Debates of October 31, 2025 (day 72)

October
31
2025
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
72
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay MacDonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 35: Miscellaneous Statutes Law Amendment Act, 2026, Carried
Bill 36: Trespass to Property Act, Carried
Committee Motion 132-20(1): Committee Report 33-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, No. 2 – Rule 7.3 – Written Questions Submission, Carried
Committee Motion 133-20(1): Committee Report 33-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, No. 2 – Guidelines for Written Questions, Carried
Committee Motion 134-20(1): Committee Report 33-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, No. 2 – Daily Order of Business on Thursdays, Carried
Committee Motion 135-20(1): Committee Report 33-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, No. 2 – Sitting after Thanksgiving, Carried
Committee Report 34-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of Motion 56-20(1): Code of Conduct referral to the Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges, Received and Adopted by the Assembly
Member’s Statement 797-20(1): Deh Cho Negotiations Process
Member’s Statement 798-20(1): French Language Education
Member’s Statement 799-20(1): Premier’s Awards Winners
Member’s Statement 800-20(1): Economic Impacts of Federal Budget
Member’s Statement 801-20(1): Reflections on the Sitting
Member’s Statement 802-20(1): Education in the Tlicho Region
Member’s Statement 803-20(1): Ending Daylight Savings Time
Member’s Statement 804-20(1): Halloween Message
Member’s Statement 805-20(1): Celebration of Life for Rolande Norwegian
Minister’s Statement 165-20(1): First Poppy Ceremony
Minister’s Statement 166-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories-Literacy Council Agreement
Minister’s Statement 167-20(1): Update on Non-Government Organizations Sector Support Initiative
Motion 65-20(1): Extended Adjournment of the House to February 4, 2026, Carried
Question 905-20(1): Dehcho Negotiations Process
Question 906-20(1): NOrthwest Territories Nominee Program
Question 907-20(1): Midwifery Services
Question 908-20(1): French-first Language Education Rights
Question 909-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Contracting Process
Question 910-20(1): Supports for Students in Small Communities
Question 911-20(1): Environmental Securities
Question 912-20(1): Building Standards Legislation
Question 913-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Procurement Processes
Question 914-20(1): Animal Welfare and Emergency Management
Question 915-20(1): Environmental Securities
Question 916-20(1): CT Scanner Procurement for Inuvik Hospital
Question 917-20(1): Rayrock Minesite Remediation
Question 918-20(1): Chipsealing of the Inuvik Bypass Road
Question 919-20(1): Government Service Delivery Training
Question 920-20(1): New Housing Allocation for Tlicho Communities
Question 921-20(1): Impacts of Jordan’s Principle Funding Changes
Question 922-20(1): Building Standards Framework
Tabled Document 432-20(1): Statement of Consistency for Bill 34: Trespass to Property Act
Tabled Document 435-20(1): Northwest Territories Hydro and Northwest Territories Power Corporation 2024-2025 Annual Report
Tabled Document 436-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 61-20(1): Remuneration of Essential Staff During an Evacuation
Tabled Document 437-20(1): 2024-2025 Annual Report: Action Plan in Response to the Calls for Justice on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People
Tabled Document 438-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Response to Motion 63-20(1): Creation of an Emergency Management Agency for the Northwest Territories
Written Question 23-20(1): Healthcare Professionals Returning as Locums
Statements

Question 912-20(1): Building Standards Legislation

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.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you. Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, I'm aware of this, and there is a commitment to continue this process; however, obviously, with priorities of the government, things do change and do slow down different lines of work however we know that there's a need for this, and we'll continue to work on it. The Department of Infrastructure, municipal and community affairs, department of housing have been reviewing all the existing regulations, and we're hopefully going to advance some of this here in 2026. And, yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's always nice to try to commit but we all know how we work here in the government, and we get sidetracked with doing other lines of work and our priorities on legislative proposals change. And yeah, so, I mean, at the end of the day, the policies, the legislative work, and all the background's being worked on. Obviously, I should be clear; it's not a current priority but there is work being done to try to move this along as we know that this is an appetite for many Members of this government. So, again, the commitment is to continue to work on this and move it along to try to get this out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.

No, thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Oral questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.