Good to see everybody this afternoon. Please be seated. [No translation provided].
Good afternoon, Mr. Speaker, Premier Simpson, Ministers, Members of the Legislative Assembly, staff, and visitors in the public gallery. Thank you all for your continued dedication to the people of the Northwest Territories through both your work in the Legislative Assembly and in everything you do each day to support residents across the territory.
When the sitting began, the days were only just starting to stretch a little longer. Now as session concludes, we're enjoying nearly 11 hours of daylight here in Yellowknife. And while the temperatures might tell a different story, spring is on the way. Soon, communities across the NWT will be gathering for spring carnivals and celebrations. I am looking forward to participating in the Muskrat Jamboree and other carnivals taking place in the Beaufort Delta in the coming months.
This is the time of year in the territory that naturally brings a renewed sense of energy and hope with the return of longer days. It's a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with friends and family, take part in community events, and spend meaningful time out on the land. As we look ahead, I simply hope everyone can enjoy everything spring has to offer. Enjoy the brighter days, the gatherings, and the small moments that remind us of the strength and warmth of our communities.
Finally, I would like to congratulate all the athletes that are on their way to Whitehorse for the Arctic Winter Games and thank all the volunteers that have helped the athletes and made these games happen. We are all cheering you on.
Now, as Commissioner of the Northwest Territories, I am pleased to assent to the following bills:
Bill 33, Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act;
Bill 34, Trespass to Property Act;
Bill 35, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2026;
Bill 42, Tlego'hli Got'ine Self-Government Agreement Act;
Bill 43, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 3, 2025-2026;
Bill 47, Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2026-2027.
Quyananni. Hiya. Mahsi cho. Before we conclude that,
Bill 44, Supplementary Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2025-2026.
Quyananni. Hiya. Mahsi cho. Merci beaucoup. Thank you.
Please be seated. I would like to thank the Commissioner, the Honourable Gerald Kisoun, for being here today to assent to our legislation. It is always an honour to have him join us in this chamber. Thank you, Commissioner.
Colleagues, I will be brief because I know we all have things to do and people to see. But I want to take this opportunity to say a few words before we adjourn.
Colleagues, the 2026 Arctic Winter Games will be starting on Sunday, March 8th in Whitehorse, Yukon. I couldn't be more excited. I look forward to attending and showing my support for all our athletes, coaches, and volunteers. This is such a wonderful opportunity for our youth, our athletes. I want to let them all know we are rooting for them. Please join me in wishing Team NWT the best of luck at the games. Let's go, Team NWT.
I would also like to ask you to join me in thanking everybody that made it possible to do our job here. Our staff, contractors, do an incredible job keeping the Assembly running as smoothly as possible, and we couldn't do our job without them.
I want to say a special thanks to our interpreters. February was Indigenous Language Month, and it was wonderful to see our interpreters hear our Indigenous languages each day. Please join me in thanking our interpreters for their hard work and dedication to preserve and strengthen our languages.
Colleagues, I want to extend a special thank you to our pages. I am very proud of our page program which enables us to bring youth from across the territory to join us in this House. The youth are our future, and I believe our page program invests in that future by teaching our youth about our form of consensus government. I am confident that we will see some of them return in the future as staff or perhaps Members of the Legislative Assembly. Please join me in thanking our pages for being here with us and supporting us during this sitting.
Colleagues, while our sitting is ending, I want to remind you of a very exciting upcoming sitting that will take place in our chambers. From April 27th to May 1st, we will be hosting our 2026 Youth Parliament with their model sitting taking place on May 1st. We will host 19 grade 9 and 10 students from across the territory. They will have the opportunity to learn about our style of consensus government and we will take our desks in this chamber to deliver statements and debate motions that matter to them, their peers, and their communities.
Colleagues, I plan on not just attending our Youth Parliament model session, but I will again serve as their Speaker. It is an honour for me to share the chamber with our youth and to have the opportunity to work with them and learn from them.
I would like to take a moment to encourage you to participate as well. If possible, take the time to meet with your youth representatives and please consider giving a few hours of your time to serve our youth parliamentarians. It is a great experience for both Members and youth. They are our future, and we are lucky to have this opportunity to work with them, learn from them, and get to know them.
Colleagues, as you know, the 2025-2026 Electoral Boundary Commission's Final Report has been tabled in this House and has been moved into the Committee of the Whole for future considerations. I know we are all busy with our roles but during the intercession, please, I strongly encourage each of you to take some time to read this important report in preparation for upcoming review in the Committee of the Whole. Not only will I encourage you to read the report carefully, but I also encourage you to take the opportunity to talk to your constituents and leadership. Listen to what they think. The decisions we make in this Assembly impacts all the people of the Northwest Territories, and our consideration of this report is no different. Our review of the electoral boundary report will have a great influence on this institution and all the residents for years to come.
Colleagues, this House is not scheduled to sit until May, but I know we all will be busy with the ongoing work of government and committees. Although we are busy, I want to remind each of you to take some time for yourself and, perhaps even more importantly, spend some time with the people who make it possible for us to be here doing the work we do. Our family and closest friends provide us with so much support, love, and guidance. Please let them know how much you appreciate them as well as the support and encouragement they provide. Let them know how much they are appreciated.
Finally, colleagues, before I adjourn, I want to extend my sincere appreciation -- I know he hates this part -- our acting clerk, as well as all our staff, who have done an amazing job to keep this session going. The past months have not been easy, but they have risen to the occasion and provided us with tremendous support. Please join me in thanking them for all that they do to keep this place running as smoothly as possible. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Orders of the day for Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
Prayer or Reflection
Ministers’ Statements
Members’ Statements
Returns to Oral Questions
Oral Question, 1071-20(1), Cost of Living
Oral Question 1189-20(1), Cemetery Legislation
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Acknowledgements
Oral Questions
Written Questions
Returns to Written Questions
Written Question 32-20(1), Medical Travel Costs, Budget Pressures, and Travel Volumes
Written Question 33-20(1), Medical Travel Delays, Coordination, Communication and Repeat Travel
Written Question 34-20(1), Medical Travel Escort Policies Eligibility and Appeals
Written Question 35-20(1), Cost of Living
Written Question 36-20(1), Senior Envoy
Written Question 37-20(1), Mackenzie Valley Fibre Optic Link
Replies to the Commissioner’s Address
Petitions
Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills
Reports of Standing and Special Committees
Tabling of Documents
Notices of Motion
Motions
Motion 76-20(1), Improving Transparency for Late-Term Direct Appointments
Motion 77-20(1), Establishment of a Comprehensive Territorial Crime Reduction Strategy
Notices of Motion for First Reading of Bills
First Reading of Bills
Second Reading of Bills
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bill 3-20(1), Carbon Tax Repeal Act
Tabled Document 445-20(1), 2025 Review of Members of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly Compensation and Benefits Report
Tabled Document 483-20(1), 2025-2026 Electoral Boundaries Commission Final Report
Report of Committee of the Whole
Third Reading of Bills
Orders of the Day
Thank you, Mr. Clerk. This House stands adjourned until Wednesday, May 27th, 2026, at 1:30 p.m.
---ADJOURNMENT
The House adjourned at 1:25 p.m.
