Rylund Johnson

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that the Premier is committed to do this and has brought it to multiple Indigenous governments at the bilaterals. I heard there that we are going to go out, we're going to receive the information, and then provide departments direction. Can I just clarify if, at the present moment, Ministers have been directed to, within their own departments, review the UNDRIP sections that apply to them, and then bring that to EIA?

Thank you, Madam Chair. One of my concerns is that we have no specific Minister appointed for public engagement and transparency in the 19th Assembly. I know the Premier has provided some previous comments on this. We're working to be open across all departments. One of my concerns is that we're all busy and that, without assigning a responsibility, we run into that accountability piece as our job as Regular Members. I guess I'll begin with having policies. Has the open government policy been fully implemented, and, if not, what remains to be done?

Thank you. I look forward to however this works, the Speaker working with the Chief Electoral Officer and MACA to provide the appropriate standing committee an update on how that is working. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm sure I will have many more conversations on getting that information for the adult wait times and removing some of the barriers for children getting into those diagnostics. I recognize there needs to be a stigma broken down that allows both mothers and people with FASD to self-disclose, but I was hoping the Minister of Health and Social Services could speak to the current barriers, to make sure we can improve access and get those wait times down, and get more people into the diagnostic clinic. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

No further questions.

That totals 64 people who have been diagnosed with FASD in our territory, despite federal numbers estimating there are 1,800 people living with FASD in our territory. We have a long way to go in getting these diagnoses. Having worked first-hand in the criminal justice system, I can tell you that diagnosis ultimately affects sentencing, it affects conditions, it affects housing. Given our unique situation in the North, does the Department of Health and Social Services have a plan to conduct its own research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I see here that the Members' compensation and allowances has increased based on the consumer price index. Can I just get a sense of how that policy works, and is that happening year over year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Diane stole my recognition, but I’d also like to recognize my constituent, Arlene Hache, and all the members of the advisory council on poverty. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I appreciate that, and I look forward to continuing the lobbying efforts. I, myself, have been reaching out to Indigenous governments, and I hope that we can see things like NWT Days get going again. I think that there has been challenge over the years to, "Why are we sending all these politicians to Ottawa?" The reality is that those meetings result in more funding for our people.

I would like to switch gears here. The GNWT under this department has a 2012 Respect, Recognition, and Responsibility policy. It's a great policy that commits our government to the inherent...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am happy to hear all of that, and I agree. I actually support us hiring a federal lobbying firm. The reality is that Ottawa is a completely different world and is an extremely complex world to navigate. If we want our Ministers getting time with federal Ministers, we have to go through lobbyists. I wish that we lived in a different world, but that's it. I am happy to have a position in Ottawa that is constantly working those hallways. That's how we get money from Ottawa. I am supportive of this, but I would like to see what our strategy is, how we're approaching...