Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. And, yes, oftentimes people have complaints and they'll bring them to their MLA or they'll bring them to their community leadership but have an opportunity to bring them to a website or an email like the email said, and unfortunately, don't do that. So we need to find a way to be a little more proactive.

Having said that, Mr. Speaker, does the Minister know how many files or how many policies have been reviewed based on the information that has been collected by the red tape review? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to draw attention to the difficulty small businesses encounter when dealing with the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, owning and operating a small business in this the Northwest Territories is no easy feat. Overhead costs are high, there are extreme labour shortages, and ongoing recovery from disasters such as the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change impacts are very real scenarios. With these challenges, what these small businesses can do without is administrative burden that impedes their entrepreneurship.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that the chair rise and report progress.

I move that the committee defer further consideration of the capital estimates for the Department of Finance at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Oversight, Mr. Speaker, not a mistake. Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member from Range Lake, that Committee Report 15-20(1), Report on Committee's Statement on the Housing and Health Care Crises in the Northwest Territories, be received by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight, later today I will read a report in the House that shares our observations and serious concerns regarding the crisis conditions that have developed in the delivery of health care and social services and the lack of affordability and availability of housing stocks across the territory. In response, we are calling for an immediate course correction and meaningful intervention by the government to address these unsustainable issues.

Mr. Speaker, committee acknowledges the capital budget is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of the capital estimates for the Department of Justice at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the committee would like to consider Tabled Document Capital Estimates 2024-2025, Department of Finance and Department of Justice. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Your Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight is pleased to provide its Report on the Committee's Statement on the Housing and Healthcare Crises in the Northwest Territories and commends it to the House.

Mr. Speaker, this report sets out the accountability and oversight committee's concerns and call for urgent government intervention regarding the crises conditions that have developed in the delivery of health care and social services and affordability and availability of housing across the Northwest Territories. Through correspondence before the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, yes, I thank the Minister for that clarification, and I had understood that was kind of a priority of the 19th Assembly. I'm glad to hear it's still at least 20 beds, not the 48 that we had originally wanted, but certainly I'm glad to hear that it's progressing.

Is there still an appetite, then, Mr. Speaker, for this government to consider working with the Indigenous governments on either through procurement, either having them design and build this facility and lease it back to the government or at least -- I guess least of all build this facility through the...