Good afternoon. Colleagues, please join me in thanking elder and former Commissioner George Tuccaro for the opening words and blessing today. Thank you. I'd also like to thank the YK Dene Drummers for joining us today. We often call the Legislative Assembly the place of the people and it is wonderful to see our cultures and people represented so strongly here today.
Before we continue, I would like to ask you to join me for a moment of silence in the memory of Mr. Anthony Wilfred James Whitford, or Tony to most of us, who passed away last month.
Mr. Whitford was a former Member of this Legislative Assembly, a former Minister, a former Speaker, a former Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. He was a former sergeant-at-arms and an honourary clerk at the table. Tony's interest in, love for, and knowledge of this Legislative Assembly was second to none. He frequented the Assembly to take in our proceedings, and we all looked forward to seeing him and hearing his stories and laughter. The joy and honour he felt when joining us as an honourary clerk at the table was evident. This place meant a lot to him. Colleagues, I assure you that he also meant a lot to this institution.
My words could never do justice to the lasting impact that Tony had on this institution and all of us who have had the pleasure of sharing it with him. More importantly than any of the official roles and responsibilities he held, Tony was an advocate for the people of this territory and a friend to all who knew him. He will be deeply missed. On behalf of this institution, I extend our deepest sympathy to Tony's family and many friends.
Colleagues, an official memorial for Mr. Whitford will be held at the Legislative Assembly at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, October 19th. Overflow seating and a live stream of the ceremony will be available at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre.
Colleagues, I have received the following correspondence from the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, the honourable Gerald W. Kisoun.
It states: Mr. Speaker: I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, the passage of Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), 2025-2026; Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2024-2025; and, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditure), No. 1, 2024-2025; during the first session of the 20th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, Gerald W. Kisoun.
Before we begin, I would take a moment to remind all Members of my expectations as we debate and deliberate in this Chamber. We can and must be agreeable even when we do not agree. Difficult conversations should not be disrespectful conversations. In this Chamber I expect thoughtful, meaningful, and honest debate. I expect our rules to be followed, and I expect each of us to show respect for one another, this institution and the people we represent. I also want to remind Members to speak slowly and clearly for our interpreters. It is an honour for us to have these interpreters here for us, using, preserving, and growing our languages. And I did go around, and I did promise we will try and keep it nice and slow for them. As well, I would like to thank our pages for being here today. This young generation helping us here thank you for your time and attention.
Colleagues, as the old saying says,
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the 2024 wildfire season, a season that presented significant challenges to communities of the Northwest Territories, particularly Fort Good Hope. Overall, we were fortunate to experience fewer community evacuations this year compared to previous years, but I would like to take the opportunity to thank everyone who supported response and recovery efforts during another difficult season.
Mr. Speaker, the Territorial Emergency Management Organization was activated twice this high-risk season in support of local emergency management organizations. The first was for a wildfire near Fort Liard, and the second for the wildfire around Fort Good Hope. While Fort Liard did not require an evacuation, the community of Fort Good Hope was not so fortunate.
On June 15th, leadership in the community made a difficult decision to evacuate residents for nearly three weeks because of the threat posed by a nearby wildfire. This evacuation resulted in the displacement of nearly 380 people, many finding refuge in neighboring communities. I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the residents and leadership of Norman Wells, who hosted 220 evacuees, to the people of Deline, who welcomed 21 evacuees, and additional 140 residents of Fort Good Hope found shelter at a nearby fish camp, displaying incredible resilience during such challenging times.
For almost three weeks, a number of Fort Good Hope community members and volunteers elected to stay behind to help fight the fire while others supported in many different aspects of the emergency response, including the providing for care of firefighters within the community and for evacuees who had been displaced. These efforts to protect the community and to care for its residents were inspiring and ultimately allowed residents to return home safe.
Mr. Speaker, it is important to recognize the remarkable efforts made by a small community government and the Indigenous governments throughout this wildfire season. First responders, leadership, and local emergency management organizations, residents, business owners, and volunteers in Fort Good Hope, Norman Wells, and Deline worked tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of their residents. Their quick action and collaboration during these emergencies demonstrate the strength of community-led emergency management team in the Northwest Territories.
I would also like to acknowledge the outstanding work done by the forest management division and wildfire fighters from the Department of ECC to protect communities at risk. I want to particularly recognize firefighters in Fort Good Hope who, alongside of the wildland firefighters, protected their community. At the same time, I want to express my gratitude to the emergency management organization for their swift response in their request for assistance. This team worked quickly to arrange evacuation flights and support essential staff returning to Fort Good Hope to help fight the fire. They also coordinated the provisions of critical supplies to ensure the well-being of evacuees and those who remained within the community.
Now that we are in the recovery phase, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs continues to work closely with affected communities to ensure cost-recovery for eligible expenses related to evacuation and hosting efforts. The majority of expenditures have already been reimbursed and remaining eligible costs are being verified and processed as quickly as possible.
Mr. Speaker, this government has identified emergency management as one of its top priorities, and I want to emphasize the importance of collaboration in response and recovery efforts. The response to this year's wildfires was a complete team effort. Communities, Indigenous governments, local leadership, and the GNWT came together to protect lives and support each other during challenging times. I am grateful for everyone's dedication and commitment for protecting NWT communities and residents.
Going forward, we will continue to work alongside communities to strengthen our emergency response system, to improve coordination, and to ensure that we are prepared for future events. The Government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to supporting community governments in their recovery efforts while continuing to plan for future emergencies.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the community leaders, the first responders, and the residents who worked so hard to manage the challenges of the past wildfire season. Your resilience, determination, and compassion were inspiring and helped ensure the safety of NWT residents which will allow us to rebuild and recover together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Ministers' statements. Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Mr. Speaker, as we reflect on the 2024 wildfire season, we are reminded of the challenges we faced, including those we have lost protecting the Northwest Territories. I would like to start by honouring the memory of pilot Tom Frith, who made the ultimate sacrifice while working to safeguard the community of Fort Good Hope this summer. His selfless dedication is an example of the courage and commitment exemplified by the wildfire management team. To Tom's family, friends and colleagues, our hearts are with you, and we share in your grief. His legacy will continue to inspire us.
I also want to remember firefighter Adam Yeadon, who lost his life in the line of duty in 2023. This year, Adam's name was enshrined at the Fallen Firefighters National Memorial in Ottawa, ensuring that his sacrifice will never be forgotten. These losses weigh heavily on our hearts, serving as stark reminders of the very real challenges and dangers firefighters and other wildfire management professionals face as they work to protect NWT communities. Furthermore, the extreme fire seasons in 2023 and 2024 underscored the challenging nature of their work and the remarkable perseverance they display in the face of adversity and loss. Despite another extremely challenging fire season, the teams have demonstrated their dedication to protecting the residents of the NWT and the things we value.
Mr. Speaker, forecasts for the 2024 season predicted another challenging wildfire season, with severe to extreme drought continuing across the territory. In preparation for this year's response, the Department of Environment and Climate Change applied the lessons learned from 2023 to be ready for the new reality of wildfires in a changing climate. To enhance our readiness, we invested in more air support, bringing on an additional long-term helicopter and more air tankers to support our response. We brought crews, equipment, and other resources on earlier to be ready for the season. Mr. Speaker, these efforts paid off very early in the season with the successful containment of a fire southwest of Fort Liard.
In addition to this work, we enhanced our fire intelligence capabilities by improving fire modeling and using large-scale infrared scanning to ensure we had the information needed to start the season.
Throughout the season, 1.7 million hectares of land burned in the Northwest Territories, the most within any single jurisdiction in Canada and well above the territory's 10-year average. But with the hard work and dedication of firefighters, fire managers, specialists, communities, local departments, brigades and local community partners, we were able to protect hundreds of homes and cabins across the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, the review of 2023 wildfire response operations recognized the good work of our wildfire management program and also highlighted the need to expand efforts in wildfire prevention and mitigation. Our government has made these investments, and they are already paying off.
We established a wildfire prevention and mitigation section with three new positions. This new team established and delivered the FireSmart Advanced Home Assessment program across the territory. Through this program, more than 100 residents received help from FireSmart experts to assess their homes and properties, to ensure more homes in the NWT are FireSmart. We cross-trained five community fire departments to begin offering the program locally and to help build wildfire preparedness capacity within local governments. Our prevention and mitigation teams also completed nearly 70 FireSmart events and activities, going to schools, community events, and neighborhoods across the territory to help educate residents. We also worked with community governments to review, update, and improve their community wildfire protection plans, and with the NWT Association of Communities to support local community fuel reduction and removal projects through a $20 million investment from the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Program.
Mr. Speaker, the NWT was proud to help out some of our neighbours this summer, sending crews to British Columbia, Alberta, and Oregon through the same mutual aid agreements that benefitted us in 2023. In doing so, our crews provided essential support in other jurisdictions' time of need, and our firefighters gained invaluable knowledge and experience from their counterparts in these agencies.
Mr. Speaker, planning and preparing for wildfires is a year-round job. This offseason, we will continue to work towards implementing the recommendations outlined in the 2023 wildfire response review as part of our ongoing commitment to continual improvement. To help us do this, the Government of the Northwest Territories has requested $30 million from the Government of Canada to support our efforts given the challenges we face from a changing wildfire environment amidst a changing climate.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to invest in our wildfire management program and team to ensure we are ready to face the challenge of future wildfires, which include enhanced work on fuel breaks, training and cross-training, planning, and preparedness.
Finally, Mr. Speaker, we will continue to work with communities, Indigenous governments, and Indigenous organizations in true partnership to ensure we are all listening, learning, and planning together for future success. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. Ministers' statements. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Mr. Speaker, when we talk about education, we often talk about meeting students where they are at. This means providing resources to students at every stage in developing their knowledge, skills and attitudes. Mr. Speaker, this philosophy does not end when someone leaves school. That is why the Government of the Northwest Territories offers programs for every skill level at every career stage: From planning to enter the workforce, to upskilling for a new job, to starting a new business. With the average Canadian working 15 jobs in their lifetime, this means there are ample opportunities to all be lifelong learners.
Mr. Speaker, under Skills 4 Success, the NWT's overarching labour market strategy, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment offers a number of programs to help residents develop skills to join the workforce, advance in their current workplaces, or move to a new job. Since 2021, these programs financially supported nearly a thousand clients, and fulfilled over 18,000 requests from residents for career services like career counselling and job search help.
Post-secondary education is also important for preparing residents for job opportunities. The NWT Post-Secondary Education Strategic Framework sets the goal of ensuring the post-secondary education system responds to labour demands. Together with the Post-Secondary Education Act, the Government of the Northwest Territories is focused on fostering an education system that is student-centered, accessible, high-quality, and relevant updates to the income assistance program earlier this year also sought to ease residents' path to the workforce by increasing the amounts of earned income residents can keep without impacting their income assistance. This means that residents can "try out" a job or ease into employment without a significant impact to their benefits.
In addition to supporting the cost of training and education, Education, Culture and Employment also supports the transition to entrepreneurship through the self-employment program. This program accesses up to $26,000 for expenses Northerners may incur when starting their own business.
Mr. Speaker, the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment also supports entrepreneurs, notably through the Support for Entrepreneurs and Economic Development, or SEED policy. Through SEED, entrepreneurs can access up to $25,000 to support financial management, product development, and marketing strategies. In 2022-2023, over 350 individuals, businesses, and organizations accessed SEED, with over half of all funding going to communities with less developed business infrastructure.
Prosper NWT also offers a comprehensive suite of supports to encourage the creation and development of businesses. Last year, Prosper NWT disbursed $4.7 million in new loans, contributions, ventures, and subsidies. More than three quarters of these supports, or $3.6 million, supported businesses and entrepreneurs outside of Yellowknife.
One such success story is Ditchers Landscaping, founded by Drayton Walker in Norman Wells. Ditchers Landscaping has grown from a small operation with minimal equipment to a thriving business that now employs eight people. With support from Prosper NWT, the company expanded its services to include snow removal, janitorial, and general contracting work, contributing to increased employment and economic growth in the Sahtu.
Prosper NWT also provides business services to help Northerners start and grow their businesses. Resources include online learning sessions, a business library, and a comprehensive step-by-step guide to starting an NWT business. Last year alone, almost 150 people attended 37 business sessions to improve their business skills.
Mr. Speaker, we remain committed to providing access to the education, training and resources Northerners need to thrive in the workforce and to build businesses that support quality, fulfilling employment in all our communities.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Ministers' statements. Deputy Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Hay River North, Minister of Justice, will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to host the federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers of Justice meeting.
Mr. Speaker, I also wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes will be absent from the House today and tomorrow in order to attend to a personal matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is about energy security. The crisis in Norman Wells has drawn our attention to how climate change makes our fuel resupply vulnerable with the low water levels, but it also should draw our attention to how vulnerable a community is when it has no competitive market for petroleum products. Norman Wells is dependent mainly on one private fuel supplier which essentially holds a monopoly and therefore can raise prices whenever it feels it needs to with no regulator to oversee how much price increase is actually needed.
Now, our NWT energy strategy highlights energy security as a core pillar but we've been focusing primarily on electricity and missing key vulnerabilities elsewhere, like in supply chains for heating fuels and transportation fuels.
Many people assume that energy security means we have to produce 100 percent of our energy locally. Now this is a noble dream, and we should absolutely put in more solar panels and windmills and even gas wells where those are cost effective, but for all 33 communities to produce 100 percent local energy would require just astronomical resources, and we might as well start a goal of starting our own space program. So we need to get more practical and realistic about energy security. So that would involve, first and foremost, ensuring redundancy and backup plans, whether that's modern, efficient backup generators in power grids or having a backup plan for ensuring resupply of transport and heating fuels.
Second, the GNWT can do more to secure supply chains for all imported energy sources. Thankfully, the GNWT fuel services division was planning ahead to ensure all other Sahtu communities got their fuel trucked in over last year's winter road. Communities have been calling on the GNWT to similarly help secure supply chains for wood pellets. There's also an opportunity to help secure renewable diesel supply chains which will be a critical step in moving towards a net-zero climate target. Often overlooked, but critical to energy security, is the need for energy efficiency and conservation wherever possible. Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement, which is one more sentence. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So, finally, we need to ensure communities feel more sense of control over their energy systems and make sure there are trained local people available to maintain them and troubleshoot when things go wrong because all the biomass boilers and windmills in the world won't do any good if they sit broken and unused. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our government has a tendency to struggle with implementing and responding to change effectively. This is a common problem for large organizations, and I argue it is a big problem for the GNWT that we aren't talking about as an overarching issue. Poorly implemented change management is at the heart of many of the issues MLAs and the public raised about the GNWT. Rather than providing specific examples at the outset, I'm going to speak to some common change management errors listed by John P. Cotter in his book Leading Change. I think people will find at least a few of them will ring true on changes they've been a part of or had a stake in.
One error is allowing too much complacency when communicating a change or failing to establish a sense of urgency. Another is failing to create a sufficiently powerful guiding coalition to drive the change that we're trying to achieve. Another is neglecting the importance of a driving vision and communication of that vision throughout the organization. The fifth error is permitting obstacles to block the new vision because employees feel disempowered to overcome them. Another common error is declaring victory too soon, communicating that the change is done when we're only halfway through its implementation. Finally, the eighth error is neglecting to anchor changes firmly in the corporate culture.
John Cotter notes that until the change is rooted in social norms and shared values, it is subject to degradation as soon as pressures associated with the change efforts are removed. Is this starting to sound familiar, Mr. Speaker? Certainly, I can identify a few change processes which have exhibited some of these characteristics. The one which stands out most starkly to me currently is the transition of Aurora College to a polytechnic university, a process which I would argue has suffered from all of the noted change management failures on some level or another along the way.
Other change processes come to mind. The Stanton transition, departmental mergers, or the struggle government is currently having to shift resources to the Assembly's new priorities. The remedy to this problem, of course, is to reverse the above-noted errors. We need to ensure effective change management principles are built into and maintained in our processes. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Members. Mr. Speaker, we also need to ensure staff throughout the organization understand how to lead and respond to change effectively. This will help build change resiliency into the fabric of our organization and overcome change resistance which holds us back. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about our schools and learning opportunities for children in small communities.
Mr. Speaker, on September 30th of this year, the Premier spoke to the media. He said, quote: Half our population is Indigenous and even then we have the highest proportion of residential school survivors in Canada. So when we talk about things like the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, it means something different here, end quote.
Talking about reconciliation is important, Mr. Speaker, but what about action? We are supposed to be closing educational gaps for Indigenous students. Look at the Call for Action from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada shows there is still work to be done in the Northwest Territories. We must improve education attainment levels and success rate. We must teach Indigenous languages as credit courses. We must respect and honour treaty relationships, end quote.
It is 2024, Mr. Speaker. Why does the most recent GNWT early development survey show that children are falling behind in areas of the territory where most students are Indigenous? The percentage of children who are on track for grade 1 is only 37 percent -- it's 37 percent in regional centres, only 23 percent in small communities. More than half, 53 percent of children, are considered vulnerable in small communities. Why are we failing these students, students in all small communities? What action do we need to take to help students succeed? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of education at the appropriate time. Masi. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Members' statements. Member from the Sahtu.
Mahsi cho. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since our last Assembly sitting, the Sahtu has faced a very dramatic summer, starting with the cancellation of the marine river barging services and the concerning wildfires in Fort Good Hope, plus the evacuation.
Mr. Speaker, this issue or situation has created a large negative chain reaction of stress on projects, resupply, household food security, summer public infrastructure preparations for O and M, school supplies, and essential services. Most critically, it has impacted the availability of home and commercial heating fuel.
Mr. Speaker, the whole issue of essential resupply is far from resolved. Most recently, the Sahtu has seen outrageous, soaring prices in both bulk and retail stations. This crisis situation has become so dire that a month's salary will not cover the cost of one home's heating fuel tank fill up.
Mr. Speaker, the consequences of unaffordable costs are severe. Mr. Speaker, this threatens our residents' ability to continue residing in the region. I remind the Assembly that the Government of the Northwest Territories has 172 employees in Norman Wells and 150 in the surrounding communities. Mr. Speaker, we must move swiftly and decisively to address the crisis and, more importantly, support a physical model in the reduction of fuel costs back to pre-shipping dates by eliminating the air transportation costs with stakeholders.
Mr. Speaker, in closing the Sahtu petroleum products supply consists of four surrounding communities owned by the Government of the Northwest Territories, and Norman Wells is supplied privately by Imperial Oil limited. This private sector -- Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Mahsi, colleagues. This private sector supply is in and currently being resupplied at the air transportation costs burden to our citizens. It is the people -- it is the people are victims of poor planning? Good questions. Later I will have questions for the Minister of Finance. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise with great honour to congratulate a well-respected constituent of the Mackenzie Delta and a lifelong resident of Teetl’it Zheh. Ms. Mary Teya is the recent recipient of the Order of the Northwest Territories. The Order of the Northwest Territories recognizes individuals who have served with great distinction and excelled in any field of endeavour benefitting the people of the Northwest Territories.
Mr. Speaker, I personally cannot think of anyone else more deserving to receive this distinguished award other than Ms. Teya. I have known Ms. Teya all my life, and she was worked tirelessly in many different capacities to see that the Indigenous peoples of Canada and the Northwest Territories, and her beloved community of Teetl’it Zheh, be treated equally and be given all the opportunities that they deserve in order to live a healthy lifestyle.
Mr. Speaker, Ms. Teya has worked as a community volunteer, a health representative, a community counsellor, a community leader and, most recent, before her retirement, a reverend at St. Matthew's Church in Teetl’it Zheh. Including retirement is an understatement because today she still lends her voice to the community in order that the residents of Teetl’it Zheh be given all the opportunities to lead a prosperous lifestyle. All these capacities that Ms. Teya has worked on during her distinguished career was because she wanted the best for the Indigenous people of our great nation.
Mr. Speaker, I have known Ms. Teya all my life, and I have personally witnessed all these tasks that she has undertaken for the benefit of her people. Ms. Teya has an open door policy in that she will not turn anyone away if they are in need of help. I believe that Ms. Teya looks out for the best interests of the future of our community. Ms. Teya still advocates for the younger generation of our community because she believes they are the future leaders and decision makers and should be involved in the community meetings to make them aware of our everyday struggles.
Mr. Speaker, in closing, I would like to ask my colleagues, the residents of the Northwest Territories, and especially the residents of Teetl’it Zheh, in congratulating Ms. Teya on receiving the Order of the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
Mr. Speaker, the riding of Great Slave has a large population of newcomers, immigrants, refugees, temporary foreign workers, and permanent residents. These folks can't vote, but I still proudly represent them. I want to be clear. I know immigration is a federal issue, but decisions made in Ottawa affect our neighbours. Some are highly skilled individuals, including health professionals, but they're often only able to secure unskilled positions. There's a stark reality for many newcomers who feel tied to jobs that don't pay well, feeling compelled to stay in a job because their employer tells them they will put in an application for the nominee program.
The program requires applicants to be working with an employer for six months before sponsorship. Some workers are waiting much longer because their employer delays their application. Having your residency tied to your loyalty of your employer is a vulnerable and precarious place to be for any worker. The pause put on the nominee program this past July, after the territory reached its cap of 300, was a shock to the newcomer community. This program is a preferred gateway for newcomers wishing to establish themselves permanently in our territory.
The NWT is a place of promise for many folks trying to build a new life with their families, but this pause has broken their hope and eroded their trust in this program. Moving the goal posts for newcomers to start their path to citizenship is painful to witness, Mr. Speaker, especially when they and their families are in a vulnerable position to begin with.
Many newcomers chose to establish themselves in the North rather than down south because we were a rare Canadian jurisdiction that had never reached its annual nominee cap. But this has changed. Yes, the perception of immigration across Canada is changing. There are populists in this country who are equating newcomers with housing crises and a cutthroat job market. And it is true that in some southern jurisdictions, unchecked population growth is straining our safety nets, but unlike these jurisdictions, Mr. Speaker, the NWT has essentially been in a population standstill for a decade. There might be a day when our welcoming capacity will become compromised and we will have to limit the number of newcomers who we welcome each year, but we are far from that point today. We need to welcome immigrants to grow our population. We need immigrants to fill the vacant positions in health care. We need more workers. We need more entrepreneurs. We need more taxpayers. And we need increased federal transfers. We can't afford not to be welcoming. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. That means we need a nominee program that works for our employers as well as for the newcomers hoping for a better future in this territory. This means we need more spots in the NWT nominee program, and the GNWT must ask the federal government for an increase to the quota. I will have questions for the Minister of ECE at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given that Monday was Thanksgiving, I thought I'd open my Member's statement this session with some gratuities of my own. As I know you know, and most Members know, on June 28th, 2024 we lost our home in Inuvik to a tragic fire and our contents and one of our beloved pets, as well as my neighbour lost her home as well in that fire. And I'd just like to offer a thank you. The support has been overwhelming, certainly from my colleagues here in this House who sent messages and emails and phone calls, from the staff at the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Speaker, that again, reached out and for their support and for their patience in dealing with this this summer, to our friends and family obviously in Inuvik, particularly to Ken and Loretta Dalton and their family who took us in when we literally had the clothes on our back when we walked out of that place. So a big thank you to them. To Sheila Nasogaluak, my constituency assistant, who held the fort down and ensured that, you know, that residents' concerns were still being heard and that she was there to cover the office, which was amazing. And certainly to the people of Inuvik, Mr. Speaker, the support, as I said, was overwhelming. They made sure we were looked after. They made sure we were safe, that we had what we needed. And, you know, I couldn't ask for a better community to live in, Mr. Speaker, and I'm so grateful for that, and I just wanted to use this time to say thank you to everyone.
And with the little time I have left, Mr. Speaker, I will say as well that if you've been in Inuvik lately, you'll notice that the town of Inuvik has sold 65 lots up there. You will see new housing developments going up by both the Inuvialuit and the Gwich'in governments. You'll see signs around town saying new office complex is coming, a new Marriott hotel is coming, a new apartment complex is coming as well, and certainly I congratulate both the Inuvialuit and Gwich'in governments for what they're doing up there and it's nice to see that kind of growth, the new growth in our community, and we -- I hope that we as a government can follow suit and be just as productive as they're being, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in recent years, the Northwest Territories has seen a dramatic increase in drug-related crimes that is affecting our small communities like never before. The demand for these drugs keeps increasing and employment opportunities and access to vital services continues to decrease. We need a long-term solution to address concurrent housing and health crisis as well as the continued burden of intergenerational trauma has on Indigenous families, and solving these problems are no easy task. There are, however, short-term solutions that are becoming increasingly clear. Community leaders have long been advocating for enhanced public safety and security measures. Community leaders have reached out to me to seek funding for the installation of security cameras and the hiring of security guards in the community to monitor prevalent illicit activity such as acts of violence, drug dealing, and break-ins. My constituents are also eager to work together to create signage indicating that drug trades are not welcome in their neighbourhood and in the community.
I asked the MACA Minister earlier this year to listen to these requests for additional funding but, unfortunately, the department only pointed to their previously allocated annual funding. Considering our drug crisis, we should not be asking our small communities to stretch their dollars any further and potentially underfund our other services that must be provided in order to cope with these extraordinary circumstances. Our communities have limited resources already, and the residents are all only becoming more vulnerable by the day. By allocating more funds for security cameras and security guards, we can deter criminal activity providing valuable evidence when incidents occur and foster a greater sense of public safety amongst residents. Additionally, the presence of trained security guards will not only enhance physical safety but also promote community engagement and trust. They are sick and tired of feeling hopelessness while these illicit activities take place every night destroying the health and wealth of their community, family, and friends. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are rapidly nearing our one-year anniversary as an Assembly and 1,053 days until the next election. As I reflect on this, I'm also mindful of today's opening prayer from former Commissioner Tuccaro on being a force of positive change for our communities. That is why we are here. But let me ask you, Mr. Speaker, are we better off today as a territory than we were a year ago? Have we made positive change on the most pressing issues facing Northerners?
Mr. Speaker, health care is in crisis, with doctors, nurses, and workers continuing to leave the profession in record numbers. 15 percent of the NWT is in public housing, 2 percent on the waiting list, 42 percent of NWT homes require repairs, 10 percent of the population lives in poverty. Climate change has irrevocably changed our way of life. It has destroyed the community of Enterprise which remains devastated after the 2023 wildfires. It is currently responsible for a humanitarian crisis in the Sahtu. All three diamond mines are set to close in 2031.
Mr. Speaker, I know that this government and this House are aware of these problems. Most of this list was cribbed from a fact sheet prepared by the Premier's office. Yet, where is the sense of urgency to take action? I don't see it. My constituents don't see it. Working people don't see it. What we do see is a government sleepwalking its way into one crisis after another. It is time to wake up, Mr. Speaker, and I am putting this government on notice that if things don't change, there will be consequences.
Mr. Speaker, this Assembly purposefully chose four priorities in order to ensure we could achieve real success and deliver on the needs -- of the greatest needs for our constituents - housing, health care, economy, and public safety. Clear, concise, small in number - four priorities. So let's get them done, Mr. Speaker.
No more action plans, no more ADMs, no more working groups. Let's get moving on legislation, let's get moving on spending, and make real lasting change before we fall so far behind our challenges, we can no longer catch up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about fire towers and job opportunities for the residents of the Deh Cho.
Fire towers are used to monitor wildfires. Government employees used to operate them seasonally, typically from May to October. We used to pay a person to stay up there and keep communities safe. The fire tower near Enterprise was completed in 2015, and it's still in active use. What I would like to know, Mr. Speaker, is how is the tower currently staffed and can the government look to create more jobs with this kind of work? As I have said in the House in past statements, the residents of Deh Cho need practical and viable solutions after the devastating loss of homes and other buildings, which was 80 percent of all structures in Enterprise. Deh Cho residents need help. They need new opportunities; jobs young people can do. Working on the fire tower is one way to help ensure this devastation from wildfires does not happen again.
Mr. Speaker, this fire season, but last year especially, we know the government is spending more and more on responding to wildfires, that the department has satellite technology to track where commitment is, technology to measure the size of fires even underground. They use aircraft to monitor and put out fires. Costs are only going to increase. But I think we must really look at the establishment of more fire towers. This will employ people and cut down on costs. It will be easier to spot wildfires if we use our towers and our people effectively rather than leaving -- having helicopters and airplanes flying constantly trying to action fires that could have been spotted earlier. We use the ten or so towers we currently have in the territory but can we use them more effectively to employ more people, respond to fires near communities early, and ultimately reduce the devastation and financial loss wildfires cause? I will have questions for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member from Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First off, I would like to take the opportunity to welcome back my friends and colleagues to the House. I look forward to this session and working with you all to continue moving the NWT forward.
This August marked one year without any evacuations for the community -- well, evacuations and emergencies for the community of Hay River. We are one year evacuation free. It's been a while since we could say that. Hay River, like no other community in the North, has experienced troubling events. But my community is resilient, and we will continue to move forward. We are still addressing issues that affect Hay River and its economy. Record low water levels have impacted both the fishing industry and shipping industry. The Hay River rail line remains uncertain as CN has decided not to rebuild the line after the 2023 fire. As the MLA for Hay River South, I will continue to urge CN to invest in rebuilding this line to reduce the costs to the residents of the North as this is pocket change for them. The community continues to rebuild from the 2022 flood and the 2023 fire, and the summer of full work for the contractors have had the opportunity for them to do lots of work this summer. This past year has also seen a return to normalcy and fun in Hay River, with some of our annual events such as the Polar Pond Hockey, the NWT Track and Field Championships, our Lobster Do, and Hay Days, just to name a few. Additionally, other organizations held events like the July 1st celebrations and National Indigenous Peoples Day. Events like these, along with other events in our community, is what makes our community and the volunteers that do it help make our community what it is today.
As we move through the year and the fall approaches, the town is alive with the return of school, winter sports, and our arena is packed again. This vibrancy is part of what makes Hay River so lively and active. In fact, Hay River won the Canada's Most Active Community in 2024. We received the $100,000 grand prize to support local physical activity and sport initiatives. Mr. Speaker, I'll ask for unanimous consent to continue my Member's statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you. I had this timed, but I'm a little slow with it. Hay River had more than 40 organizations participate in the challenge, recording 197 events, programs, and activities that provided opportunities for residents of all ages and abilities to get active. From a seniors' lift-and-learn program, mushroom picking, kayaking, golf, walking clubs, and the school-bike-bus programs. These were fun ways that residents were able to get active, and I don't think my epic athletic abilities made this list.
Member from Hay River South, your time is up. Thank you, Member from Hay River South. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to talk today about a man I've known most of my adult life, Mr. Tony Whitford. Perhaps he knew all along that a young Fort Smith young man would one day, who was riding the barges in the 50s, would become our Commissioner. Tony's inspirational story could simply be anyone's story or tale in this building. It's a story of perseverance and kindness. Tony's story, or even in some ways his chronicles, could easily be tucked away in a Mark Twain account about a life full of adventure.
Mr. Speaker, Members could imagine, just for a second, if they could pause their busy lives and close their eyes and open our minds and embrace a magical tale, I could hear the journalling of Mark Twain right now, his legendary accounts would probably sound something like this. And then there was poor Hawkin Tom rafting down the Mighty Mackenzie, and Tony was piloting them and telling them stories along the way. Little did they know their journey was just about to begin. Tony was full of life, interesting stories, and an endless capacity of bad dad jokes. Not to mention, Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of seeing many of his pencil sketches and being given crafted birdhouses. He was the everyday man. But at the same time, Mr. Speaker, he was a giant of kindness who always had time for you. When Tony would call, he would check into you. He genuinely wanted you to know he wanted the best from you. He raised your spirits, even just with a simple word or two, and I am grateful for those many occasions. I would always smile, Mr. Speaker, when I'd often hear that familiar greeting and I'd hear someone bellow out, how's the Hawk today he would say to me. He was -- you know, he was in his own way a perfect friend for all of us. Tony was my friend, Mr. Speaker, and I was grateful to be his friend. He was such a special person. That's why in 2015, I requested the government name the new government building, which was unnamed at the time, the Whitford Building but it was not to be. However, there is another opportunity to continue and recognize his legacy of kindness in a true hallmark way he was. This spring I emailed the Minister of housing to name the building on 53rd Street the Whitford Building. I call upon this government to do the right thing, set aside bureaucratic processes and protracted policies and needless debate that doesn't have to happen, take the courage and name the 53 Street building the Whitford Building, which will be a fitting honour for a man for a building that was built to give people hope and dignity, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, he was full of kindness, and his legacy to me will always be that. I ask Members today, if they would, break from tradition of normally staying silent when we thank someone in a eulogy, but to tap on your tables and let him hear, and he would have the greatest smile I can see on his face knowing that this Assembly not only loves him, cares for him, and wishes him Godspeed until we all meet again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker, for the additional time as well today. Thank you.
