of the Northwest Territories. Together, these facts all amount to numerous systemic barriers faced by both applicants and existing public workers alike. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my constituents travel for medical appointments either from Inuvik into Inuvik. If they can't be serviced in Inuvik, they get sent here to Yellowknife. And if they can't do the treatment here, they'll send them to Edmonton. Sometimes this means multiple trips, usually if they follow up with a followup appointment needed in Edmonton.
My constituents fly all the way home. They isolate, wait for their next appointment, especially for cancer treatment, MRI, surgeries that can't be done here at Stanton. This means our residents rely by smooth operation by the health authority to ensure that the treatment they get and get it done as needed as quick as possible, and we're thankful for that. But the means of the appointments that are booked by the right doctors at the right hospitals and the appointment's information shared, the patient is so likely to know what's happening. This means that the travel dates, the right places for the patients make their appointments on time.
Mr. Speaker, we've been having problems in my riding for that. We have been getting people travelling that are either booked for the appointment but no ticket at the airport. This means escorts are booked when they're needed so the patient can have assistance at their need, whether they're to move around or to get information translated into their language or someone can support through treatments. It's hard on their body, and the stress level for elders travelling is stressful.
Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, sometimes things get missed or appointments don't get booked, forget to book the travel. This means sometimes residents need treatment that don't get it at the right time. And that's got to stop, Mr. Speaker.
We need a patients' advocate. We need somebody to help the patient in the communities. I know the nursing station are doing the best that they can, but they need help too, because they're overworked. A lot of our nursing station staff, our frontline staff, are overworked. We've got four nurses in Tuk that are really overworked. I get yellow notes saying disruption in service provided to our community.
So that being said, we need to help our frontline staff, our health centres. There should be somebody for medical travel in regards to helping them to get proper service. We're thankful for the service that they do provide. I'm not knocking that. But they need help to get people seen. Because when you're getting messages at 2, 3 in the morning, people are supposed to be traveling at 9, 'I can't wake Julie up, you know, or the Minister, say, Hey, I need this to get done.
But first thing in the morning, she replies to her emails, and she wants to help and do good. But we really need to get the Inuvik Health Authority on board to work together for the people of the Delta to get the medical escort travel sorted out for one and to get it sorted out and fixed, Mr. Speaker. I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have had a bit of time to reflect on my feelings on the news of finding of the 215 Indigenous children buried in unmarked graves at the Kamloops Indian Residential School grounds. It's heartbreaking to hear, but it's not shocking because as an Indigenous person, many of us have heard stories of what our parents, grandparents, greatgrandparents have told us and what they've had to endure.
It was the Canadian government who created these policies to try to eradicate Indigenous people, to take over their land, and they continue to try and control them through legislation like the Indian Act.
Mr. Speaker, we are left with the horrific history of residential school and the impacts of our people, the lack of respect for our women and girls, which is now a national crisis; Indigenous men, who are overrepresented in jails throughout Canada; our children are apprehended and continue to be removed from their homes and families in large numbers today.
Mr. Speaker, when the final report of the MMIWG was released, it was debated as to the use of the word "genocide". It insulted me that someone could question this, but because we are Indigenous, we are considered lessthan. We are not.
Mr. Speaker, genocide is defined as a deliberate and systemic destruction of a group of people because of their ethnicity, nationality, religion, or race. I don't know what else this policy could be considered as. But, Mr. Speaker, we are still here today. We are strong and resilient and will remain here in our home on our land and continue to combat the racism, to teach those who are unaware of our history so that this is never forgotten and never repeated.
May God rest their little souls. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Members' Statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I believe in land use planning. That's what I studied at university in the early 1980s and what brought me to the Northwest Territories in 1985. If you want to create sustainability and certainly over the future of land and water, meaningful and legally binding land use planning is required. While our government agreed to legally binding land use planning in the Gwichin and Sahtu settlement areas as part of those land rights agreements, progress on other land use planning has been slow, if not glacial.
Deh Cho land use planning has been going on for many than 20 years, and from what I've heard, GNWT is now the obstacle to completion. Provisions are found in the Tlicho Agreement for land use planning, but progress there, too, has been slow without much public input.
As I understand it, GNWT has also spent our own funds to support land use planning in the Wek'eezhii management area without securing similar support from the federal government that is actually responsible for the costs of implementing the Tlicho Agreement.
I contrast this with the approach this government has taken with the NWT Surface Rights Board. I tried to remove the funding for this board from this year's budget for a variety of reasons. Those reasons included the fact no disputes have ever been heard, that it is really unnecessary, and not a co-management body by any stretch of the imagination.
This government goes to extraordinary lengths to protect mining and mining rights but has little to show for protecting the land itself. Our government is opposed to permanent protection of Edezhie and had to be dragged into Thaidene Nene.
I'll have questions later today for the Minister of Lands and why our government has made so little progress on land use planning and continues to be an obstacle in protecting our lands and waters. Merci, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Members' Statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
Mr. Speaker, last week I wrote a Member's Statement for today on the importance of high quality childcare. But as the remains of 215 children were found by the Tk'emlups te Secwepemc First Nation at a former residential school site, I reconsidered my approach. We can't stand in this House and talk about high quality childcare and act like the legacy of residential schools does not impact this conversation.
Mr. Speaker, there is still mistrust in the school system in the NWT, and the institutionalization of childcare is not supported by all. I have often advocated for universal daycare as I see its economic and social benefits. But without it being led by our Indigenous communities, it cannot happen, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, ECE is currently in discussions with various Indigenous governments about a 2030 early learning and childcare strategy, which I hope will promote programming informed by Indigenous practices and values.
Mr. Speaker, a society is measured by how it cares for its children. To date, we have failed that measurement. And if we implement childcare that is faceless and institutionalized that does not give our communities dignity and cultural revitalization, we will have failed again, Mr. Speaker.
Communitydriven programming is the language used by ECE in its discussion papers, and they must follow up on that. We can't make the mistake of believing we know what is best for Indigenous communities.
Mr. Speaker, reconciliation is not just about making up for the past; it is about ensuring that every Indigenous child has a real shot at moving forward in their life on their own terms. We have to get to this right, Mr. Speaker. I hope we can find a path to high quality early childhood education, though we must always remember it must be in collaboration with Indigenous communities, not oppressed on them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Members' Statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Mr. Speaker, succession planning within the GNWT is important. A key part of the Government's succession planning is their summer student internship programs. Growing up in the NWT, not once did I every kick back and think, Wow, one day I want to work for the government. But, as a summer student, I was exposed to a multitude of unique positions that I never knew existed within our government, the GNWT's staff's graphic designers, biologists, and heavy duty mechanics. Some public servants work in an office, others in classrooms, and some spend their days in the bush.
The GNWT website says this government recognizes the value of summer student employment. Hiring students support and postsecondary pursuits of Northerners with wages that help offset the high cost of university and also help the NWT retain skilled northern graduates. Essentially, Mr. Speaker, we all want our university students to come home, and that's where our internship program steps in. In 201819, the GNWT employed 371 and 41 interns, and in 201920, 351 summer students and 34 interns.
But, Mr. Speaker, as I understand it, summer student hiring has significantly dropped again this year. Many of our COVID decisions have the potential to have unintended negative effects into the future. As parents, how we react and process COVID anxieties affects our children. And as schools, how students are treated and then tested when they show symptoms of COVID, affects a child's relationship with their school, and as employers, how we support our future workforce affects our succession planning.
While hiring summer students absolutely gives the government a capacity bump, more importantly, it gives students an opportunity to gain that work experience, form community connections for postgraduation, and pay for university. So whether or not our future Northern postsecondary graduates are working for the GNWT or the NWT private sector, nongovernment agencies, or Indigenous or municipal governments, the GNWT still accomplishes its end goal of supporting students while retaining graduates for the NWT's future workforce.
Today, as NWT businesses work hard to stay afloat through the pandemic with reduced capacities, increased restrictions, and zero tourism, we can't also depend on the private sector to employ our postsecondary students. The budgets for hiring summer students still sit within GNWT departments. These students need to be working within our communities to ensure our next workforce generation gains the experience needed and the dollars required to complete their studies. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Members' Statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge my home community of Fort Providence for their ongoing efforts to help the evacuees of Jean Marie River. As we all know, JMR was flooded in early May due to high waters. Homes were damaged by water, and there was also contamination from fuel. I would like to commend the coordinators and volunteers who stepped up to assisting our neighbouring community and made them feel safe and secure during their time of need.
The Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation's wellness centre was open for cookouts for traditional foods on the fire. They also delivered food and snacks to the residents at the motel. There were haircuts sponsored by the Dene Nation over two days. The services were provided by Sarah Gargan and her son Kevin Gargan. Various community members brought, cooked, or provided traditional foods to the people at the motel.
The two main coordinators were Shirley Gargan, designated spokesperson for Fort Providence, and Snookie Catholique from the Dene Nation office. The two ladies did daily updates between one another and made sure provisions and any arrangements required were looked after for the evacuees.
The first initial meeting took place with MACA and the hamlet before evacuees arrived in our community. The emergencies measures coordinator from MACA gave direction and coordination on how to assess the situation on accommodating the JMR people.
Updates are ongoing between all parties. So it's good that everyone is being updated daily and assessing the situation as time goes. The Fort Providence Housing Association provided the storage trailer to help store all of the nations that were coming in. Housing also offered the use of the seniors home for any of the seniors, if needed.
The Parish Council opened the Blue House which serves as a thrift store to the JMR residents free of charge to get any clothing or amenities they needed.
Evergreen Forestry firefighting crews provided wood for the cooks at the wellness centre. The Deh Gah Got'ie First Nation Chief and Council were offering their programs and buildings. The employment office were offering their building to accommodate residents if needed.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker and Mahsi, colleagues. The DeneMetis Resource Management Office, who organized the hunters to go to gather and disperse traditional food as needed, the two grocery stores, Northern and M&R Grocery, who donated and contributed food and supplies for the evacuees. Local people also offered to open their homes if needed.
A big shout out to MACA for accommodating the JMR residents at the Snowshoe Inn Motel, the Snowshoe Inn staff who made JMR residents feel at home away from home, the Tlicho region for deliveries of food, which included caribou, moose, and geese. They also provided camping gear, clothing, and goods.
The Sahtu region delivered two freezers that were also full of traditionally harvested food, such as meat and fish. The Deh Gah School students also held a big sale to raise money for the evacuees of JMR.
Fort Providence coordinator Shirley Gargan expressed it as sure heartfelt and great gratitude how the help and donations that came in for the people of JMR from all over.
It is during these times when we see the true spirit of the people here in the North. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Deh Cho. Members' Statements. Member for Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is important that as Northerners, we recognize those NWT elders that we have looked up to for many years and that have passed on.
Mr. Speaker, Sonny James MacDonald, someone who I considered a friend, was born in Fort Chipewyan on May 26, 1939, and passed away quietly on April 20th, 2021, at his home in Okotoks, Alberta. At the time of his passing, he was surrounded by family and much love. Sonny is survived by his wife of nearly 56 years, Helen Hudson MacDonald, and by his three children, sons James (Toko) MacDonald and Thomas James (TJ) MacDonald, and his daughter, Marcy Blayne DeMond.
Sonny was the son of Germain and Harriet MacDonald. He grew up in a large family consisting of three brothers, Ted, Danny and Freddie, and three sisters, Helen, Rita and Anita.
He leaves behind seven grandchildren, five greatgrandchildren, and many cousins, nieces, nephews, and inlaws. The cornerstone of Sonny's life was that of family and friends.
Mr. Speaker, over his lifetime, Sonny lived and worked in Uranium City, Inuvik, RaeEdzo, Prince Albert, Hinton, Fort Simpson, Hay River, and Fort Smith. Earlier in Sonny's life, his work helped bring the electrical grid to all points of the NWT. He was so committed to his job; he even kept working after he survived a helicopter crash in 1971.
Mr. Speaker, Sonny was an artist. His carving of loons sits next to you in this Chamber and reflects his passion and love for the arts and wildlife. Sonny's art is wellknown throughout Canada and the world. He travelled to places that included Japan, Germany, France, and the United States, and he always had his art with him.
He met many dignitaries and many received his art as gifts. The list includes Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Pope JeanPaul II, Pierre Trudeau, John Diefenbaker, Stephen Harper, and Jean Chretien, just to name a few.
Sonny was passionate about art and served as a president of the NWT Arts Council for ten years and also served on the Canadian National Arts Council. Mr. Speaker, a significant life accomplishment for Sonny was being a signatory to Salt River First Nation's land claim settlement with the federal government in 2001.
Another great moment was being honoured and receiving the Inaugural Order of the NWT from his lifelong friend and NWT Commissioner, George Tuccaro.
Mr. Speaker, there are many interesting stories of Sonny. One was while camping, he had a very close encounter with a bear and survived the attack. Another one recalling the time, in only his underwear, he was chasing a porcupine with the butt end of a rifle, most likely looking for quills for an art project.
His greatest joys were his family, friends, children, and grandchildren. He loved art, camping, hunting, cooking, fishing, bonfires, and laughter. There was always a lot of laughter when Sonny was around. I know that he will be missed by his friends down at the wharf and his crew at the Wok in Hay River, places he loved to visit.
Mr. Speaker, Sonny will be truly missed by his wife, Helen, family, and friends; however, his memory and his booming laughter and infectious smile will not be forgotten. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Hay River South. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends and also his fellow carvers and artists. Mahsi. Members' Statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, May 7th, residents in Jean Marie were watching the river rise as Chief and Council initiated their Local Emergency. At 6:30 p.m., the first siren sounded advising the residents to start moving to higher ground. As residents rushed home to finish packing up the necessaries and getting ready to leave their home, the second siren sounded. This happened very quickly, and residents witnessed the water steadily climb and flow over the road that leads out of town.
In speaking with some residents afterwards, they said it was very scary because they did not know if they could make it across safely. As one elder told me, I told my family member, Do not stop. Just keep on going until you get through the water.
At around 8:30 p.m., I spoke to Chief Sanguez, and he advised me that most of the community was under water, including the airport, but they were all safe by the Arbor.
At 11:00 p.m., the water had receded a bit. Unfortunately, this did not last long. By about 3:00 a.m., the water had passed the arbor, and people were being evacuated to Ekali Lake to higher ground, and others had already been sent to Fort Providence to stay at the Snowshoe Inn.
With the flood waters causing numerous challenges for communication, the SAO and others took turns to go to Check Point to get hold of Government officials and myself.
The community would like to thank Lynn and Wayne McKay for opening their home and businesses to them during this difficult time. It was greatly appreciated. I would like to thank the SAO, Municipal Staff, local volunteers, and Chief and Council for the amazing work they did during this very trying time.
As I said Friday, this flood was the worst that it has been in recorded time. The community and the regional EMO team did an amazing job, and I'm very proud of the work they were able to achieve.
On Sunday, May 16th, I had the opportunity to visit residents of Jean Marie at Ek'aki Lake in the communities camps along the road, in the community, and it was sad to see what happened to the community but a great opportunity to speak with various members about previous floods and next steps moving forward.
They were very happy with the generosity of all Northerners shown to them during this difficult time. I have attached an appendix which I would like to be deemed as read. I apologize if I miss anybody, as the list is not all inclusive.
On Monday, May 17th, I stopped in Fort Providence to chat with a few of the evacuees. They were very thankful to the community of Fort Providence and the Snowshoe Inn for their kindness and support during this time. But they also want to get back to Jean Marie to see their home, family, and start rebuilding their community.
Mr. Speaker, the flood was very difficult for the residents, but we now face the rebuilding phase and work to get their lives back together. I know in speaking with several residents, they look forward to meeting with Cabinet and other government officials on the next steps.
In closing, I would like to thank the community, their staff, leadership, the regional EMO team on the work they have done to this point and look forward to getting residents back into their homes safely. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
