Debates of February 27, 2026 (day 86)

February
27
2026
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
86
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, Mrs. Yakeleya
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 29: First Responders Workers' Compensation Amendment Act.
Bill 45: Civil Forfeiture Act
Committee Motion 139-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation and Planning and Implem...
Committee Motion 141-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation Initiatives Outside the...
Committee Motion 142-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Funding Mechanisms for Inter-Generat...
Committee Motion 143-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation Work not Covered by Pro...
Committee Motion 144-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Comprehensive Action Plan for Dinaga...
Committee Motion 145-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Coordination of Strategy for Advanc...
Committee Motion 146-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Annual Report Commitment in Nature A...
Committee Motion 147-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Hiring for Positions Associated with...
Committee Motion 148-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Response to Auditor General's Recomm...
Committee Motion 149-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Regulations and Policy Instruments f...
Committee Motion 150-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Territorial Protected Areas Regulato...
Committee Motion 151-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Conservation Planning with Partners,...
Committee Motion 152-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Process for Independent Reviews, Car...
Committee Motion 153-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Audit Performance Plan for Deputy Mi...
Committee Motion 154-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1): Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Historic Harms Raised by Indigenous ...
Committee Motion 155-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1) Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Status Update on Action Plan under Se...
Committee Motion 156-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1) Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Funding for Sustained Participation i...
Committee Motion 157-20(1): Committee Report 35-20(1) Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the Auditor General's 2025 Audit of Protected and Conserved Areas in the Northwest Territories - Government Response, Carried
Committee Report 36-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on Bill 29, First Responders Workers' Compensation Amendment Act, Deemed Read, received and Adopted. Government Response REquested, Carried
Follow-up to Oral Question 1007-20(1): Support for Speech and Language Pathologies
Member's Statement 939-20(1): Unsustainable Nurse-to-Patient Ratio in the Northwest Territories
Member's Statement 940-20(1): Norman Wells School
Member's Statement 941-20(1): Northwest Territories Association of Communities Annual General Meeting
Member's Statement 942-20(1): Dental Care
Member's Statement 943-20(1): Still Dead Festival
Member's Statement 944-20(1): Inclusion in Youth Sports
Member's Statement 945-20(1): Addictions and Wellness
Member's Statement 946-20(1): Importance of Dental Therapists
Member's Statement 947-20(1): Economic Effects of Mine Closures
Member's Statement 948-20(1): Importance of Poetry
Member's Statement 949-20(1): Nahanni Butte Housing Projects
Minister's Statement 189-20(1): Northwest Territories Film Industry
Motion 69-20(1): Taking Action on Energy Affordability and Security in the Northwest Territories
Point of Order
Question 1120-20(1): Dental Therapist Program
Question 1121-20(1): Educational and Economic Impacts in Norman Wells
Question 1122-20(1): Improving Dental Services in Small Communities
Question 1123-20(1): Nurse to Patient Ratios
Question 1124-20(1): Economic Impacts of Mine Closures
Question 1125-20(1): Addictions and Wellness Programming
Question 1126-20(1): Power Outages and Reimbursement for Damages
Question 1127-20(1): Closure of Inuvik Learning Centre
Question 1128-20(1): Environmental Remediation Securities
Question 1129-20(1): Capacity of Adult Correctional Facilities
Question 1130-20(1): Public Service Pension Centre Early Retirement Program
Question 1131-20(1): Spending on Contract and Agency Healthcare Staff
Question 1132-20(1): Speech and Language Pathologists
Question 1133-20(1): Safety in Public Housing Units
Question 1134-20(1): Local Consultation
Return to Written Question 26-20(1): Application of Waters Act Provisions to the Sale or Tender of Mining Assets
Tabled Document 482-20(1): Additional Information for Written Question 30-20(1): Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority Action Plans
Statements

Motion 69-20(1): Taking Action on Energy Affordability and Security in the Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, March 2nd, 2026, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Yellowknife Centre, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to establish a Contingency Support Fund to assist Northwest Territories businesses experiencing financial losses due to power outages, including compensation for verifiable outage-related losses and support for preventative measures such as surge protection and continuity planning;.

And further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories expand and revise existing electricity rate subsidies to mitigate the escalating cost of power for both residents and businesses, recognizing the disproportionately high cost of electricity in northern and remote communities;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories direct the Minister responsible to work with utilities, Indigenous governments, and federal partners to create a territorial grid reliability and modernization investment plan to address upgrades to aging transmission and distribution infrastructure and invest in reliable and alternative energy sources to reduce diesel use and long-term costs;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories invest in emerging and proven technologies that reduce power costs, increase system efficiency, and improve grid reliability, including but not limited to community-scale battery energy storage systems and advanced artificial intelligence-based energy management solutions to ensure sustainable, affordable, and resilient energy delivery for all residents;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories respond to this motion in 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.