Rylund Johnson

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. And I know the Canadian supply, Canada is working to improve its contribution to global vaccine equity. We probably have not lived up to the covax commitments as we should. But I know we're a small jurisdiction and I'm just hoping the Minister of Health can add her voice and make sure when she speaks with her federal colleagues that we are adding our support to meet the covax requirements and to make sure that vaccine equity is a priority. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I know that our now that we have the majority of people vaccinated, the vaccine uptake is is not what it used to be. And so my question for the Minister of Health is when the current stock of vaccines expires in the NWT and what we are doing to ensure we don't have any wastage? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know we're all trying to end this quickly but I just wanted to make a few comments.

I find it very concerning how many parents, when facing apprehension, sign plan of care agreements without legal advice. I know that our workers are good at informing them they have a right to legal advice and I know if you go fill out all the paper work, Legal Aid will provide you a lawyer, but oftentimes people are signing extremely technical and complicated plan of care agreements that take their children away without lawyers, and I don't think we should be doing that. I think the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The test is not whether anyone was offended. We are allowed, and in fact encouraged, to say things that will offend people in this House. That is healthy debate. The test is whether it was imputing motive. And I don't believe the statement that if the children in care were white and not Indigenous there would be a wholeofgovernment approach imputes any motive. In fact, I don't believe the motives of my Cabinet colleagues or any of the people in this House are remotely, you know, racist or prejudice towards Indigenous children in care. I know they deeply care. But that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Your Special Committee on Reconciliation and Indigenous Affairs is pleased to provide its Interim Report: What we Heard about the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Negotiating Agreements, and commends it to the House.

Mr. Speaker, the chair of the committee, the Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, has asked me to read the executive summary today. But I would like to thank her, and all the members of this committee, for their work.

On October 29, 2020, the Legislative Assembly unanimously passed Motion 21-19(2) to establish a Special Committee on...

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I'm looking for a bit more of a commitment on from the Minister and when he says they're happy to have that conversation. I know the 20, 30 percent number can be complicated. In some cases, it's day homes who haven't raised fees in years, and so they're well below their competitors. And in other cases, I'm hearing from, you know, daycares who recently decided to give their staff a living wage, something that we are hoping to roll out in the coming years with the pay grid, but now they're essentially they're taking the step themselves, and they're ahead...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government is setting itself on a path to implement universal childcare in the next five years in this territory, and we all know how massive of a task that is. It involves hundreds of new spaces. It involves millions of dollars. However, Mr. Speaker, I have to I note there will be some growing pains but we have to ensure that in those growing pains, we don't leave anyone behind.

Mr. Speaker, the other day in this House the Minister said they have different motivations when speaking to the difference to describe day home operators as moneymaking businesses as...