Julian Morse

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following documents: First is Towards a Basic Income Guarantee in the Northwest Territories prepared by PlanItNorth for Alternatives North. And second is Towards a Basic Income Guarantee in the Northwest Territories: A Proposal to Invest in People for the Common Good - Summary for Policy Makers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, during the presentation, the department hired -- highlighted a number of areas which still need more work, for persons with disabilities, women, long-time Northerners who are now left out of the new policy. Can the Minister discuss how the department plans to address diversity and inclusion and prioritizing northern hires under this new policy that they've just approved. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the spring equinox, there is palpable excitement in Yellowknife. I'd like to take a moment to highlight one of my favourite winter events, the the upcoming Frostbite 55 taking place this Saturday, March 15th. This event is the premiere winter endurance event in the Northwest Territories and brings together skiers and snowshoers from across the NWT and Canada to undertake a grueling 55-kilometer course. The course traverses the area around Yellowknife, N'dilo, and Dettah, and highlights the beautiful and rugged terrain around these communities...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that context. And so that option being taken away from the Minister, I would note that the college having dropped the centres now provides the Minister with the opportunity to take up that flag herself. So it was noted during the presentation and in the What We Heard report that the college could deliver through the CLCs educational opportunities that respond to chronic staffing shortages in roles in the community - nursing, teaching, social work, or other professions. These are all goals that seek to support our mandate commitment of growing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my honour to recognize my constituent Shawna Lampi-Legaree and her parents, Richard and Jean Lampi's presence in the House today. And, Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge and thank Alexander Legaree for his help with today's eulogy and ensuring his father was appropriately honoured in the House.

Mr. Speaker, I'd also like to acknowledge the Member for Hay River South who helped me obtain a Team NWT pin as a small token of acknowledgement of Mr. Legaree's life's work.

And, Mr. Speaker, I would also like to acknowledge my constituent Colin Mahon, who...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform this House of the passing of Mr. Ian Legaree, a dedicated public servant, tireless advocate for the North, and champion of youth and community development. Mr. Legaree passed away on January 17, 2025, leaving a legacy of service and a profound impact on countless lives.

Born in Atikokan, Ontario, on July 17, 1959, to Don and Vivien Legaree, Ian's roots reflected Canada's diverse heritage. He met his wife, Shawna Lampi, in Atikokan, and their marriage in 1981 marked the beginning of a remarkable partnership...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And certainly I can just say, you know, I hope that this comes up during the review but something that was pointed out to me by constituents, who are small business owners, is certainly ITI's been really good at getting -- helping businesses get off the ground, and the SEED program's been great for that. But what I've heard people are struggling with is, you know, they get a bit of support to get off the ground but maintaining a business in the Northwest Territories can be really challenging. And so that's one piece of feedback. I don't need a response from the Minister...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. What's going on next to me here; what's all this waving about?

Mr. Chair, the next question I had was when will the program review of the SEED policy be completed? And also how will the department ensure that SEED funding supports mentorship and capacity building? Thank you -- or, actually, you know what, let's go one question at a time. When will the program review of the SEED policy be completed? Thank you.

You don't have a clever pun?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And can the Minister discuss what kind of expert economic analysis is going to be applied to the economic visioning in particular -- yeah, and how it's going to kind of lead into investment strategy. I am curious to hear because, you know, the Minister will remember I made a statement about this a number of sittings ago. I was speaking about the Greenland Economic Council and how they applied economic analysis of the current state of Greenland and how, you know, targeted investment in certain areas would help change that and move things along. I would notice that Ontario...