Mr. Speaker, last year the Department of Justice committed to swiftly introducing public safety legislation that would help residents in the Northwest Territories feel safe in their communities. Today, I am pleased to provide an update about how we have delivered on the 20th Assembly's priority to make residents and communities safer.
We committed to developing three public safety bills and to ensuring that the Trespass to Property Act, Civil Forfeiture Act, and Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, respond to concerns raised by residents. The introduction of the Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods (SCAN) Act this session will mark the introduction of the last of the three public safety bills that the Government of the Northwest Territories committed to developing during this Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, over the last several months I have visited communities across the territory and repeated my commitment to strengthening public safety laws so local enforcement have the tools they need to shut down drug houses and deter crime.
Residents from across the Northwest Territories have consistently highlighted that they know where drug trafficking and other illegal activities are happening in their neighbourhoods, but they do not know how to provide this information to authorities so they can take action.
Mr. Speaker, the RCMP continues to do good work to keep our communities safe but last year I asked the Department to develop and deliver legislation that would outline a complementary civil, complaints-based process to address properties where illegal activities, like drug dealing and trespassing, are occurring.
In the last sitting, we also introduced civil forfeiture legislation in this House because we need more tools to disrupt the flow of money linked to criminal activity. The purpose of civil forfeiture is three-fold:
Prevent people engaged in unlawful activity from profiting off it;
Reduce the likelihood that people will engage in crime; and
Recover money gained from or instruments used to commit crime.
Mr. Speaker, I want crime to be unprofitable in this territory. Following successful forfeiture proceedings, the GNWT may receive refunds for costs incurred during the proceedings, compensate eligible victims, and support initiatives or institutions that make communities safer.
The Trespass to Property Act, which received assent in this House on March 6, 2026, makes it illegal to trespass on private property and sets penalties for anyone who does. It outlines how people should be notified to stay off certain lands and when law enforcement can make an arrest. If landowners or occupants suffer losses in certain situations, the Act simplifies the process of recovering money.
Mr. Speaker, I recognize that legislation and enforcement alone cannot address the root causes of crime, which we know include other challenges like low income, addictions, lack of housing, mental health problems, and the legacy of residential schools. These root causes require long-term and collaborative trauma-informed solutions. While the GNWT continues to make progress on those solutions, we need action now to help address the rising drug-related deaths and crime linked to the drug trade.
Mr. Speaker, our public safety legislation, and especially these three bills that we have developed, will help enable the Department of Justice to act through civil processes, providing more avenues to disrupt harmful and unlawful activity. We need more ways for the territory to step in when illegal activities harm residents or make them feel unsafe.
There is no one answer. Drug use and crime are complex issues, requiring a range of programs and services coordinated across all levels of government to solve. However, public safety legislation is a key tool we have right now that we know will make our communities safer. That is why this has been a priority for me as Minister of Justice, and this is why I am pleased to report that the GNWT has now successfully delivered on our commitment to bring these three bills forward within a year, providing a suite of public safety legislation that supports safe communities for Northerners. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Justice. Ministers' statements. Minister of ECE.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Ministers' Statements. Minister responsible for WSCC.
Mr. Speaker, workers' rights are the cornerstone of safe and healthy workplaces. Across Canada, workers have three fundamental rights:
The right to know how to do their job safely;
The right to participate in making their workplace safer; and, of course,
The right to refuse any work that feels unsafe.
These rights are important because they empower workers to speak up, ask questions, and take an active role in preventing injuries and illnesses. Strong workplace safety depends on employers and workers working together to normalize daily conversations about safety, identifying hazards, share concerns, and build a culture where everybody understands their role in creating a safer workplaces.
Earlier, from May 4 to 9th, was Safety and Health Week and it provide an important opportunity to raise awareness about injury prevention and the responsibility we all share for workplace safety. As part of this effort, WSCC's Work Safely: It's Everybody's Job campaign helped bring the message of workers' rights to communities across the North.
The campaign features materials created by northern artists that depicts recognizable northern workplace scenarios and how these rights are put into practice. Campaign materials are available in the 11 official languages of the Northwest Territories. More than 500 employers received digital or printed resources to support discussions and awareness activities related to workplace safety and health.
While Safety and Health Week provides an important focal point, the conversation about workers' rights continue throughout the year. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for WSCC. Ministers' Statements. Mr. Premier.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes will be absent from the House today for a personal matter. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, the latest research on children and teen health shows that the greatest dangers to children do not lie out there in the real world. It's inside, the thing that they keep close by them 24/7, the cell phone that connects and addicts them to the virtual world. We think we're making children safer by giving them cell phones. We can track them, we can text and call them any time. We forget that children are much more likely to be taken advantage of by criminals or predators in the online world rather than the communities they live in.
When the smartphone became available 15 years ago, youth started being online and on social media for hours a day, for some almost constantly. Kids are not able to learn self-control since research shows this is rewiring their brains during their most vulnerable stages of brain development. They become physically addicted to their phones. There's been a huge rise in attention disorders, major depressive episodes in teens, emergency room visits for self-harm, and antisocial or violent outbursts.
Now, kids may believe that having a smartphone and a social media account is the only way to have friends, and parents of course want to help them fit in, but online conversations block development of the real social skills kids need to thrive. It leaves them vulnerable to cyberbullying with no escape. Many even believe that ChatGPT is their truest friend because it tells them what they want to hear.
Jonathan Haidt is the author of The Anxious Generation, How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. One of his recommendations is phone-free schools, including high school. Many schools in the NWT have cell phone policies of some kind by now, but these need to be consistent across schools, strict and enforceable. We can't just forbid phone use during class time, and we can't expect teachers to be full-time phone police. They're already stretched to their limits, and it's unproductive and sometimes dangerous for them to be wrestling phones out of kids' hands every day.
So a thought to leave you with, the elite private schools where tech CEOs send their own children often prohibit all personal digital devices, including phones and tablets. They know the products they make are harmful to youth so it's time we protect our children, too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife North. Members' statements. Member from Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to send birthday greetings out to two influential ladies in my life.
First of all, I would like to send a special happy 9th birthday greetings out to my granddaughter Shamron Kila for May 30th. Shamron is growing into a nice young lady and is enjoying life in Aklavik. Happy birthday, my girl, and I hope that you enjoy your trip to Edmonton and I will see you once you return.
Mr. Speaker, my Auntie Mary Eppie Snowshoe turned 88 years young on May 29th, 2026. My Auntie Mary Eppie is still active within the community, the region, and the territory, sharing her traditional knowledge. She continues to help out in the community whenever she is asked to share her expertise. My Auntie Mary is not slowing down, and you can see her walking at a fast pace on a daily basis. Happy birthday, Auntie, and I wish you many more productive years ahead.
I would like to ask all Members to join me in wishing these two remarkable ladies a happy belated birthday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Mackenzie Delta. Members' statements. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, uncertainty is the enemy of secured growth and benefits. When communities and businesses cannot clearly see the path to participation, even the most promising infrastructure projects remain just that, promises on paper.
Mr. Speaker, the Mackenzie Valley Highway represents transformational opportunity for the Sahtu and the entire Northwest Territories. A major project boost or an economic tsunami is upon us.
Mr. Speaker, 70 percent of the MVH right-of-way will pass through the Sahtu. The total budget, estimated at $4.2 billion, potentially, will pass alongside three small communities within walking distance. But without access to capital, is opportunity denied? Today, I want to speak specifically about the Mackenzie Valley Highway readiness and it is -- and it relates to the venture capital grants, contribution, loans, and guarantees for stakeholders.
Mr. Speaker, our businesses want to participate, our community corporations want to build capacity, our entrepreneurs are ready to invest, but they need certainty and information. They need transparent access to financing options that will allow them to scale up higher locally and to position themselves as a competitive partner or partners in the nation building project. But readiness cannot be abstract concept. Readiness means our local contractors know where to access bridge financing. Readiness means our Sahtu businesses understand the application process for federal and territorial grants. Readiness means clear timelines, guidelines, transparent criteria, and dedicated support to navigate capital access.
The Mackenzie Valley Highway will only deliver on its promises if we eliminate the uncertainty that prevents local stakeholders from seizing the opportunity it creates. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Mahsi.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, colleagues. Mr. Speaker, strategic potential must translate into tangible community benefits, jobs, contracts, and long-term economic growth rooted in the region. Mr. Speaker, that transformation begins with financial clarity. It begins with removing uncertainty, and it begins with ensuring our people have tools, information, and access they need to participate fully in this coming future. Mahsi.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Members' statements. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, whenever we gather in this House, I raise the cost of living pressures facing my constituents. They are looking to this Assembly for action and for my people in Lutselk'e, that means a serious examination of winter road access between their community and Yellowknife. Yet year after year, their voices are ignored. This call to action has only become more urgent. Costs continue to rise as tariffs and fuel prices hit our small communities the hardest. And by leaving practical options for relief on the table, this government effectively telling my constituents they must continue to bear the brunt of the affordability crisis regardless how severe it becomes. And Lutselk'e, Mr. Speaker, receives fuel twice a year and the community of Lutselk'e will pay the high price for the one year.
But this is no longer just a cost of living issue. Across Canada, governments are focused on supply chain resilience, economic security, and Arctic sovereignty. Yet, the lack of interest in connecting Lutselk'e to our northern transportation network shows these priorities are not applied consistently, leaving my communities on the outside this nation building agenda despite our land and resources being positioned as the foundation of Canada's future growth.
Lutselk'e is the gateway to Thaidene National Park, one of Canada's most significant protected areas. Improved winter road access would reduce supply chains, lower costs, and help the community capture economic opportunity in guiding, outfitting, cultural tourism, and local business. An interest in the eastern region of Great Slave Lake grows, including documented mineral potential. There is a need for early structure planning so that we are proactive rather than reactive. Early stage of study would work, ensure that the community can assess and engage with future opportunities on its own terms with proper information from the onset. This is the kind of nation building infrastructure that should be prioritized across the North, especially now that affordability has been recognized as central to prosperity, security. Yet, the Minister, I brought this forward, and it was refused to do the study and then the absence of evidence and reasons for this inaction, all the while the costs of living prices worsen in my community. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
---Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Members. Thank you, colleagues. This is why I am calling on the government to meet with the chief and council of Lutselk'e to talk about the potential commitment to do a PE feasibility study for the winter road to Lutselk'e in the fall business planning session. I ask the Minister -- I will have questions for the Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Members' statements. Member from the Deh Cho.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week, I recognized the Youth Parliament MLA for the Deh Cho who spoke about the cost of living. When a young person comes into this House and speaks about families in her community struggling to put food on the table, it should set off alarm bells. Children and youth should not have to worry about adult problems but in too many homes, they do. They hear the conversations at the table, they see the stress when bills come in and groceries have to be stretched as far as they can go.
Mr. Speaker, the most recent data shows that 33.4 percent of Deh Cho households were worried about not having enough money for food. That was before the latest pressures from the global economy. Fuel is part of that pressure. In the Deh Cho, gas and home heating fuels are not luxuries. They are basic costs of living. People need fuel to get to work and keep their homes warm in the winter.
Government cannot sit back while parents are stretched to the breaking point and children are growing up around that stress. Fuel relief should be on the tables, including reducing or suspending the NWT gas tax.
Mr. Speaker, people need to see a government that understands the urgency and is willing to act, not another explanation of why prices are rising or why global forces are outside our control. When one in three households are worried about having enough money for food, that is not normal. That is not acceptable. And when children are noticing it, the situation is severe. I will have questions for the Minister of Finance at the appropriate time. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. Members' statements. Member from Inuvik Boot Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the 29 graduates of East Three Secondary School in Inuvik, another very successful year. Some of these graduates will be coming out of there bilingual, Mr. Speaker, which, unfortunately, as I've stated in my Member's statements earlier on, may not be the case next year unless, of course, our government acts on that and corrects the French immersion situation in Inuvik.
Having said that, I am very proud of these individuals. I know most of these kids myself, and I am happy to read their names out today. And I apologize, I will do my best to ensure I do it correctly. So without further adieu:
Ahmed Altaher
Alex Binder
Dimitri Blythe
C.J. Bonnetplume
Alvin Christian
Jesabell Day
Descartes Dulay
Isabelle Esau
Maribella Gingras
Whitney Kasook
Jonathan Kunnizzie
Jaxon Brodhagen
Winnie Lennie
Nathalie Lindsay
Paige Loreen
Madden MaNeil
Gabrielle McLeod
Tye Ovayuak
Kailene Peterson
Fox Reardon
Kelleigh Ruben
Bernadette Rusit
Hilary Savoie
Deeandra Smith-Benoit
Brooke Smith
Angelina Wainman
Kalena Wainman
Reese Wainman, and
Owen Whynot
Congratulations to all the graduates this year from the East Three Secondary School in Inuvik. We're proud of you, and good luck. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Inuvik Boot Lake. Members' statements. Member from Frame Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on March 3rd of the last sitting, I raised concerns about the fact that over the past several assemblies, legislative timelines have gotten longer and longer, citing a number of examples I won't repeat again today. One factor was common among the examples I cited. They were all legislation subject to co-drafting at the Intergovernmental Council table under the legislative development protocol. Considering the significant role the intergovernmental agreement is playing in development of much of our significant legislation, you would think this would be a process which receives a fair amount of public scrutiny and input; however, the opposite is true. The legislation in question is often of significant interest to the public and Assembly, but the process happens behind closed doors without accountability to the public or the Assembly for extensive timelines which are hampering our government from bringing forward important changes being requested by various stakeholders, including in some cases, Indigenous governments themselves. For these reasons, I and my colleagues asked a number of questions of the Premier in the last sitting about the seven-year review of the intergovernmental agreement. In response, the Premier tabled the RFP for the seven-year review, and I am disappointed to note no public input, or even input of MLAs, is included in the RFP. The Premier's follow-up response to my oral question does state that MLA input will be sought and given to the internal committee considering the contractor's report, but not by the contractor producing the report. I also note that the concern I have raised about process timelines is not explicitly included in the terms of reference for the contract.
Mr. Speaker, I have several concerns about the terms of reference as written.
First is that if MLA input is considered beside the report as opposed to contributing to its contents, it is much less likely to have influence over outcomes.
Secondly, in talking to different people involved in the IGC process, it has been pointed out to me that there is potential for significant change to how it works. It could, for example, be stood up as an independent institution and properly funded to ensure timeliness of legislative development. It could receive more public scrutiny or even be subject to timelines, just as the committees of the legislature are. I do not see potential for this kind of significant change in the RFP as drafted and, therefore, Mr. Speaker, I am concerned. I will have questions for the Premier at the appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Frame Lake. Members' statements. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was a beautiful weekend here in Yellowknife, and I am sure across the whole Northwest Territories. I'd like to point out that today is the first day of June. The long winter is behind us and when the snow melts and the landscape starts to turn a lush green, we don't just notice summer in the North, we cherish it. And with that shift in season comes a shift in all of us, a shift towards community, towards the outdoors, and towards the events that bring our communities together to enjoy in the warm weather. And what is summer without the greatest of all northern events?
Of course, I am speaking about the return of Folk on the Rocks, which will take place July 17th to 19th at the Folk on the Rocks site along Highway No. 3. Folk on the Rocks is one of the most unique music festivals in the country, an event set against the backdrop of our northern lakes and rocky shores under the long northern daylight where the sun carries through the still air and out across the community. And on those quiet nights when everything is still, you can hear the music and feel the energy in the neighbourhoods kilometres away.
We are all so proud of Folk on the Rocks because it showcases local northern talent alongside artists from across Canada and the entire world with a lineup that reflects both our community and our connections to the wider world, bringing together Indigenous artists, emerging musicians, and well-established performers on the same stage offering audiences a chance to experience music shaped by place, culture, and diversity. In that way, it's not just a festival. It's a shared cultural moment that could only exist here in the NWT, and it endures because it is a part of who we are as a people and reflects back at us the creative, inspiring, collective spirit of all of us.
I look forward to seeing many friends and guests from far and wide this summer as we celebrate music, community, and the spirit of the North. Hope to see you at Folk on the Rocks, Mr. Speaker. Happy summer to everyone. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. Members' statements. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, across all the Northwest Territories, families are watching their loved ones disappear into addictions. Too often, help comes too late. When families seek support, they are often pointed towards health centres or treatment applications. Treatment can save lives, but in a crisis timing matters. When someone is at a serious risk, family needs a pathway to intervene before the crisis becomes a tragedy.
Mr. Speaker, I was young once and I faced addiction personally. I am not ashamed to say that treatment was a big part of my recovery but I could not have made it to treatment alone. I had people around me who stepped in while I still had a choice, and I will always be grateful to those friends and colleagues. But not everyone is so fortunate, Mr. Speaker. When someone is overwhelmed by addiction, accepting help is not always a simple choice. That does not mean they are a lost cause. It means the response must match the seriousness of the crisis.
Mr. Speaker, in 2024 the NWT coroner's office reported 12 drug-related deaths. For a territory of our size, that is unacceptable. Our response needs to be stronger. Other jurisdictions, including Alberta and Saskatchewan, have moved towards stronger intervention measures. As our understanding of addiction changes, the NWT strategy must change with it. We need a crisis response that can act immediately. We need safe withdrawal spaces for people who cannot manage that process at home. We need treatment to happen faster, and we need aftercare that does not end when someone leaves a facility.
Mr. Speaker, I know she is not here, but I will have questions for Minister of Health and Social Services at appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Similar to my colleague earlier today, I wanted to talk about the struggles some of the schools and school boards are managing with, which is the personal devices that some students have, Mr. Speaker. In today's learning environment, it helps for folks to have consistent learning but learning no matter what.
Mr. Speaker, the challenge really here is governments across the country are looking at these handheld personal devices in schools and trying to figure out how to limit and manage them, and some of them have even gone so far as banning them. Mr. Speaker, I am not sure what the right decision is, but I will have a recommendation later in my Member's statement.
But the most obvious portion here is that -- or issue here we must have engaged learning that focuses for students to create that environment, and personal devices cause challenges. We could spend time in my statement talking about safety and bullying and harmful effects of these types of devices, including pathway changes it has on the young person's brain, but that's already been said and it's a fact that's been said by hundreds of people and experts in the world here, so I don't need to double down on what they've already found to be true.
Mr. Speaker, the important balance here is that we must also find balance by instead of coming with a restricted, heavy-handed risk policy, we must find ways to ensure that the young people do not resent and rebel. We are trying to look after their best interests over the long haul by fostering an environment of learning, not isolation, Mr. Speaker.
It's a complex issue, and I guarantee you there's no one size fits all, Mr. Speaker, so this is where I am thinking we have an opportunity. The Minister of education could consider an advisory panel to provide some ideas on how to approach this challenge. It's not just our challenge, it's also our young person's challenge, Mr. Speaker.
Personal devices are wonderful. They're fun, they're exciting. But the fact is, if it takes you away from learning, that is the question. So who could be on this advisory panel? Mr. Speaker, I can think of hundreds of former educators. They could be educator warriors who want to continue to give back to the system, who have retired, who've not only seen it all, but have been through it all, Mr. Speaker. They would have great advice to provide the Minister. And guess what? We could do something maybe school boards can't, take and shoulder the blame when the young people are upset that there's a crisis of no personal device in their hand.
Mr. Speaker, the important part is technology is changing and advancing at historic rates in ways that we may never be able to keep up with. But we must do our best. We must keep our young people interactive. I want to finish by pointing out something, Mr. Speaker.
Critical thinking, organic, and interactive learning should never be replaced by clever AI prompts, Mr. Speaker, because students lose the ability of critical thinking and formulating arguments.
Lastly, Mr. Speaker, I will table a draft motion here later today. We don't have time to debate it but hopefully this will create a conversation about the overall subject in the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Yellowknife Centre. Members' statements. Member from Hay River South.
Mr. Speaker, since our last session, it's been a busy time in Hay River, and I would like to highlight a few of our awesome events.
With the extended cold winter, the NWT Polar Pond tournament had excellent ice conditions in order for me to graciously glide across the ice. And once again, this event was a huge success. Funds that were raised are going back to the community and the recreation departments.
In April, the Hay River Parent Action Committee hosted an auction for education and community spirit awards. I would like to congratulate the following people:
Tristan Sanquez - Youth Volunteer Award
Tim Borchuk - Senior Volunteer Award
Hay River Museum Society - Community Spirit Award
Hay River Home Hardware - Good Business Award
Russel & Spencer King - Rec Walk Hall of Fame Award
And our citizen of the year Cheryl McMeekin.
Thanks to the Parent Action Committee for hosting such a successful event that raised over $25,000 for our schools.
On May 23rd, it was an honour to be the master of ceremonies at our RCMP regimental ball, guiding UNITE in the formal tradition, celebrating the dedication of our Members in Hay River and to the North. From the sharp look of the red surge and moving toasts and celebrating the hard work of our members, it was a privilege to be involved in such a great event and help create a memory of the celebration of their service.
This past weekend, I was able to go home and partake in the Hay River Annual Lobster Do. It's a good opportunity for everyone to go out after a long winter and enjoy some community spirit, serving over 450 people, money raised, or helping various organizations in the community.
And coming up this week, June 3rd to 5th, in Hay River, the NWT Track and Field Championship. Sadly, I am not participating because I am here. It is expected that more than 1100 athletes are going to attend this year, and I just want to wish best of luck to all the participants.
And once again, thanks to all the volunteers who make these events possible. This is what community spirit truly is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Hay River South. Members' statements. Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the month of June is, in large part across Turtle Island, in addition to Indigenous History Month, the Month of Pride. I have said that Pride is a protest and learning more about queer history is essential to understanding our fellow Northerners who are living their authentic life.
June 28th to July 3rd marks the 57th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City, which is the birthplace of the modern fight for queer liberation. Those riots were led by a trans woman, notably the black trans queen Marsha P. Johnson.
Today I'd like to share some words from Alok Vaid-Menon, a celebrated non-binary writer and performer: Quote, I am really informed by a thinker named Richard Rohr who says that we all have a true self and a false self, and the work of being alive is to revive the true self that we've had to submerge to please the people around us. When people see trans people, they're threatened because we're introducing a language on authenticity that holds up a mirror where they have to ask themselves, who would I be beyond what I've been told I should be? So the lie doesn't have to be conscious. It's a sense of self-betrayal, of having to mold yourself into the image of what other people want versus what you want. So much of what challenges people about transness is the clarity and precision of saying, you get to change your mind and you get to give birth to yourself. End quote.
Mr. Speaker, saying love is love is not enough if not paired with action and accountability. I am proud of this government and this Assembly for continuing positive progress in this regard. And, Mr. Speaker, I encourage all of us to celebrate our fellow Northerners living their authentic, proud, bold, and beautiful lives at Pride events across the territory this summer. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Members' statements.
