Debates of June 11, 2024 (day 25)

June
11
2024
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
25
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay Macdonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Mr. Nerysoo, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Yakeleya
Assembly Members
Topics
Acknowledgement 6-20(1): Colville Lake School Graduates
Bill 7: Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act 2024
Bill 8: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act
Committee Motion 31-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Industry, Tourism and Investment – Deferral of Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Carried
Committee Motion 32-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): 2024-2025 Main Estimates – Housing Northwest Territories – Deferral of Housing Northwest Territories, Carried
Committee Report 7-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2022-2023 Public Accounts
Committee Report 8-20(1): Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report on Committee’s Initiation of a Project to Conduct a Review of the Land and Water Permitting Regulatory Framework
Member’s Statement 281-20(1): Inuvik Petroleum Show
Member’s Statement 282-20(1): Change of Name Act
Member’s Statement 283-20(1): Sahtu Graduation Season
Member’s Statement 284-20(1): Changes to Student Financial Assistance Offerings for Indigenous STudents
Member’s Statement 285-20(1): Emergency Shelters
Member’s Statement 286-20(1): Folk on the Rocks
Member’s Statement 287-20(1): Solutions for Education for Indigenous Students
Member’s Statement 288-20(1): Mental health
Member’s Statement 289-20(1): Supports for Autism
Member’s Statement 290-20(1): Frank Gruben Pride Festival
Member’s Statement 291-20(1): Laura Gareau Retirement
Minister’s Statement 54-20(1): Funding Opportunities for Mental Wellness and Addictions Recovery Programs
Motion 36-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Tabled Document 118-20(1)
Motion 37-20(1): Mackenzie Valley Highway Business Case Renewal
Motion 38-20(1): Consideration for the Hamlet of Enterprise to Receive Top-Up Funding
Motion 39-20(1): Extended Adjournment of the House to October 17, 2024
Question 279-20(1): Autism Supports
Question 280-20(1): Applying for a Name Change
Question 281-20(1): Meeting Shelter Needs in Yellowknife
Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System
Question 283-20(1): Solutions for Education for Indigenous Students
Question 284-20(1): Mental Health Training
Question 285-20(1): Strategic Educational Planning for Sahtu
Question 286-20(1): Incident Command System for Emergencies
Tabled Document 121-20(1): Letter dated January 30, 2024 from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to Alternatives North regarding Public Participation in a Regional Study under part 5.2 of the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act
Statements

Question 282-20(1): Chief Jimmy Bruneau School and Residential School System

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I hope the Premier had a chance to read the statement from yesterday because I'm continuing with my statement from yesterday on Chief Jimmy Bruneau residents. So this is a question for the Premier.

Can the Premier explain if there have been any discussions with the federal government regarding residential school settlements and the residential school historical record in the NWT? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unfortunately, I've not had a chance to review the Member's statement. I just flew back into town this morning, so I won't have good answers to the Member's questions. I apologize. Thank you.

I will continue because there are some he can answer, and I will do a written question as well.

So can the Premier describe why the residents or boarding homes associated with the Chief Jimmy Bruneau School are not recognized as part of the residential school system?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to go back because this was an issue that I dealt with as the Minister of ECE. So I would have to go back and look at that. But I imagine it might have something to do with the fact that it was the I believe the Dogrib Divisional Education Authority that was actually overseeing those residents. They weren't GNWT run in the same way that they were elsewhere, or church run. Thank you.

Thank you. Has the GNWT discussed residential school settlement for the NWT residential school survivors with Indigenous leadership? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not aware of any of those discussions happening. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Monfwi.

Thank you. I want to ask the Premier what advice can the Premier provide former residential school survivors of Chief Jimmy Bruneau School; are there any options available to these people to receive recognition and compensation for their experience? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From my understanding, the day school, the residential school settlements, other similar settlements, were all initiated through the courts, through lawsuits, class action lawsuits, and that is the path, I believe, that has been proved most successful over the years. Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Tu NedheWiilideh.