Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Finance said yesterday, very, very wonderfully in her statement, about we only have so many people doing so many jobs and so we have a lot of things going on in the department right now, and a lot of that work was to do with budget negotiations and the ongoing work and as well as these -- all of the questions that come in from all of the Members, as soon as my office receives those answers, I will be forwarding them on. When my office receives answers from the department or from NTHSSA or from TCSA or from Hay River, they are vetted through my office as soon as we get them. I do not hang onto them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, these are very simple, uncomplicated questions. They're not tied up with hypotheticals or trickiness. They are honest and genuine questions.
Mr. Speaker, is the Minister suggesting that the department is incapable to responding in a timely way to Members?
Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, there are many things. They also ask for a three-year full cost breakdown. That would have to go back to our finance people that are working currently on a lot of other things for this sitting. And so as those things -- they are -- you know, we prioritize them as they come in. And so all of the pieces of the questions might not be to the same person. So as we get the answers to my office, I will respond to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to my Member's statement, my questions are directed to the Premier.
With several jurisdictions across North America reviewing or moving towards permanent standard time, should the Northwest Territories also examine whether maintaining daily savings time remains in the best interests of the residents of the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Mr. Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the question. In 2022, the Government of the Northwest Territories put out a survey about ending time change. I think it's probably the most popular survey we've ever put out. There was about 3,000 responses in two days. 87 percent of the people who responded are in favour of ending seasonal time change. The reason that we haven't done it yet is because we are so closely tied to Alberta that we want to ensure that we can maintain the same time as them because we have lots of medical appointments, we do lots of business with Alberta, there's flights, all of those things. And we don't want to cause any problems. It's also a big issue -- it's also a lot of work to end time change. You have to contact Google and Microsoft and Apple, and you're on the phone talking to these companies trying to get it done. And we've learned from our friends in the Yukon that it is quite an ordeal to do it alone. And so I was very encouraged when British Columbia ended, and I was very encouraged when Premier Smith noted that they're doing some consultation to look at ending time change, and I let her know that as soon as Alberta ends time change we'll be right there with them, and we're ready to go. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the research linking time changes to disruption in sleep, workplace safety, and overall well-being, why should residents continue to experience these impacts if the benefits are uncertain? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel certain there's no benefits to changing our clocks twice a year. It's a strange ritual that we've all gotten into, and I am anxious to get out of it. And, you know, it's a valid point, why are we still doing it. And it is because it's an ordeal to end time change. I believe the Yukon spent a significant amount of money and spent a significant amount of time working through those efforts. And so there's that reason, and then the reason because we are so closely tied to Alberta. But if Alberta moves, we are ready to go. We have legislation in place where the Minister of Justice just needs to basically snap his fingers and changes will be made, and legally we will have ended time change. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
thank you, Premier. Final supplementary. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Considering the extreme seasonal daylight variations in the Northwest Territories, what practical benefits does adjusting clocks actually provide for northern communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The only practical benefit I can see is being in alignment with Alberta as a jurisdiction where we have lots of medical travel and we do lots of trade with. Other than that, I don't see any benefit. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Oral questions. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was interested to note the release of the 10-year report on the Health Information Act, and I am a bit concerned about some of the recommendations that have come out of it and I am curious if the health Minister has an overarching response. We haven't really seen a response from the government yet to this report, so I am wondering if the Minister has any reflections to share at this time about the report. Thank you. Health Minister.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as that report has just publicly been released, I had a high-level look at it and, yes, into the recommendations. And what I can say at this point is that a lot of the recommendations, this government -- this was a new -- when it was introduced, it was the first time, and then there was a 10-year review. What we've learned over the years has been highlighted in this report. You know, as we tried to work as one government, there are many -- when we look at integrated case management, there becomes areas of that area when we're trying to do statistics. You know, our legislation has been, let's say, you know, is there to protect the information of health but many users of the system now, as government and even residents, are finding that it sometimes is a little too strict so that it's not allowing for us to do certain things. So there are pieces in that and we'll continue to analyze that. And as this report goes -- as we delve into this report, then we can respond to those recommendations. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one recommendation in the report or issue raised is that of snooping, Mr. Speaker. I've spoken with constituents about this. It is an extremely violating experience for people when something like that happens.
Mr. Speaker, is the Minister committed to investigating -- strengthening our Health Information Act to establish a snooping law, as noted in the Cabin Radio article on this subject today? Mr. Speaker, are we looking into addressing the serious issue of snooping more seriously in the Health Information Act? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, since I've become the Minister, and somebody who's worked in the health system for many, many years, yes, when people access health care and the confidentiality of their health records is probably one of the most important documents that we need to ensure that we can show public trust, that this kind of a document within our hands is protected. That means protected to be utilized for the purposes that it's intended to. And when people in our system breach that trust, that creates -- and, you know, it creates a distrust in our whole system, and it could impact patient care. And so, yes, I do believe that there are pieces in our legislation that could, you know, fine and do those types of things to -- within the snooping. But what I can say at this point is that we will take that back as a government. We will make those decisions once we have those recommendations put forward. But I do agree that we need to make sure that people know that this is not okay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Final supplementary. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We didn't quite get to a commitment there. But I will just say, Mr. Speaker, that I strongly encourage the Minister to establish and strengthen snooping -- I am at a loss for the words but punishments in the Act, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, several other issues were raised in the report. The fact that we do not currently have a patient portal and are unable to support one --
(Audio).
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister speak to the lack of a patient portal and the fact that our Health Information Act can't keep up with the territory's service integration push and how the Minister is going to address those issues. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the reason why we do not have a patient portal -- and it speaks to this in the report -- is that our electronic health record is -- as we've said many times, as I've said many times in this House, that it's not -- it's old. It can't do any new things, new shiny things. And so we need a new shiny thing so that we can get a patient portal. And that is what we're working towards, and we're hoping to be able to have this RFP released soon. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Health and Social Services. Oral questions. Colleagues, being in recognition of the time, we're going to take a brief break.
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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise with pleasure. I have 23 written questions today -- I'm kidding; I have three. It's nice to see people are paying attention.
So, Mr. Speaker, my first written question today is regarding the Mackenzie Valley Fiber Optic Line.
Mr. Speaker, there are concerns that the Mackenize Valley Fiber Link (MVFL) is not building capacity and growing the economy as required. My questions are for the Minister responsible for Strategic Energy, Infrastructure and Supply Chains:
There are concerns that the Mackenize Valley fiber link (MVFL) is not building capacity and growing the economy as required. My questions are for the Minister responsible for Strategic Energy, Infrastructure and Supply Chains:
How much is Northern Lights Consortium and Northwester being paid by the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) to manage the MVFL through "partnership" arrangements broken down by project phases and the lifespan of the assets, and, furthermore, please provide a copy of the management agreement between all parties and the GNWT.
To confirm the status of the MVFL and a non-revenue generating asset, how many business and personal customers are currently accessing the MVFL, along with a breakdown of the financial costs of that access?
The MVFL was installed with Inuvik as the anchor tenant and the communities along the route to be hooked up to the fiber line. When will the communities be connected to fiber optic line, providing the planned schedule of implementation by community, including all associated costs?
The MVFL is one of the most important economic assets in the Northwest Territories. What is the total amount of revenue leakage of the MVFL to other provinces and territories to date, and projected for the remaining term of the "partnership" arrangement; and finally,
What is the costed analysis of the economic impact of similar major digital infrastructure in other provinces and territories to their economies.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's the first question.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My second written question is with respect to cost of living.
Mr. Speaker, Northerners across the territory continue to face growing and persistent pressures from the high cost of fuel, food, housing, and other essential goods and services, challenges that are especially acute in remote and small communities where supply chains are limited and affordability options are few. My questions are for the Premier:
Can a list of programs and services be provided that support lowering the cost of living across departments?
What immediate, short-term affordability measures are the government prepared to implement now to help Northerners facing high fuel, food, and housing costs?
How is the Government measuring progress on its cost-of-living strategy across departments, and what specific performance indicators, targets, and timelines are being used to demonstrate measurable reductions in fuel, food, and housing costs for residents?
What mechanisms are in place to co-develop affordability measures with Indigenous governments, community governments, and local non-governmental organizations, and how will community input concretely shape program design, eligibility, and delivery in small and remote communities?
What steps is the Government taking to harmonize eligibility rules, application processes, and payment schedules across affordability programs such as energy rebates, housing supports, and income assistance, to reduce administrative burden on residents and prevent benefit overlaps?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Yellowknife Centre. Written questions. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
And, finally, Mr. Speaker, one of my most favourite subjects I would like to raise here, the senior envoy.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has appointed a senior envoy to the Government of Canada to strengthen intergovernmental relations and advance territorial priorities, they say. My questions are for the Premier:
Can the Premier provide a month-by-month breakdown of all individuals and organizations the Senior Envoy has met with in the calendar year 2025, identifying the names and positions of those met, along with the dates, locations, and purposes of each meeting or engagement?
Can the Premier provide a detailed monthly breakdown of all expenses incurred by the Senior Envoy in the past year, including per diems, travel expenses, hospitality costs, and all other reimbursed or claimed expenditures?
Can the Premier identify, on a month-by-month basis for the past year, the results or outcomes that can be directly attributed to the Senior Envoy's advocacy on behalf of the Government of the Northwest Territories, including any federal decisions, funding, commitments, or policy changes achieved during that period.
And final question, Mr. Speaker.
Can the Premier provide the Senior Envoy's annual work plan for the past year which includes a summary of the Senior Envoy's work initiatives, including the objectives, assigned tasks, timelines, and any progress or performance assessments completed during each month?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following documents: United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous peoples Action Plan committee report -- Action Plan Report March 2026. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Premier. Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Government of the Northwest Territories Summary of Commitments to Enhance the 2026-2027 Main Estimates. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Finance. Tabling of documents. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the Plain Language Summary for Bill 46, Prevention of Proceedings that Hamper Expression on Matters of Public Interest Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the Statement of Consistency for Bill 46, Prevention of Proceedings that Hamper Expression on Matters of Public Interest Act. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Tabling of documents. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
No, Mr. Speaker. I was raising --
Member for Yellowknife North.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the Updated Guiding Principles and Process Conventions of consensus Government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
