Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to sound environmental stewardship and the sustainable development of natural resources in the North. As part of this commitment, and in accordance with the federal Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act and several land claim agreements, the government is responsible for facilitating and publicly releasing an environmental audit every five years.
An independent contractor completed the 2025 NWT environmental audit earlier this year. It reviews how our environmental rules work, the reliability of the information we use to make decisions, how we monitor the effects of development, and how the government has responded to past audit suggestions. An audit steering committee, made up of Indigenous, territorial, and federal representatives, helped guide the process. They worked together to set the goals for the Audit and provided advice along the way.
Earlier this week, I tabled the 2025 NWT Environmental Audit, and I am pleased to report that the audit found the NWT's regulatory system continues to improve. No significant new concerns were identified and reported progress on many of the previous issues related to the last review. However, it also pointed out some challenges.
We need better data to track barren-ground caribou. We also need to make cumulative impact monitoring information more readily available in areas where there is development, as well as continuing to work on land use planning, settling land claims, and involving communities.
Mr. Speaker, these efforts bring us closer to fulfilling our mandate to ensure safe communities, healthy ecosystems, through collaborative partnerships with Indigenous governments and Indigenous organizations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of ECC. Ministers' statements. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to highlight the progress the Government of the Northwest Territories has made in addressing homelessness, and to acknowledge the ongoing needs ahead. We have taken important steps to remain committed to continuing this work with empathy, focus, and collaboration.
Homelessness is a complex issue that intersects with all areas of the 20th Legislative Assembly's priorities. It is influenced by the suitability, accessibility, and affordability of housing, a strong economic foundation, access to health care and addressing the effects of trauma and ensuring safe residents and communities. Recognizing these connections is essential to developing effective, long-term solutions.
Teams across the GNWT have worked together to transition leadership and ensure a smooth operational handover of A Way Home: A Comprehensive Strategy to Address Homelessness in the Northwest Territories from the Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs to Housing NWT. The Strategy guides our work and identifies areas of action to address homelessness. This includes enhancing support for those at risk of becoming homeless and improving person-centered services for those experiencing chronic homelessness.
One of the most pressing needs identified in the strategy is to increase transitional and supportive housing across the NWT. I am committed to improving these services for our most vulnerable residents.
Housing NWT and health and social services have collaborated with the Salvation Army in Yellowknife and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation in Inuvik to develop a transitional housing model tailored to the needs of residents returning from addictions treatment. One five-bedroom home in each community has been renovated and will operate as transitional housing for addiction recovery programs. This program provides a safe, substance-free, and supportive living environment where residents can maintain their recovery, rebuild daily life skills and work towards recovery within their community.
The GNWT recognizes that some residents face various barriers that prevent them from accessing shelters. As a result, some residents establish encampments. We acknowledge the reason residents may choose to sleep rough rather than access shelter space. While this remains an individual choice, we will continue to extend shelter supports and work to reduce barriers for those in need. In response, we have been working to ensure that shelter spaces remain accessible and are equipped to meet basic needs and to increase transitional housing facilities to help people move out of homelessness.
A new transitional housing facility, developed through collaboration between Housing NWT and executive and Indigenous affairs, is set to open on Highway No. 3 in Yellowknife. Offering 24 bedrooms, the facility is expected to begin operations before Christmas. The addition of transitional housing facilities is especially important for residents who are ready to transition out of emergency shelters, but not quite ready for independent housing.
Since January 2024, Housing NWT has helped 18 shelter users in Inuvik transition to more stable housing with the help of our programs, such as the homelessness assistance fund or public housing. In 2025-2026, $4.4 million in contributions are being provided through Housing NWT's six homelessness:
Housing First;
Emergency Overnight Homeless Shelters;
Homelessness Assistance Fund;
Small Community Homelessness Fund;
Shelter Enhancement Fund; and,
Northern Pathways Program.
This funding supports expenses such as one-time financial support for individuals facing homelessness, community-led projects to reduce homelessness and loans to improve existing shelters. Our homelessness programs were developed to reflect the diverse needs of all NWT communities, which is why Housing NWT collaborates with local and Indigenous governments, non-governmental organizations, and community partners to implement solutions tailored to each community.
As we continue to work towards preventing and reducing homelessness in the NWTj, I want to emphasize that our progress would not be possible without the collaboration and guidance of local and Indigenous governments, non-government organizations, individuals with lived experience, and community partners. We deeply value these partnerships and are committed to strengthening them as we work together to deliver housing solutions that reflect the realities and needs of all NWT communities. Quyananni, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this summer I received a request from a constituent to deal with an issue that seemed to pretty clearly fall under municipal jurisdiction. Someone was illegally dumping domestic garbage in a small wooded area about 10 metres off of one of Yellowknife's most densely populated neighbourhoods in my riding. MLAs often receive issues which fall under municipal purview, and I make sure to forward these issues on to city Council to handle. But we looked it up and, sure enough, this piece of land in question is untenured Commissioner's land. So despite being deep within a municipal boundary, this land is actually ECC's responsibility. So that resulted in some back and forth between my office and the Minister's office, and in the end, to the Minister's credit, the Department did come and deal with the trash. Thank you to the ECC public servants who performed that unsavoury task.
But, Mr. Speaker, this statement isn't really about municipal waste. What I want to talk about is that I don't think this should have been a territorial responsibility to deal with in the first place. The city of Yellowknife is better equipped to deal with domestic littering within its boundaries, and a territorial department like ECC needs to focus its energy on matters of territorial significance. Technically right now that means issues outside and within municipal boundaries.
Mr. Speaker, we established different levels of government for good reason. The current duplication of responsibility leads to confusion and inefficiency, and it is high time we resolve this issue. Yesterday, a few metres away from this Assembly, tragedy struck as a canvas tent pitched on Commissioner's land was engulfed in flames. My colleague from Yellowknife Centre questioned the Minister of ECC about this, and as he was explaining his department's responsibility regarding encampments on Commissioner's land, the Minister said the encampments within the boundaries of the city are also partially a responsibility of the city, and there are certain bylaws that happen within the city that are relevant to the city that would need to also be adhered to. I think this comment highlights the dual jurisdictional issue well. It's confusing and difficult to administer as a result. We need to follow the lead of every other jurisdiction in Canada and ensure there are clear lines between territorial and municipal responsibility. It's time we put an end to the confusion, Mr. Speaker, and give our municipalities jurisdiction over the land within their boundaries. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Sahtu region stands at a critical juncture with the Norman Wells oil field. Canada's longest operational onshore oil field operating well beyond over a hundred years. This legacy is approaching the phase end of life and moving on to remediation and reclamation.
Mr. Speaker, in preparation for this huge tsunami, this economic tsunami, the remediation economy in the Northwest Territories is valued at $4.8 billion over the next 30 years, with as many as 500 sites requiring remediation. This represents an unprecedented economic opportunity for our territory, and in particularly for the Sahtu region. However, we are not taking measures adequate in preparatory positions.
Mr. Speaker, education is security. The federal government currently holds $180 million in financial security for the oil field. However, the cost for cleanup is expected to be much, much more. The training plan and preparation must recognize domestic trade demands. Mr. Speaker, this is why I'm championing NORTRAN, a design readiness trades training program for remediation and reclamation. NORTRAN could partner with the Aurora College and other NWT accredited agencies together as collaboration. Mr. Speaker, the infrastructure exists in Norman Wells support this. We have vacant commercial office spaces, student residential units, and the unoccupied Aurora College classroom. The time to act is now, Mr. Speaker. We must ensure that when the Norman Wells oil field closes, Sahtu residents/youth are not watching from the sidelines but credentially ready. I will later have questions to the appropriate Minister. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from the Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to bring forward an emergency measure that I feel requires immediate attention. In smaller communities throughout the Northwest Territories, when the community residents are faced with unexpected emergencies, the uncertainty of how long the problem will last puts a strain on the whole community.
On Friday, October 17th, the power in Fort McPherson unexpectedly went out around 10 o'clock am and was not restored until 2 o'clock p.m. The power outage shut the whole community down. Also, there was no communication between NTPC personnel and anyone from the community as to why the power went out and the expected timeframe of the power outage.
Mr. Speaker, most communities, if not all, have safety measures in place to protect the residents, especially the most vulnerable with a muster point somewhere in their respective communities. While in Fort McPherson and Tsiigehtchic, the muster point is in their local schools, both schools are not adequately equipped to house their residents if the emergency happens for a long period of time. The schools in both communities do not have backup generators.
Mr. Speaker, the residents of Fort McPherson were fortunate that this power outage happened during the day, and it was relatively still warm outside. Imagine the panic if this happened at 2 o'clock a.m. and it was minus 30 degrees Celsius weather.
The local health centre staff immediately offered to use their facility as a muster point to take in any elders who may be old within their homes. Mr. Speaker, we must bring assurance to the communities that we are, indeed, looking out for their immediate safety and make measures to equip each community with backup generators in the event of a power outage. Having a facility used as a muster point while they are not equipped to house their residents is pointless. We need to upgrade the infrastructure to meet the needs of our community residents in the event of an unexpected emergency. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point in session, many of us start to feel that we're losing our minds, so I thought it would be a good day to speak about mental health with a focus on our young people.
We hear from our education authorities, teachers and parents, that the mental health needs of youth have never been more challenging, both the severity of the problems and the types of issues:
Self-harm,
Depression,
Eating disorders,
Those struggling with loneliness and bullying and trauma.
Just over two years ago, the number of child and youth counsellors was reduced by about half and moved out of schools with funding redirected towards mental health programs determined and led by the schools themselves. We need to keep an eye on how successful this newer approach is in both meeting the needs of students and helping teachers to cope. Some parents are still unclear as to what might happen if their child had some kind of mental health crisis at school, what school-based services remain available, and what exactly the ongoing wellness programs include.
Mr. Speaker, it is a serious problem that the NWT has no pediatric psychiatry unit at Stanton. That means that kids with suicidal thoughts may often be sent home. It is not safe for them in the adult psychiatric ward and if they're sent to the pediatric ward, there's no psychiatric programming there.
Earlier this year, the Standing Committee on Social Development made a recommendation in our Mental Health Act Review to address this gap. It's good news that there are plans to reopen the Children's territorial treatment centre, but I would urge the department to find an operator as soon as possible since that's often the critical make-or-break factor, as we've seen with the day shelter and transitional housing.
Finally, I'm concerned reading in the news about the reduction this year in mental health support services at the Inuvik hospital on weekends. The on-call medical social worker used to provide suicide risk screening and assessments as well as in-person counselling act but the weekend service was cut as it apparently wasn't considered part of the core job responsibility. As the health care sustainability unit sorts through what services are core or non-core, I think we can all agree that services to support people in mental health crises should be core, especially for our children and youth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
Mr. Speaker, like the Member from Yellowknife North just said, I think that everyone can struggle with their mental health, which is just as crucial as their physical health. For me, an excellent way to make sure I'm taking care of myself, both mentally and physically, is to go outside and touch dirt and then dig that dirt. I love to garden, and it provides me not only with nourishing food but a great deal of peace.
Mr. Speaker, with both session and surgery, I had several interruptions into my favourite summer hobby this year, but after I took some time to heal, I'm pleased to report that I was able to grow many different vegetables, including potatoes, Mr. Speaker.
Back in March, I challenged the Minister of ITI to a friendly competition. She in turn challenged her Cabinet colleagues. The rules were simple. Everyone gets a box of potatoes from Kam Lake's own bush order provisions, and we see who wins by weight of harvest. With your indulgence, Mr. Speaker, here are the total yields by Member.
The Member for Thebacha, 7.3 pounds.
The Member for Yellowknife South, 8.5 pounds.
The Member for Hay River South, 9.6 pounds.
The Member for Kam Lake, 10.6 pounds, though it could not be independently verified if that included the container, Mr. Speaker.
The Member for Great Slave, 16.5 pounds.
Honourable mentions go to the Member for Yellowknife South's radish harvest and the Member for Thebacha's tomato harvest, Mr. Speaker, which I'm told were both extremely abundant. And I have also been told that the Hay River North spent a lot of time shovelling dredge dirt, which wasn't the assignment, but I'm sure benefited his health as well. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. I think Cabinet needs to work with the Great Slave Member to learn how to grow, especially for those people south of the lake which you got all that fertile ground. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a father, the health and safety of my kids is my foremost responsibility. So when I learned, along with other members of our community and this House, that high levels of lead were found in Yellowknife's schools, I was shocked. It was hard to believe that somehow staff and students of William MacDonald and Range Lake school -- the Range Lake North School were unknowingly consuming potentially dangerous high levels of lead for an unknown period of time. This was relayed to me by many of my constituents and staff and faculty at those schools. During these revelations, a third school, MJ McPherson, was initially reported to have only minor, unresolved issues, which gave parents and staff a sense of reassurance that the school was not at risk. But, as we later learned, that confidence was based on flawed assumptions.
Months later, when the Minister released an independent report on the elevated lead levels, it became clear that concerns about school drinking water that had been first flagged as early as January and that the initial testing had been flawed, as a result, testing at William MacDonald and Range Lake north continued well into April, long-before parents and staff were informed in May.
Concerns about the methodology of the drinking water tests prompted another round of testing this summer, and it was only then that we finally learned about elevated levels of lead at MJ McPherson were, indeed, above the Health Canada guidelines, directly contradicting early assurances that the high readings were false positives.
Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker, the parent downplaying of the concerns at MJ McPherson and delaying of that retesting until the summer postponed the necessary measures to protect students and staff longer than they should have. In the -- because we had those measures, the mitigation measures -- remediation measures public health orders at Range Lake north and William MacDonald during the same period of time. Parents must be able to trust that their children are safe at school. It's a fundamental principle of the education system. When the Minister released a report and accept the responsibility in July, the scale of the mismanagement on such a critical issue, the health of children, needs more reassurance from this government. We know remediation processes have been put in place. Now we need to know how serious this Minister is that this never happens again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to bring attention to an event that's happening here in Yellowknife this week. It's been happening this week. Mr. Speaker, it's the Housing NWT maintenance conference.
This event, Mr. Speaker, brings together LHO maintenance foremen and the district technical staff for a week to get together to discuss, of course, ongoing maintenance and the importance of preventative maintenance, Mr. Speaker. There was about, I think, close to 50 participants here. They're all at the Explorer Hotel where the conference is taking place. And especially, Mr. Speaker, I'd like to give a shout-out to the Beaufort Delta district office. Last year, they, Mr. Speaker, completed 100 percent of their preventative maintenance, which is a huge accomplishment. It's the first time it's ever been done. And, Mr. Speaker, that Beaufort Delta district office includes Inuvik, Tuk, Aklavik, Tsiigehtchic, Paulatuk, Ulukhaktok, Sachs Harbour, and Fort McPherson, Mr. Speaker.
So, again, a big congratulations to our staff up there. I know how hard they work. It's a small community, so obviously we all know each other, and I know how proud they were of that accomplishment, Mr. Speaker, so a big shout-out to them. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier this year, the Dene Nation hosted a public safety forum here in Yellowknife to address the growing challenges our small communities face from violent crimes and drug trafficking. Across the North, our communities are hurting. Families are being torn apart as drugs spread deeper into our territory and into our homes of our people. Local leadership knows what's best for their communities.
And this forum was an important chance to come together and find real solutions to keep our people safe. Our communities have s strong Indigenous leadership on crime, but we also need a government that listens, partners with us, and ensure new strategies are put into action with real, right resources in place.
In this era of reconciliation, our right to self-determination must guide policies and decisions that affect our future, and one of the biggest threats to our future are drugs and violence and suffering they bring.
At the forum, the Dene Nation passed several comprehensive resolution on crime, mental health, and addictions. From this work, they will engage with their communities to provide feedback on Indigenous justice system and strategies. Study on Dene led policy programs and a call on government to consult Dene communities on RCMP contracts. I know that the RCMP are working with Indigenous government and small communities to keep people safe, but it's up to the Minister to make the structural changes needed to deepen those ties and ensure local leadership is at the table.
The Minister must also work with Indigenous leaders to urge the federal government to address chronic understaffing and high turnover in our communities. Later this afternoon, I will have questions for the Minister of Justice on how we can bring more RCMP to the North and ensure that Indigenous communities have meaningful authority over how the communities are kept safe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to talk about the encampment again today, but I also want to talk about it from the perspective of the impacts on the community. And what I mean by that is the residents have to live next to them, businesses, and even in situations like such as yesterday, the museum, government, and other types of organizations, and private businesses in that. They have to be silenced. You can't have the museum director over here yelling do something here. No, government can't get away with that. But residents, let's start with that, Mr. Speaker. They have to listen to the noise. They have to deal with the mess. And, of course, as I said yesterday, liberated items that seem to go missing from their yard but mysteriously are found in the encampments. Businesses are saying the same thing: Noise, mess, personal items, even watching extension cords running from their buildings that they're paying the power in all the way across the road into the encampments. Where is the housing Minister on responsible policy that takes care of the bigger issue. Oh, well just dump it there, and everyone, you absorb all the problems without support, Mr. Speaker.
Imagine this: You're a tour operator in Yellowknife -- and this has been called upon me many times, Mr. Speaker -- tour operators are complaining. They pull up to show the jewel of the NWT, our Northern Arts Centre, and sure enough, the encampment's right where it says bus parking, Mr. Speaker. Shame on this situation. They have to show our guests we roll out the red carpet, they spend thousands and thousands of dollars to come here and they see this. And they feel the pinch and strain, Mr. Speaker, about the disappointment. We're all feeling this, Mr. Speaker.
Now, yesterday the Minister said when I called her to seize action on writing a policy over the weekend and do something, she said, hey, I've only got two people in the policy shop. I listened. Now, with that said, I verified. I went to the NWT Housing web page, and under the policy and planning shelf there's actually not two, not three, not four. All the way to 12 people work in that particular shop. Not two, but 12, Mr. Speaker. So there is talent there, and I believe in them.
Mr. Speaker, as I work towards a close, as I'm running out of time, someone even sent me a picture today that we have permanent structures that are being built behind the Chateau Nova hotel. There's one structure, Mr. Speaker, it looks like a tree House, a watch tower. So when building materials are going missing from the yards, how are they showing up at these semi/non-permanent but turns out to be absolutely permanent encampments, Mr. Speaker? We need the housing Minister not only to have compassion for those who need help; we need the housing Minister through the homelessness to have compassion for the residents who have to absorb the garbage and the mess here, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements.
Colleagues, yesterday I had the pleasure of watching part of the Premier's Awards celebration. There were residents from Fort Simpson on the Team for Excellence - Fuel Resupply via Mackenzie Valley Winter Road.
The team faced with unprecedented logistical challenges due to consecutive years of cancelled barge deliveries, this multi-disciplinary team from the Department of Infrastructure successfully coordinated the largest winter fuel resupply in recent memory. Over 230 truckloads, more than four times the usual volume, were delivered to Sahtu communities. This complex operation required real-time tracking, strategic scheduling, and on-the-ground coordination in extreme temperatures. The team leveraged strong partnerships with fuel suppliers, contractors, Indigenous governments, and community leaders to ensure timely and safe delivery of essential fuel for heating, electricity, and transportation.
Drawing on traditional knowledge to maintain and reinforce the winter road system, the team adapted to erratic weather and road conditions, demonstrating resilience, innovation, and leadership. Their efforts ensured uninterrupted fuel supply to remote communities, safeguarding health, safety, and connectivity across the region.
I would like to have the names of the team deemed as read and printed in the Hansard:
Lorne Browne
Claudio Ardiles
Paul Webber
Jim Biggs
Clara Allen
Eric Cockney
Harvey Pierrot
Dustin Dewar (Fort Simpson)
Michael Hempler (Fort Simpson)
Travis Hanna (Fort Simpson)
Wyatt Antoine (Fort Simpson)
Mike Squirrel (Fort Simpson)
The Kristine McLeod - Emerging Indigenous Leader Award which was Kristen Tanche.
I have known Kristen for a long time. Kristen is a visionary leader whose work in Indigenous health and wellness reflects the spirit of the Kristine McLeod Emerging Indigenous Leader Award. As Regional health and wellness director with Deh Cho First Nations, Kristen brings empathy, innovation, and cultural integrity to every initiative she leads.
Kristen's leadership is rooted in both academic excellence and community service. She is a graduate with a bachelor of social work and has been accepted into the master of social work program at the University of Victoria, demonstrating her commitment to long learning and Indigenous-centered practices. Her work is trauma-informed and strength-based and grounded in traditional knowledge.
Being aware of the time, I would like to have the rest of this speech deemed as read and printed in the Hansard.
Please join me in congratulating the award winners.
Kristen fosters safe, inclusive spaces for dialogue and healing, building strong relationships across generations and organizations. She uplifts youth and community leaders, encouraging bold ideas and collaborative action. Her dedication to cultural revitalization is evident in her support for land-based learning. Elder engagement, and the integration of Indigenous teachings into wellness programming.
Kristen leads with integrity, humility, and purpose. Her contributions are shaping a future where Indigenous knowledge and values guide health and wellness systems. She is a powerful role model and a deeply deserving recipient of this award.
Acho Dene Native Crafts Ltd. Produces traditional arts and crafts for wholesale and retail. The primary product is birch bark baskets featuring porcupine quillwork. The people of the area make these traditional products as they have for centuries. The business also retails leather accessories, including traditional mittens, gauntlets, moccasins and mukluks, and smaller souvenir items. Acho Dene Native Crafts Ltd. Began operations in 1976 in Fort Liard, Northwest Territories, as a project of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. In 1992, the NWT Business Development and Investment Corporation assumed ownership and responsibility for the store in its operations.
This Tufted and beaded cuff is handcrafted by Shawna McLeod, a Dene and Metis artist from the Deh Gah Got'ine First Nation (Fort Providence), now living in Lidlli Kue First Nation (Fort Simpson). Drawing on traditional materials and techniques passed down through generations, Shawna incorporates moose hair tufting, beadwork, and cultural knowledge into each piece. Her work through From the Land Creations reflects a commitment to land-based art, healing, and the preservation of Indigenous teachings.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS public safety is a key priority of the 20th Legislative Assembly established through "safe and healthy communities"
AND WHEREAS climate change is exacerbating the frequency and intensity of flooding, wildfires and other natural disasters;
AND WHEREAS the 2023 wildfire evacuations of two-thirds of the population of the Northwest Territories, and subsequent evacuations due to severe climate events, have resulted in continuing trauma and negative mental health impacts;
AND WHEREAS, on June 13, 2024, the Government of the Northwest Territories contracted Transitional Solutions Inc. to review its management of the 2023 wildfire crisis through the production of a Northwest Territories 2023 Wildfire Season After-Action Review Report;
AND WHEREAS the After-Action Review Report was conducted and overseen by certified experts in emergency management and bore a cost to taxpayers of the Northwest Territories in the approximate amount of $330,000;
AND WHEREAS the After-Action Review Report completed by Transitional Solutions Inc. was released on May 14, 2025, and made 35 recommendations, including the creation of a dedicated Emergency Management Agency;
AND WHEREAS this recommendation is consistent with previous recommendations to strengthen the Northwest Territories emergency management organization with dedicated resources and authorities, including the 2022 Spring Flooding After-Action Review and the Government of the Northwest Territories Search and Rescue System Review Final Report;
And WHEREAS, on October 2, 2025, the Government of the Northwest Territories provided its response to the After-Action Review Report rejecting the recommendation to create a dedicated Emergency Management Agency;
AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories did not conduct a thorough cost analysis for identifying a suite of options using existing human and financial resources to implement the recommendation;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the Member for Yellowknife Centre, that the Government of the Northwest Territories accept the After-Action Review Report recommendation to "Create one dedicated territorial Emergency Management Agency for the NWT, providing coordination support to local authorities leading the emergency response(s)";
AND FURTHER, that the Government of the Northwest Territories implement the recommendation to create one territorial Emergency Management Agency for the Northwest Territories within the recommended timeframe of 0 to 12 months;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories bring forward the necessary policy changes and resources to implement the recommendation by May 2026, as recommended by Transitional Solutions Inc.;
AND FURTHERMORE, that in accepting the recommendation, the Government of the Northwest Territories consider repositioning existing resources within the public service in addition to new investments, including establishing new mandates for existing, new, or amalgamated line departments;
AND FURTHERMORE, that a dedicated Emergency Management Agency so established will work to implement the remaining recommendations of the After-Action Review Report, including ensuring that the care of children, elders, and persons with disabilities are better supported by public safety policies and programs;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories respond to this motion in 120 days.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. The motion is in order. To the motion. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is not unknown to legislatures or to government systems in Canada that independent reviews will contain recommendations that governments disagree with. Often when they agree with recommendations, there will be so many caveats that it might as well be a disagreement. In this case, there are 35 recommendations. One recommendation was not agreed with, and that is the recommendation to create a dedicated emergency management agency.
Many times in our parliamentary procedures here in the House, we will disagree with the government's disagreement and encourage them to accept the recommendation. We have a standing committee of public accounts. Before that, we had standing -- we had various standing committees that would review independent reports or reports of the auditor general and say the exact same thing - we disagree with your disagreement, we encourage you to accept that. The purpose of this motion is to do the same thing here, but it arises to a special attenuation in the minds of the public because it was the one recommendation that was rejected, and this wildfire evacuation review was so important to our constituents.
The findings of the report were very clear, and for me the most concerning one is the lack of trust that Northerners place in their government after that event. Trust is very slow to rebuild from governments or from anyone in a position of authority. It's easy to lose and very hard to get back. We need to do everything we can as an Assembly to ensure that the government is working to restore trust with the public. And rejecting this crucial recommendation, one of the most urgently -- one of the ones that was urged to be recommended with the same class of immediate recommendations in the report just shows how crucial this was. And reading from the report -- which I won't do at length, Mr. Speaker -- but the independent experts that we retained for this work said establishing a dedicated wraparound emergency management model, such as an agency, rather than relying on the current as-needed linear EMO, emergency management organization, approach is essential for enhancing resilience and preparedness in the Northwest Territories. Agency models effectively oversee all phases of emergency management. This fosters a culture of preparedness and ensures a nimble and coordinated response to emergencies and disasters.
They further state the agency organization would be responsible for facilitating collaboration between federal, territorial, and local governments, along with public and private organizations, to ensure a unified approach to emergency management while ensuring the local authority maintain ownership and authority for the emergency, implement strategies to reduce the risk of disasters through proactive planning, develop and maintain comprehensive territorial emergency plans, and provide clear guidelines to communities for their local plans, conduct regular training and exercises to ensure all relevant parties are aware of these plans and how they complement one another, rather than replace or hand off to one another, provide emergency management in unincorporated and special areas, and support communities to recover from disaster by providing resources, guidance, and assistance as a wraparound service.
Now, Mr. Speaker, we have heard that the concerns from the Minister are that such an agency would be seasonal. They would only work for the warm summer months and then, you know, sit around for the rest of the year doing nothing. I think just the bullet points I read out show how that could be a year-round job, you know, ensuring training is ongoing, especially in the off-season so you can be prepared for the next season; ensuring that reports and plans are well documented, well vetted; ensuring that disaster recovery efforts -- these take years to facilitate. We have multiple members in this chamber, Mr. Speaker, who have communities who are still recovering. And notably the member for Deh Cho, who had another community over the summer evacuated, and it was not a smooth evacuation. We saw that very clearly, you know.
And I said this at the time when queried by the media, I'll stop complaining about, you know, the lack of -- seemingly, the lack of care towards public safety and emergency management when the public stops complaining. Because when these evacuations are going on yes, there's people -- there's always two sides to a story, but we are hearing loudly from the community that alerts are coming too late or not at all, that firefighting activities are not listening to local community concerns, and these are all the things that a broader mandate on public safety would allow us to accomplish that we're currently not achieving as a government. And the recommendation is very clear about an agency, and it cites the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Plan, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency as best practices. I don't think government needs to, again, take every -- just do everything the recommendations say. They're to be interpreted, to be massaged, let's figure out a way to do this. In this case, I do think we have a lot of expertise in the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. I don't think it's structured as effectively or efficiently as it could be to manage public safety. But we do have experts. We do have a strong volunteer contingent across the Northwest Territories that many members, including the Minister, who were a part of during the 2023 wildfires. So it's not that we lack the expertise, and certainly any criticism of how we manage public safety is not a criticism of the volunteers who are doing it, but it is the systems they are doing it in, which we have 165 pages to show how they were insufficient and were tested to the limit and broke under pressure. And now we are trying to fix that so it never happens again and so the public knows they can trust that their government takes their lives and their property seriously. And the fact that that's a question at all should have made it a number one priority for this government. But I would argue it's a number one priority for all governments, whether you write it down or not.
So when we look to how we can make this work, we drafted -- this motion was drafted to allow government, or to encourage rather, not just allow but to encourage government to look towards its own resources and be flexible and creative about how to meet these recommendations. If an agency isn't appropriate, a new departmental mandate might be, or maybe you could do both. Maybe there's other means to do it. But the EMO, the ad hoc, as and when, incident-based EMO, is not fit for purpose in an era where climate change is causing these disasters each and every year. We hear this all the time - it's only going to get worse from here. We get that reaffirmed every year when it happens. And recently there was reporting from experts saying it's going to happen again and increasing severity and as especially our most vulnerable communities, rural and remote communities that are very small, are impacted by these events. If the emergencies are not managed well, people are unprepared, if communities aren't prepared, we will get to a place where there is a significant loss. And I don't want to be in that place. This is preventative management of emergencies to ensure that they don't happen. And there are plenty of governments in Canada and the world that have departments of public safety and emergency preparedness.
You know, there's a way -- we've amalgamated departments in the past as well. Infrastructure is an amalgamation of transportation and public works and services. Finance is finance and human resources, maybe a few other things I've forgotten about. You know, there's a number of amalgamations that we've done to save costs so let's do that now. Sharpen the mandate of MACA, call it the Department of Public Safety; move it into justice, and now we have all of our community safety programs and our public safety programs and our emergency management in one place.
Mr. Speaker, the motion in its preamble mentioned the search and rescue report which I've raised and raised on the House as well, and the government's response to that report that was federally funded was basically we don't have an EMO that does the stuff you want or you're recommending so we can strengthen search and rescue in the territory so we're not going to do it. Not oh, we should make changes so we have better search and rescue. Because that recommendation speaks to that. It's a vast territory, Mr. Speaker. You know this. We all know this. And when people go missing, it's a real concern to the community, and there are not a lot of resources. Again, they're ad hoc, volunteer-driven resources supported by RCMP and coast guard and other officials. But the people doing the work are volunteers, and there's only one volunteer search and rescue organization in the Northwest Territories that is organized, and that's here in Yellowknife. And that's not enough. You know, when people go missing in, again, rural and remote communities in the middle of the Arctic, that's when you need to have the support of a dedicated emergency management agency that can coordinate search and rescue activities, that can coordinate resources to ensure that volunteers are trained, that resources are marshaled effectively, and that communities are prepared when people go missing. That's just one example of the ongoing work that a dedicated public safety agency could do. And there are many, many more. They're enumerated in this report.
So it just shocked me that this recommendation was rejected in the first place, that the costing, the options, the approach to how could we make this recommendation work was not taken, seemingly. I mean, I'm prepared to accept that that fact might be untrue, and there could be something we haven't considered. But at this point, questions have been asked, and the answer have been we didn't -- we dismissed it, we didn't try to make it work. And Northerners expect their government to at least try before dismissing it when the stakes are so great. And that's why this motion is here today, you know, to encourage the government to reconsider this decision that they've made and to make the right decision, which is to invest in public safety like we would invest in a major infrastructure project, like we would invest in cost savings by amalgamating departments.
We make strategic investments all the time. We know things are going to get worse, not better. And even if we do have an off-season that defies predictions and there's no evacuations, there's no disasters, that doesn't mean we don't need this because we need to be prepared when it does happen. And not just one agency, not just one department, not one division, not one community. The entire government needs to be prepared.
We saw what happened when there weren't business continuity plans, when the government was caught flat-footed, when people left the territory on planes, what that did to the organizational structure of the government. We can't afford to see these things happen again. Many steps have been taken. Yes, we acknowledge that. The government has agreed to all the other recommendations. Not fully; there are some that are only partial or general agreement. And I take issue with some of those as well, but we'll address those at another time. They're not subject to this motion. But we need to see a government that walks the talk -- or sorry, that talks the talk and walks the walk on public safety. And until we have dedicated resources to make that happen, there will be a doubt in my mind and a doubt in the minds of the people we represent. And that needs to change, and it could be changed very easily by reconsidering this decision and doing the work. And at the very least, do the work and prove to us, the MLAs, your first audience, that this can't work in the Northwest Territories when it works so well everywhere else. If you can convince us, then we're going to explain that to our constituents. But as long as we're unconvinced, we need to do more. We need to do more as a government. And the rejection of this one recommendation broke through the acceptance of the others. And that's very true in the conversations I had with my constituents, in the conversations I hear in the community, and that's why it's here on the floor today.
So I urge this House to support this motion and to tell the government a strong message that this House cares about public safety, and we care about the great expense and the time and effort that went into the report that produced this recommendation, and we want to see it implemented, all recommendations fully so we have a territory that we know is safe and secure come what may in the future as we live in increasingly uncertain times.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And at the appropriate time, I will request a recorded vote.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. To the motion. Member from Hay River South.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the motion brought forward and the continued focus on strengthening emergency management in the Northwest Territories. Although it might be strange to have a Minister who is trained and then has the background in emergency services for over the past 30 years, but the government of the Northwest Territories remains committed to improving our emergency preparedness and response system.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by clarifying the structure and responsibilities of emergency management organizations, or EMO, as it currently operates in the NWT.
The EMO is a fully staffed office that operates year-round within the Department of Municipal Community Affairs. It is responsible for coordinating territorial emergency planning, preparedness, response, and recovery. This includes leading the territorial emergency response plan, supporting local authorities in their emergency response planning, and coordinating multi-agency response through the Territorial Emergency Operations Centre.
Mr. Speaker, the current EMO structure is consistent on how emergency management organizations in other jurisdictions across Canada operate.
For example, the Yukon EMO is also located within the department of community services. Like the NWT, the Yukon EMO provides coordination training and supports communities. Communities lead emergency response first, and then the territorial supports scaled in as needed.
The Alberta Emergency Management Agency functions under the ministry of public safety. While Alberta uses the term agency, it is not a standalone body but part of a larger ministry. It performs coordination, planning, capacity building for municipalities who are responsible for leading emergency response with provincial support coordination as needed.
Emergency Management BC is located within the ministry of emergency management and climate readiness. It operates through regional offices and coordinates with local governments like NWT, BC, and emphasizes local response with provincial supports as needed.
PEI and Newfoundland also embedded their EMOs within the Department of Justice and public safety.
Mr. Speaker, these examples show how emergency management does not require a standalone agency to be effective. Coordination, scalability, intergovernmental collaboration are the key success factors.
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT's position is that the core responsibilities recommended in the after-action review are already being carried out in the current EMO structure. During emergencies, the EMO coordinates the territorial response, supports communities that have activated their emergency plan, facilitates communications along with local and territorial partners, and activates the territorial EOC when large-scale or complex events occur. Outside of high-risk season, the EMO delivers training and exercises, helps community development, and validates emergency plans. We maintain templates and guidance material and advance planning and risk assessment activities to strengthen preparedness. We recognize that the improvements were and are still needed, particularly on how we communicate, coordinate, and integrate with Indigenous governments and the local communities. And we are acting on those priorities.
The EMO operates under the Incident Command System, or ICS, which provides a clear, nationally-recognized structure for managing emergency response. This system allows operational decisions to be made by trained experts based on real-time conditions while keeping elected officials informed and engaged in appropriate ways. MACA offers executive training to help leadership understand their roles in this structure, supporting effective governance, and avoiding well-intentioned political actions that could disrupt the response and operations.
Mr. Speaker, the after-action review looked at the events from two years ago. It is looking backwards while we are looking forward and moving forward.
Following the 2023 wildfire season, MACA undertook the following actions to improve our EMO operations:
The NWT Emergency Plan was updated to clarify roles and responsibilities;
Communication protocols and aids for communities were put into place;
Surge capacity was increased and more training.
New regional emergency coordinator positions in all regions were staffed, and a trainer to support communities in updating their emergency plans was hired;
MACA also hired an additional communications officer to provide better support to communities during emergencies.
All GNWT departments have developed business continuity plans that have been used to ensure core programs and services are delivered in the times of emergencies.
We have seen real improvements in emergency response coordination and communication, and this was especially evident during the 2025 wildfire season. The coordination between community governments and Indigenous governments to stand up local EMOs and coordinate with a regional EMO reflects on the strength of our improved collaboration on the ground. While the circumstances were extremely challenging, there were also clear successes, and we will continue to learn from each event, strengthening our system, and improve with every response.
Mr. Speaker, rather than restructure, our focus is on strengthening what already exists:
debriefing recent emergencies,
enhancing local training and tabletop exercises,
improving interdepartmental and intergovernmental coordination and response readiness.
These are tangible, immediate actions that can build resilience.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, we share the Members' goal of improving emergency management. We believe the current structure, when supported with clear authority, community engagement and interagency coordination, can meet the needs of the people of Northwest Territories. For this reason, the GNWT does not support creating a standalone EMO agency.
That said, Mr. Speaker, as this motion makes a recommendation to the government, the Cabinet will be abstaining from the vote. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Hay River South. To the motion. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Where do I begin my disagreement? There are so many spots. But I have to pick one; I'll start with the last one.
Shame on the government saying that they're going to vote -- you know, take this recommendation, abstain from it. At least be on the record that you're voting it down. It's a shame. Politicians are meant to make decisions, and often I see the -- when people abstain, such as the Cabinet, the citizens see it as a very sincere disappointment. At least stand somewhere on the issue.
Mr. Speaker, the decision made by -- or I should rather coin it as the recommendation made by TSI, I think was a very clear argument of saying this is why I'm doing -- or they're making this recommendation based on -- it just not sounds good, it's a reality. We need a coordinated approach. We need a territorial emergency management agency. And this is why.
If you listen to the Minister, it was clearly a justification why we're not doing something. And back to justification in on itself, to my questions earlier in the session, Mr. Speaker, I was actually quite shocked, not necessarily shocked and appalled, but quite shocked that they had not analyzed the cost of this position out or this directorate concept out. I often think that they get this idea that we're going to create a new finance department, MACA department, whatever. It's not necessary to create something -- a new mega list within the government to achieve the goals that the report is pointing out.
TSI is just not some willy-nilly group on the street that said hey, can you give us a snapshot over a coffee and a long weekend and tell us what happened here. They are the gold standard of their industry. They're called upon many governments and agencies to ask what to do. And they offer fantastic advice.
So the government will stand here and say well, we accepted 34 out of 35 decisions. Mr. Speaker, the one they ignored or shot down probably, in some ways, was probably the most important one.
I view it this way, Mr. Speaker: That decision is almost akin to say, for example, a conductor in an orchestra, they pull all the beautiful music together, EMOs, LMOs, yadda, yadda, communities, Indigenous governments, they are getting them all together, singing and coordinating them. That's why that position of an orchestra is so important, a conductor, and that's exactly why this position would be so important in this situation, Mr. Speaker. So to justify it and say well, we did 34 out of 35, let's call it a weekend, is not asking what are you doing right. I think in some ways it's abdicating the responsibility, what's so key to ensure that we're safe.
Mr. Speaker, let's just follow that note for a second. Well, duplication. Well, not busy enough. I think the answer, their justification in their response is, well, small population, limited fiscal and human resources. Well, I look forward to the government saying -- and I don't agree with this statement just to be clear -- well, we don't need a CEO of elections. I mean, they don't do anything for three, three and a half years, right? I think we're all in agreement there's an election typically once every four years. So, I mean, you know, a couple weeks, a couple months before the lead-up, a couple months after that, what a waste. Well, wait a minute, Mr. Speaker. There's oodles of policy, process, and planning, and organization, and coordination, and technology changes. They're busy all the time. I would never stand for that. But you would turn around and say well, just because others are doing it is a reason for us not to do it. Wake up. I mean, the trends are there. And the trends aren't just because they're fancy. The trends are there based on a necessity.
I mean, I've heard this government repeatedly, and I'm sure I could spend a lot of time, come up with hundreds of examples, where we constantly talk about the changes and impacts of climate change on the Northwest Territories. All the time we hear the phrase about how it impacts us here, our weather is changing, our forests are changing, they're dryer, there's more -- the floods are coming in different ways. Sometimes there's no floods of water coming down the gate of Alberta through BC to us to make sure we can get our freight up the Mackenzie. So the world is changing before us, and this type of position is exactly what it is intended to be, to help coordinate communities, help support assets, to be there for policy, to help test those community emergency plans, to organize them, make sure they're published publicly so people know in the communities and the territory at large that they not only exist, we know what they are, and we know that they're planned, and they will be executed if need be to the best of their ability. All of those things would come from this, Mr. Speaker.
This is not a trend, again, of fancy shoes. This is a trend of people have realized the bell of emergencies has been ringing, and it's time to jump on board before that clanger bell falls off. Mr. Speaker, it's ringing loud and clear.
So the government to provide, in my opinion, a contradiction about saying, well, this is what we're doing I think it's -- I think, yes, it's true that they're doing things, and I think that that's fair. And I think it's fair. And I think it's also true that we have talented individuals that will come together and work their best. And I believe that wholeheartedly. But what the keystone of all of this stuff is is this type of management agency within the government. And you know, when I hear well, fiscal is a problem, you know, I say, boy, we sure seem to have all these, you know, assistant deputy ministers, and Ministers and envoys popping up, all these dollar amounts. But this position, think about it. It helps us save millions, if not hundreds of millions of dollars we put at risk every year. I mean, when have we had a cheap fire? I mean, every year this government goes into the 10s and 10s of millions of dollars to cover for the -- through the appropriations to pay for the fire season and other types of things. How many times have we talked about Enterprise and the impacts of that fire and how difficult it is for them to move ahead?
Recently, we heard about Fort Providence or we're well aware of the Whati, and it's every year, Mr. Speaker. And whether it's -- you know, professionals in the system have told me that the current system, even just, you know, it's not -- doesn't facilitate the need. And so it facilitates the need -- where they're pointing out is, yeah, they're there Monday to Friday, 8 to 5, but these systems need to run 24 hours a day and make sure they're available. There are no weekends off when it's summer emergencies, Mr. Speaker, emergency season.
Mr. Speaker, I'm very concerned about when the government feels that they -- you know, this is a bad idea, but they haven't cost it, they haven't even imagined it, what it could look like. They haven't even tried. So, Mr. Speaker, I'm just going to finish by saying that good policy would ask ourselves the question of are we doing the best we can, and by rejecting this recommendation would be a demonstration of they're not. And that's key. And I think as my colleague from Range Lake had pointed out, you know, these questions will keep coming as long as they keep coming from the community to us, wondering why the government is doing what they do.
So, Mr. Speaker, I'll be supporting this motion. I'm pleased to second it. And I certainly hope that our collective will cause the government to revisit this issue because it is a critical one to be the foundation and the base of every year when we're confronted with these situations. Because by the time an emergency happens, it's already too late. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. To the motion. Member from Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it's important that both we and officials within municipal and community affairs take the time to better understand the detailed rationale behind this recommendation in the after-action review, and reflect on how we can accomplish the intent of the recommendation in the most cost effective way.
What I'm hearing so far from municipal and community affairs is good news, our internal system is working great, and all it took was some additional training and better efforts at communication. And, anyways, 2023 was a long time ago and we went ahead and fixed everything before we even received the after-action review.
So that response, first, does not seem very credible to the public who felt badly burned, pardon the pun, by the 2023 evacuations and wildfire response. And, secondly, if you look at the text of the report and the rationale for this recommendation, the government hasn't accomplished everything that was intended.
The review says that a proper structure must have its own defined governance to ensure operational independence while still maintaining accountability. The review documents cases of political interference, delays in decision-making, and it's not enough to say, well, don't worry, those days are behind us. The after-action review emphasizes that the current structure is too fragmented, and quote, is not agile enough for large scale, multiple concurrent, or long duration emergencies."
Now the government argues that we do not have the resources to staff an entirely new agency. And I agree, but we don't need to start from scratch. I want to point out also that this is not the only recommendation in the after-action review where there are problems with the government's response. In numerous cases, the government said it agreed or partly agreed but then went on to explain how it doesn't really need to do the recommended action, or it explains what's already happening, but that explanation doesn't actually match what's being recommended.
So, Mr. Speaker, for those reasons, I will be supporting this motion in the hopes that it will lead the government to reflect further on cost effective ways to achieve the functions of a standalone emergency management agency. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. To the motion. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to speak to this motion today. Mr. Speaker, I was perplexed when I both -- I guess from a political perspective and from an operational perspective when the GNWT flatly just rejected this recommendation.
Mr. Speaker, I don't know what the exact answer is. I do know that given the amount of hours we put in as Regular Members and Cabinet on determining how to go about this review, how to move it from an inquiry to an after-action, we collaborated on it, Mr. Speaker, we all had representatives to give us information back as this process went on. So, Mr. Speaker, again, I'm perplexed to say, to just flat out say no. What I would have hoped, you know, as a government and certainly is to come back and say, listen, at least we're going to take this away. We understand what they're saying. We're going to look at staffing, we're going to look at costing, we're going to look at whether or not we can amalgamate some departments as my colleague from Range Lake had said. So, Mr. Speaker, and, again, the proponents that did this review, I mean, they're aware of what we have. And I'm certainly not taking away from the hardworking people that we have throughout this government. And I know a lot of them, and Members in here know a lot of them. And that's not the point. The point is there was a recommendation here that at least needs to be considered, and it needs to be considered, as I said, through costing, through staffing, or how we want to do that, Mr. Speaker.
So I'm not going to reiterate for all the reasons because obviously the Members who spoke previously had already done that. But certainly I would recommend this motion. And, again, I would recommend that the government look at this recommendation a little closer and, indeed, look at how we can make this work for everyone. Thank you.
