Madam Speaker, as we pass the midpoint for the 19th Legislative Assembly, it is important to take stock of where we are as a government, and the progress we are making in fulfilling the commitments we made in our mandate.
At the beginning of this Legislative Assembly, our government tabled the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 20192023, which established the actions we planned to take to advance the 22 shared priorities set by this Legislative Assembly.
Madam Speaker, despite the ongoing challenges felt here at home and around the world because of the COVID pandemic, our government continues to make progress on our mandate commitments. In fact, we expect to be able to achieve the majority of our commitments within the life of this Legislative Assembly.
Later today, I will table our government's second annual status report on the implementation of the mandate. This report highlights some of our major accomplishments from the past year, as well as a number of expected achievements for the upcoming year. Madam Speaker, I would now like to share some of the highlights with Members.
In the past year, our government has continued to build and strengthen our relationships with Indigenous governments through the Intergovernmental Council and by establishing and holding regular meetings with the NWT Council of Leaders, and the Modern Treaty and SelfGovernment Partners forum. These forums support our government's efforts to build stronger, more collaborative relationships with Indigenous governments.
One of the specific initiatives underway at the officials' working group level is advancing the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. We are also in the process of undertaking engagement on the GNWT's draft Action Plan on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
A number of initiatives are also underway to improve social supports for residents and community governments. Most notably, our government signed an important funding agreement with Canada late last year to create 300 fulltime equivalent affordable childcare spaces by 2026 and support increased affordability for existing spaces for children from birth to age five. This funding will support the Early Learning and Child Care Strategy, scheduled to be completed in the near future.
Important social programs, including On-the-land Healing programs, the Healthy Family program, increased social housing programs and increasing housing units, as well as many other programs and services continue to be expanded.
Madam Speaker, we are also taking action toward growing, diversifying and expanding our economy in the aftermath of the pandemic. The procurement review was completed last year, and work is underway to develop and implement the policy changes necessary to maximize economic benefits for northern businesses and residents. We completed major infrastructure projects like the Tlicho Highway in the past year and continue important work to advance others, including the Taltson Hydro Expansion, the Slave Geological Province Corridor, and the Mackenzie Valley Highway. In the past year, we have also secured federal funding for the replacement of the Frank Channel Bridge and the Inuvik Airport runway extension.
Madam Speaker, we are also continuing the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university. By passing amendments to the Aurora College Act, securing federal funding to support infrastructure planning and the development of enhanced research capacity, we are creating a strong foundation that will benefit northern students, communities, and our economy.
With regards to climate change, the NWT Climate Change Council was established this past year, including Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations, community governments, and other external partners. We have also integrated climate change considerations into our government's decisionmaking instruments.
This coming year will see the release of an updated 2030 Energy Strategy Action Plan to support the continued advancement of a number of projects aimed at reducing emissions, including transmission lines and the Inuvik Wind Project.
Madam Speaker, we recognize that new challenges likely lie ahead as we attempt to recover from the effects of the pandemic and adjust to a "new normal" where COVID is endemic in our society. It is therefore critical that we continue working collaboratively with our partners, including Indigenous governments, community governments, federal and interjurisdictional governments, industry, nongovernmental organizations, and residents, as well as all Members of the Legislative Assembly, to address any new challenges and to continue to advance mandate commitments.
Madam Speaker, this represents only a small amount of the hard work our public service has done to deliver programs and services for the residents of the NWT. I am inspired by the way Northerners have pulled together through the last two years despite the many challenges. With a shared vision for our territory and a collaborative spirit, I am confident that our government will continue to make progress on our commitments as we enter the second half of our term. I look forward to discussing our progress on the mandate in more detail, and in continuing to work with Regular Members on our shared priorities.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Premier. Ministers' Statements. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, today is Pink Shirt Day, a day when we take a moment to pause and reflect on how we treat one another.
Pink Shirt Day began in 2007 in Nova Scotia. After a male student was harassed for wearing a pink shirt, teenagers David Shepherd and Travis Price organized an antibullying protest in which they handed out pink shirts to the students in their school. Fifteen years later, Pink Shirt Day has become a global calltoaction as schools, communities and workplaces are flooded with pink in solidarity against bullying.
This year's national theme continues as Lift Each Other Up. It encourages us to support people, embracing their cultures, identities, and true selves by reminding us all to demonstrate greater acceptance, inclusion, and respect for everyone. I am happy to see so much pink around the House today, as we stand together on Pink Shirt Day.
We all share the responsibility to ensure our schools and communities are safe spaces where bullying is prevented wherever possible, and addressed quickly when it does occur. Bullying is a complex issue that affects people of all ages in all settings, including schools, workplaces, and online. The effects of bullying can last a lifetime, causing fear, withdrawal, social distress, and severe physical and psychological harm.
During these long days, the second winter of the pandemic, we may be challenged at times to find the strength to lift each other up. The impact of COVID19 on our collective and individual mental health is real. This strain affects students, teachers, parents, families and community members alike, as we adjust and readjust to the ongoing changes required to ensure our communities and schools are safe spaces. Yet, simple kindness, acceptance, and compassion for ourselves and others can make a real difference to the people around us.
The Department of Education, Culture and Employment works closely with the Department of Health and Social Services to ensure counselling is available in every school and community.
Madam Speaker, throughout the pandemic, we have heard a simple message be kind. When we see bullying, we need to speak up. And when we are being a bully, we must reflect on our actions and seek out ways to do better.
We are all role models, whatever role we play in our communities, and our youth look to us to set an example, so today and every day let us celebrate all the things that make us unique, let us be kind to one another, and let us lift each other up. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I thank you for letting me put my name in earlier today for this.
Madam Speaker, over the past two years the pandemic has taken over the lives of Canadians. It has created and encouraged division amongst many. It has successfully torn families apart, pitted friend against friend, promoted animosity within social groups – all this mostly caused by misinformation, imperfect communication, and fear.
Madam Speaker, elders are being confined to extended care facilities. Out of fear, some people are unwilling to leave their homes. Social fractures in the community are causing anxiety and distrust. Not being able to feed one's family due to loss of employment is affecting one's self worth. Loss of one's business is causing depression. Limited access to acute healthcare services are costing lives all of this leading to further anxiety, fear, uncertainty, stress, and sometimes loss of life.
Madam Speaker, we may be turning the page on the physical harm caused by the virus, and it is now time to focus on the healing aspect by managing the mental health damage caused by the virus, pandemic lockdowns, and restrictions.
Reviewing information on both sides of the debate, my understanding is that there is an unknown when we talk about how the pandemic has impacted one's mental health. We see words being used that include posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, stress, irritation, frustration, anger, insomnia, suicide, substance abuse, addictions, guilt and intimidation all being indicators associated with mental health.
Madam Speaker, those with mental health disorders are prone to relapse causing their condition to worsen and possibly leading to potential harm. The pandemic has only heightened it.
Our healthcare system is the only safety net many people have, whether it is for mental health or for the many other health issues that have been triggered by this pandemic.
It has been asserted that those that will be most affected are those who face social inequities – something not lost on us in a territory with many small havenot and isolated communities. Madam Speaker, people of the Northwest Territories will be looking for a plan from this government to address those health issues that have arisen due to the pandemic and, more specifically, mental health issues.
For what it’s worth, my advice to the Minister of Health and this government, if not already doing so, is to develop a postpandemic mental health action plan that would provide residents with timely access to treatment. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Nanukput.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Day 1 of 20 on budget from Nunakput, Madam Speaker.
Today I'd like to see the spending in the Nunakput riding. Our housing supports, our mental wellness is the biggest need in my riding for my constituents right now. I have 13 percent of our homes that are overcrowded, 28 percent of our homes are needed major retrofits and repair, 25 percent of our homes are in core need.
As I stated yesterday, Madam Speaker, the Beaufort Delta, we face serious mental health challenges among our people and the most severe high rates of suicide. Madam Speaker, what do we do with what do our youth have to look forward to with nowhere to live and no little hope? Our families are small young families with small children are over staying with family members, overcrowded, overcrowding. It's really serious, and we need to fix this problem. The GNWT is going to spend money to address these problems in my riding, when? For 20222023, the Nunakput riding represents less than 5 percent of the total capital budget. Last year, five housing units in my riding for renovated, and this year retrofits are 17 housing units are planned. Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, this does not meet the needs of our communities in Nunakput. I hear from my constituents that are waiting on the housing list for years to get a house, into a unit. We all need to know that it starts with housing. If you don't have a place to live and a safe place for your family, you have nowhere to go, and you're relying on others and putting pressure on family, and you're drawing lines in the sand, and it's really tough.
Housing, we have to work together, Madam Speaker. We have to have I know it's a big challenge, but I think our minister and our government is up to it, that if we work together we could get stuff good things happening with housing across our territory and especially in Nunakput. I will have questions for the minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. As a member of the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment, I participated in a January 25th workshop "Can Hydrogen power the North?” organized by the Department of Infrastructure.
Hydrogen is a gas and it has been used in Canada for many years to produce fertilizer and other chemicals. Largely as a result of the climate emergency, there is international interest in hydrogen as an energy carrier. Fossil or carbonbased fuels are also an energy carrier but when burned, release carbon dioxide. For hydrogen, water is the usual byproduct which could help us better address greenhouse gas emissions.
The federal government released a hydrogen strategy in December 2020 showing the growing interest in this field. This was a virtual workshop with about 50 participants. There was a good crosssection of interests from GNWT, the federal government, community governments, Indigenous governments and corporations, NGOs, and business. The purpose of the workshop was to share information about what is known, and to initiate a dialogue around potential production and use of hydrogen in the NWT.
There are new technologies and products being developed by many manufacturers of equipment and vehicles that can use hydrogen, including heavy trucks. There are basically two ways to produce hydrogen electrolysis of water and stripping of natural gas. Alberta has a growing hydrogen sector and economy, and the Edmonton to Calgary corridor will serve as a pilot project for trucks using hydrogen.
Bridge technologies that allow switching between hydrogen and carbon fuels would be helpful and could assist with some sectors.
More effective use of the retained carbon taxes and the large emitter trust accounts should be explored to promote pilot projects in the NWT. More work on the economics of alternatives is also needed.
The NWT experience with biomass is an example of how such a transition can take place. We need an energy transition plan with regional approaches to get us off fossil fuels. Infrastructure officials committed to publicly releasing the background document and a "what we heard" report from the workshop. Clearly, hydrogen will have to be part of a mix moving forward and should be in the next energy action plan. I will have questions later today for the Minister of Infrastructure. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Members' statements. Member for Thebacha.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in line with my statement the other day about economic recovery, today I want to talk about the longawaited and major NWT infrastructure the Mackenzie Valley Highway.
Madam Speaker, for decades, it's been envisioned by both territorial and national leaders alike, that the Mackenzie Valley Highway extend from the southernmost tip of the 60th parallel up to the Dempster Highway in Inuvik. Among the first to envision this was Prime Minister John Diefenbaker with his northern vision of developing the northernmost regions of Canada to enable a road to resources, to help unlock the vast mineralrich lands in the territories.
Building on that vision over the years, the Mackenzie Highway slowly grew and extended more and more. But it was not until 1972 that it extended between Fort Simpson and Wrigley, which was only completed in 1994.
Madam Speaker, since that time, there has been many engineering, environmental, and financial studies on the construction plans for the remainder of the proposed highway. In 2014, however, the Government of the Northwest Territories had changed its original plans from the highway by shortening its length by nearly 500 kilometres, only extending it from Wrigley to Norman Wells. Moreover, since 2015, this project has been under environmental review by the Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board. And to date, this review is still ongoing. Additionally, according to the Department of Infrastructure's website, since 2015, 40 of the 42 bridges have been built along with two access roads along the Mackenzie Highway's route.
Madam Speaker, even though I do not reside in, nor am I from any of the communities along this highway's route, as an NWT resident and leader, I consider this project a high priority for the NWT economy. In fact, as everyone in this House knows, this project is a priority for the 19th Assembly to pursue. Despite the fact that fact, however, I'm beginning to be slightly concerned by the lack of progress I've heard on this project's progression during the life of this Assembly. I don't believe I heard one update from our Infrastructure minister or Premier on the status of the Mackenzie Valley Project. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
In conclusion, Madam Speaker, I do not want this Assembly to forget about the Mackenzie Valley Highway Project or its importance to the future economy of the NWT. This highway has many benefits which includes improved intercommunity travel, a lower cost of living in the project's region, and creating new economic opportunities like increased tourism or greater access to mineral and petroleum resource development. This project will not only benefit the Sahtu or Deh Cho regions but the entire NWT. I will have questions for the Minister of Infrastructure at the appropriate time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, on Feb 7th the CBC reported that Alberta psychiatrists are raising the alarm that the ongoing mental health crisis amongst children and youth has evolved into a fullblown mental health emergency. These experts are calling on the provincial government to provide a significant increase in funding for additional child and youth mental healthcare services, as COVID19 mandates, including isolation requirements, have exacerbated an already precarious situation.
Alberta Children's Hospital has seen a 200 percent increase in mental healthrelated emergency room visits in the last ten years, with cases spiking since the pandemic. Mental health professionals in the North deal with the highest rate of suicide in the entire country yet feel there is no avenue to suggest checkins for people suffering from mental health issues. Often patient advocacy leads to these professionals being labelled as troublemakers and feeling their concerns are dismissed.
Recently, there have been numerous reports of NWT youth attempting suicide, as well as talk of suicidal idealization. Some of these children are as young as 10 and 12 years old. Two have recently attempted suicide in Fort Smith and, tragically, a third, a young adult, was successful.
How can we continue to deny that we are in a mental health crisis when any young person sees suicide as their only option? Parents and youth advocates are at a loss.
A constituent reports that they had no idea that their child, who showed no outward signs of depression, communicated to an adult that they were experiencing suicidal thoughts leading to the RCMP contacting the shocked family. Another parent reports that their child is prone to depression, including suicide attempts, and that the family has utilized every government resource available to them with no relief for three years. This compounds the situation by creating mental health issues for siblings and parents that love the child that is suffering.
With Ontario reporting that one in five kids have mental health problems and, in the North, the NWT and Nunavut have the highest suicide rates in Canada, when will the NWT admit to having our own mental health crisis? With incidents likely being much higher than reported, what is HSS doing to save our children?
We have no residential trauma program, no residential treatment program for youth, no child and adolescent unit at Stanton, and the solution seems to be to ship vulnerable people off to another part of the country causing further traumatization. If children are going to get better, they need wraparound support services in place where they are. We must walk this journey with them, not leave them to navigate it alone. Thank you.
Members' statements. Member for Monfwi.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Today I am going to be talking about NWT Health Status Chartbook published in the fall of 2019.
Madam Speaker, this report details the health of NWT residents and this report clearly shows that the need of the people in the Tlicho region have long been ignored. The region has the worst health indicators in almost every area that is measured. These poor health indicators are the results of lack of attention and action from the Government of the Northwest Territories over many years. For example, many people do not have access to clean running water right now. This is critical to everyday life.
Madam Speaker, we need to do better. We need to change how we support health among our residents because, clearly, what the Government of the Northwest Territories has been doing is not working. We need the government to be proactive, work with Indigenous people equally, and not to discredit.
When you look at this report, Tlicho make up 6 percent of the population and represents the worst socioeconomic outcomes across the NWT. Compared to the rest of the NWT, the report states Tlicho region has the lowest level of education, second highest rate of unemployment, lowest level of family income, highest proportion of homes in core need, highest rates of overcrowding, and the highest rate of overall crime in the NWT. When looking at other indicators, the NWT generally compares poorly to the rest of Canada. The Indigenous people are facing the biggest barriers to achieving good health.
For example, Indigenous people in the NWT represents the majority of smokers, heavy drinkers, diabetic, lower life expectancy, and lowest outcome in mental health and wellbeing. This is the result of many years of having lack of access to health and social services; care that does not respond to the needs of Tlicho and other Indigenous groups and racism in the system. Madam Speaker, now is the time to address these systems that are not working for our people. We need a new approach. We need to step back and reevaluate how to create health in Tlicho region and other regions in the Northwest Territories. We need health solutions led by the people of the region. I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Members' statement. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. If you're sick, don't go to work. This is a message we need to send to our residents. However, currently, the Employment Standards Act in the NWT only entitles people to five unpaid sick days after 30 days of employment. After five days, you better get back to work. And you're not getting a paycheque while you were off, Madam Speaker.
Madam Speaker, I would like the NWT to introduce paid sick days so people stay home while sick. I would also like us to lead a cultural shift here. People should stay home while sick. Also, Madam Speaker, that definition of a "sick day" needs to include the reality that the odd mental health day is needed. If existential dread prevented you from sleeping, take the day off. If your anxiety kept you staring up at the ceiling all night wondering about the budget, don't go into work. Not only do you deserve a break, but it's a safety hazard for many workplaces to have insomniacs running around, Madam Speaker. Burnout costs employees and employers more in the long run.
There is an argument that paid sick leave puts undue hardship on small businesses; something our own Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment has pointed out when I asked this previously. However, ECE in introducing its own paid sick leave legislation found that many of those arguments were overblown and, in fact, businesses with paid sick leave experienced greater productivity, retention of trained staff, reduce the risk of injury, improved worker morale, increased labour force participation something every employer needs and something we desperately need in the north, especially those employers who consistently lose staff to the GNWT who are very generous to speak to sick days, Madam Speaker. I'll have questions for the Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment.
Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
Madam Speaker, mental health has become a buzz word during the pandemic but it isn't all for naught. Talking about mental health is half the battle. The other half is finding the right support. Since March 2020, more than a third of young adult Canadians accessed mental health supports, and half of Canadians indicated their mental health declined compared to before the pandemic. Of Canadians 15 or older who reported having a mental health care need in the last year, one third state their needs were simply just not met.
But I question if our system is set up to figure out what these needs are and how to connect Northerners to them. Mental health is a continuum that includes mental health supports, like treatment and counselling, which we heard about from my colleague from Nunakput and from Great Slave. The continuum also includes mental wellness options like cultural, physical, and creative outlets. Part of ensuring that mental health resources are available to those who need them is also about ensuring that the system can determine the strengths and resiliences of residents and meet them where they are at. In short, Madam Speaker, as a new mother suffering from postpartum depression, I needed mental health interventions, but today as I work to stay well during the pandemic with my colleagues, my mental wellness is reliant on connections with people.
The language of mental health matters. To start using the same language, we need to keep dismantling the stigma and talking about what mental health and mental wellness really means to our communities. The economic burden of mental illness in Canada is about $51 billion a year. In any given week, at least 500,000 employed Canadians are unable to work due to mental health problems. This means that every dollar we invest in and make accessible to northerners through NGOs, recreation, hunting and trapping, language and cultural programs, contribute to our mental wellness continuum. We need to solidify their place in community wellness through accessible, stable, multiyear funding.
The NWT needs a system capable of meeting a person where they are at in their wellness journey and not trying to figure out how to fit the person into a government system reliant on not enough professionals. We need a broad system of care that values the contributions of livedexperience as well as masters degrees and supports equitable clear access to this system.
Madam Speaker, we cannot let mental health conversations become a whisper as restrictions ease. Let's turn up the volume, peel away the stigma, and broaden the conversation. Thank you.
Thank you. Members' statements. Member for Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this eulogy is to commemorate the life of the late Evelyn Krutko. Evelyn was born and raised in Fort McPherson to her parents, Mike and Effie Krutko, who had both passed on several years ago. Evelyn has four older sisters Patsy, Shirley, Joan, Edna and two living brothers David and Bruce one brother Gordie who passed away at a young age.
Evelyn attended Lethbridge College school of applied arts and science taking renewable resource management of which she graduated in 1979. She worked for the GNWT Department of Renewable Resources as a renewable resource officer up in Inuvik where she met her future husband Al Larocque.
Upon the opening of the Mackenzie Bison Sanctuary near Fort Providence, the department opened a wildlife office in the community, and Evelyn was hired as a renewable resource officer to run the office. Evelyn, along with her husband Al, and two really young children, Alaina and Mike, moved to Fort Providence in 1984. They were welcomed and embraced by the whole community.
Evelyn was a wildlife officer in a maledominated profession at the time. ENR has confirmed that she was a trailblazer for women in this field. The hunters and trappers watched her every move to see if she would falter. Evelyn did her job with keen interest and was not afraid to tackle the coldest temperatures in order to do her job. She was spending nights and days out on the land, including at Horne Plateau, on caribou hunts, and ventured out into the bison sanctuary. Evelyn gained the respect of the hunters and trappers for what she could do, and she bought many furs from them on behalf of the department. Evelyn retired from the department in 2011 after serving 32 years in ENR.
Evelyn also became a second mother to many of the young hockey players that she and her husband Al gathered up to start minor hockey in Fort Providence. It was fitting as their son Mike was at the age to play hockey. Kyle was very young and took up hockey when he was of age.
Evelyn organized fundraisers and tournaments with the help of the parents of the players. They proved to be very successful as a young team which later became a winning adult team as the Providence Bolts. Their family has bragging rights to fame in the name of Jordin Tootoo. Jordin was picked up at the peewee age to play with Fort Providence and lived with Al, Evelyn, and their family and played hockey in Fort Providence. Jordin was from Rankin Inlet in Nunavut. Eventually the team entered and played at the Alberta Native Provincial Championships in Edmonton about 19961997, and this was where Jordin was scouted and picked up by the Western Hockey League's Brandon Wheat Kings, and the rest was history in the making.
Evelyn was very much part of our community, having served several terms as a hamlet councillor, and was still a sitting councillor at the time of her passing. She also served on the local friendship centre board for numerous years and the native women's associations. She also volunteered her services to many functions and events, especially her service to the elders of our community.
Evelyn is deeply missed by our community, by the community of Fort McPherson, and many friends and family she leaves behind. To her husband Al, children Alaina, Mike, Kyle, and her four grandchildren Phoenix, Avery, Findley, Merrick your wife, your mom, your grandmother has left for the Spirit World and has been accepted by the Creator. As the Dene elders will say, she is now on the happy hunting grounds and with our ancestors. We extend our sincerest heartfelt condolences to the family of Evelyn Krutko. Mahsi.
Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Madam Speaker, and I would like to thank the member for the Deh Cho for the beautiful eulogy of Evelyn Krutko. She was an amazing woman.
Thank you, Madam Speaker. Rita was born on a small farm in Lonesome Pine, Alberta, to Mary and Arthur Lockhart on the 27th of June, 1935. She was the youngest daughter of 14 siblings. Her mother passed away when she was 12 years old. After her mother passed away, she moved in with her sister, Eva Morbick in Edmonton. Rita went looking for work at the age of 16 which found her on a plane heading to Yellowknife to start her adventure. Her first job working as a waitress at the Busy Bee Cafe where she she became lifetime friends with Patricia Rowe. With Christmastime arriving and Rita having no plans, Patricia invited her to come to the Rowe's house. This is where she met Bill and they started another life adventure.
Bill and Rita were married on January 20th, 1953, in Peace River. Bill and Rita worked in the oil fields in Saskatchewan, residing with the Higginson family in Berwyn, and then headed north. They ran a garage and a restaurant in Enterprise until it burned down. Then they moved to Hay River where Bill started DJ Motors and Rita worked really hard raising their six children.
In 1963, she ended up with TB and her and her two sons, Jack and Owen, had to go to the Sans in Edmonton. It was a very difficult time for the family but like Rita would always say "que cera cera, what will be will be". This was her outlook in life.
Rita was known for her timeless work as a volunteer in Hay River, whether it was with the figure skating club, minor hockey, or the Royal Purple. She ensured the goals were met and the youth had fun. One example was Ms. Hazel Haight and Rita organizing figure skating auctions, collections, and setting them up to make sure they had ice time paid for and the coaches were in place.
In 1976, Bill and Rita moved south to take over the family farm. You would always see her working in the garden, her flowers, the cabin, and preparing for family visits. If she wasn't doing those things you could find her visiting neighbors. Rita loved being on the farm and her family. She instilled honesty integrity, and hard work in all her children.
Madam Speaker, I had the honor of knowing Ms. Rowe. She was an amazing individual. I know she will be sadly missed by her family and friends. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. My questions are for the Minister of Infrastructure on hydrogen as a power source for the NWT. I participated in a useful workshop for officials recently staged regarding this topic. I'd like to know from the Minister what role hydrogen will play in a new energy strategy and action plan for the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you. Minister of Infrastructure.
Quyanainni. I'm pleased to inform the House that work to develop a new threeyear energy strategy is already underway. We recently started our public and stakeholder engagement which will inform the development of a renewed plan. Hydrogen is certainly exciting new opportunity that we are watching closely with much interest. The department recently hosted a virtual workshop with stakeholders from across the Northwest Territories and neighboring jurisdictions to be able to look at the potential of using hydrogen technologies here in the Northwest Territories. And that I thank the Member for his attendance and participation at the workshop. We will continue to look at hydrogen and what role it might play here in the territories as we develop a new energy action plan and review our 2030 energy strategy. Quyanainni.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for her excitement over the workshop. We heard that a regional approach is needed for the required energy transition to get us off fossil fuels. For example, trucking and shipping is a big part of the economy for northern regions while surplus hydro is found in the south.
Can the Minister tell us how the new energy action plan will recognize and embrace our regional needs here in the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Quyanainni. Embracing regional needs is very important to everything we do for energy as every region and, indeed, every community has different needs and opportunities. The 2030 energy strategy is constructed in a way that we take regional needs into account in all of our decisions. This will be reflected in the threeyear action plan. As we move forward, we continue to work to ensure that we meet regional and community needs as there's never always a onesizefitsall solution for energy across our unique communities. Quyanainni.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. I want to thank the Minister for that. We do have a few tools that we can use to encourage the energy transition, including the yettobetapped large emitter trust accounts and their ridiculously restrictive policy. No changes have been made to the policy to access these funds despite assurances from our Minister of Finance.
Can this Minister, though, tell us what incentives and regulatory changes will be made in the new energy action plan to ensure a transition away from fossil fuels? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Quyanainni. The large emitter grant account, again, is administered by Department of Finance, and the Member pointed that out, which is great. So any questions specifically for the details on that can go to the Minister.
I can tell you, however, Infrastructure is here to support industry with advice as well as support to access matching federal and GNWT funding for greenhouse gas emission projects to best leverage the larger emitter grants account. Thank you. Quyanainni.
Thank you. Final supplementary, Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Madam la Presidente. Lots of issues here were raised at the recent hydrogen workshop, including the need to pose the right research questions, ensure stakeholder engagement, do life cycle analysis of options, and looking at bridging technologies.
Can the Minister commit to developing a Northwest Territories hydrogen strategy that will examine these issues and more? Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Quyanainni. While hydrogen technologies have the potential for a promising path forward for us, it should not be looked at in isolation. For this reason, we feel it's best to include hydrogen as part of our overarching energy strategy to be sure we can balance our priorities of affordability, reliability, as well as sustainability. We look at all emerging and established technologies moving forward, including hydrogen. We need to ensure that we're making the best investments and doing the best actions that lead to the best outcome for cost of energy and greenhouse gas reductions. Quyanainni.
Thank you. Oral questions. Member for Hay River South.
