Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I thank the Minister for that. And she kind of answered a little of my last question which would be has the department now reached out to, certainly in the areas where the Indigenous governments are very much involved in adult learning, have their own programs running through, and has the department now kind of looked to -- and I know the department works with Indigenous governments to expand that given that there's likely going to be a gap here that needs to be filled. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. And I apologize if -- I believe it was asked; I'm not sure if it was answered. But given that the Aurora College now will be closing down, or intends on closing down, the early learning centres, is the department of education and culture now going to pivot, pull that funding back in, and then continue those programs through ECE?

Thank you, and I thank the Minister for that, and I think it's amazing that the president has been up there, can see for herself what's happening up there. And, Mr. Speaker, this is no way a slight on the property owner or the developer up there. We're happy to have that building in our community.

I guess my next question is, then, so will the Minister commit to looking at putting these -- I know in some units, particularly in Yellowknife, I know in some apartment buildings they have security in there because we're dealing with a building where the door is often wide open, where there's things...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the ongoing drug issue in our territory. And I know my colleagues have mentioned it several times since this House has been elected, as well as the Premier alluded to it in his address.

Mr. Speaker, I want to speak specifically to Inuvik and to one issue. We have one apartment building up there. It's quite a large apartment building -- it's three floors, I think it has somewhere around 60 units -- and every week I get at least, at minimal two, sometimes every day, e-mails, texts, phone calls, often videos, not only of the drug...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, following up on my Member's statement, advancing land devolution to our communities, my questions are for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Minister, would you commit to working with communities to begin the process of transferring authority over all territorial and Commissioner's lands within community boundaries ensuring they have full control and decision-making powers over those lands? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. And I understand that, you know, some of -- I know at least one community has put forward a request to have a transfer of lands. And I guess what we're talking about is transferring -- and I understand there's survey work will be required to be done there, but transferring as one block. And I guess what I'm looking for is can the Minister kind of commit to kind of a clear timeline to developing kind of an action plan to transfer these controls, and is that being worked on right now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the devolution of lands and resources from the federal government to the Government of the Northwest Territories was a historic step in strengthening our ability to manage our own land and chart our own economic future. However, the work is not yet complete. Now is the time to take the next step in devolution, one that brings land management decisions closer to the people most affected by them.

Mr. Speaker, our communities are the backbone of the North. They are where families grow, where businesses develop, and where our culture thrives, yet many...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. And, you know, and I appreciate that and, as the Minister's aware, there is a cost oftentimes, particularly for smaller communities when they're looking to transfer this land, if there's any survey work that is required to be done. But will the Minister commit, as part of their engagement plan with communities through outreach, to look at covering some of that cost or assisting with that cost to get this land surveyed so it can be transferred? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize and, more importantly, thank Sheila Nasogaluak, my constituency assistant from Inuvik. Thank you.