Julian Morse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on this Halloween Day, I would like to revive a dead debate of a previous Assembly and join my colleague from Great Slave, and the former Member for Yellowknife North, in talking about scrapping the time change. Mr. Speaker, we fall back to standard time this weekend on the night of November 1st and November 2nd. And as I do every year, I've been hearing from constituents on this.

Mr. Speaker, when the 19th Assembly studied the possibility, NWT residents overwhelmingly supported the idea. As the Member for Great Slave mentioned in her statement, over 3,500...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm noticing a bit of a -- there's a theme of hope developing in the sitting today. Mr. Speaker, can we go a little bit beyond hope and just get a commitment that this is going to be ready in the 21st Assembly for adoption by the Assembly or for a legislative proposal to come forward? It's important work. The human rights commission has been asking for it for years. Let's get it done, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

No, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the previous Minister of Infrastructure committed to establishing a building standards framework or Act which addresses accessibility concerns repeatedly raised by the human rights commission. Mr. Speaker, does the current Minister of Infrastructure have an update on the initiative to create a building standards framework or Act? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm quite disappointed to hear that. I understand, Mr. Speaker, this was a budget commitment made in response to a committee and was committed to on the floor by the Finance Minister. It's difficult for me to understand them saying now it can't be done. Can the Minister elaborate on that and why are we reneging on the commitment? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the June 2024 budget commitments, health and social services committed to expand midwifery services to two more communities without birthing services. Mr. Speaker, what progress has been made on the establishment of midwifery services in Behchoko?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I keep hearing that word hopefully. Can we just get a commitment in place? This is a long time coming. It's a piece of legislation for a future Assembly. Let's get the work in place so that we're ready to bring it forward in the 21st. I think the problem that we've identified, a few of us in talking back and forth, has been, you know, when this Assembly came into place, we didn't have legislation ready to go right off the bat. I think it would be great to see that happen. It will certainly be a recommendation I make to the transition committee. Can we just...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just have a follow-up question for the Minister of Infrastructure. I understand that there's priorities that need to be set therefore I'm seeking a commitment that the GNWT be ready to action a building standards framework at the start of the 21st Assembly. That means getting the preparatory work done now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that was a fairly non-committal answer. Hopefully advanced -- I would like to get a bit more concrete from the Minister. This is certainly one that's important to me and repeatedly raised by the human rights commission. Would the Minister be able to offer a commitment that we're going to advance work on this and perhaps have a legislative proposal in 2027? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly, I respect that response. But the commitment also did speak to expanding to communities outside of that region. So, you know, the point is that midwifery services are needed in many communities. There was an additional community on the list. Why is an additional community not being considered? Thank you.