Kate Reid

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Banner day.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT lacks robust newcomer supports. Without appropriate services, newcomers are deterred from choosing to remain in the NWT. Providing those services is top of mind for organizations like CDETNO, FFT, and the Literacy Council. I know the Minister knows this, and she speaks with them. Can she confirm as to whether in her conversations with these support organizations, who have flagged key services for newcomers that lack adequate funding, whether these services will be addressed by her department or federal funding partners. Thank you, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister speak to whether ECE's recent engagement campaign this past September, whether or not that campaign has identified a need to support newcomers who have been in the NWT the longest; that is to say, the current program supports folks whose work permits are expiring but folks who have been here the longest extend. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be succinct. Yesterday it was reported that the federal Minister for IRCC said that some nominee programs are getting a boost to numbers. Can the Minister let the House know if that includes the NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister speak to how long this process with those agencies has been going on? It's getting cold outside. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm sure more information will come out in due course. But just to confirm, the Minister said the allocation has been restored to 300. Does that mean that 103 spaces will be open for this remaining calendar year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past year, we saw elders and folks with disabilities getting mutual aid support from community members and not the GNWT. However, I'm glad that the GNWT agrees that emergency social service plans are required at community and NGO level but not every elder or person with a disability is within those structures. So will standard operating procedures be developed and demoed with NWT communities, the regional and territorial EMOs, and the external jurisdictions to the south, to prioritize folks with more complex needs in evacuations, including those with...

Mr. Speaker, today I rise to remember Moses Larel Luwalira. Moses was born in Entebbe, Uganda, on December 31st, 1992, to the late John Kyebambe and Proscovia Nakayima. He was a beloved brother to Sam and Job. Moses leaves behind his mother, extended family, and many friends.

Moses' life was defined by faith, kindness, and service. He received his early education at Iganga Boys School, Busoga College Mwiri for high school, and then pursued his passion for construction at Niagara College, Welland Campus, in Ontario. Moses moved North to Yellowknife in 2023 to continue building his future. But...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to reiterate my colleague from Deh Cho's September press release that stated that safety alone is not a sufficient measure. A constituent's well-being in regards to this year's evacuation of Fort Providence. Since the GNWT has elected not to create a standalone emergency management agency, how does the GNWT expect to have dedicated capacity to work through ongoing policy development and identify operational needs on an ongoing basis so as to ensure the dignity of residents in exceedingly difficult situations like evacuations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will join the MACA pile-on.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned that while the GNWT says they're learning from missteps and disasters in evacuations, we continue to see elders and folks with disabilities and those who support them struggle when they're displaced. Equity of support means that for some folks we need to do more. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me what is the GNWT doing to improve how we provide compassionate support to elders and folks with disabilities before, during, and after emergencies, especially evacuations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier for that. If I might be so bold, Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the Premier would commit to how we communicate to the public and looking at that very specifically. Because it's very clear to, I think, all Members in this House that, you know, with the after-action review, we are not doing a good job about communicating to the public appropriately and in the way they want to see communications come from government. I wonder if the Premier could speak to that.