Kate Reid

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide some history behind the reason that we celebrate Pink Shirt Day. I have adopted a post from the Northern Mosaic Network that speaks to this history.

Pink Shirt Day began in a small town in Nova Scotia in 2007. Pink Shirt Day started as a movement by students and teachers at a school that decided to wear pink shirts in support of a 2SLGBTQIPA+ student after they were bullied, harassed, and threatened for wearing a pink shirt.

Pink Shirt Day is often overlooked and overshadowed by the focus of anti-bullying having moved away from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for the opportunity to ask a second set of questions, colleagues.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs looks a little bored today, so I thought I'd -- so I thought I'd ask him a question that springs out of the fantastic opportunity that we're celebrating here tomorrow, Mr. Speaker, the outstanding volunteer awards.

Does the Minister have any inklings or desire to create more opportunities to support our wonderful volunteers in this territory? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister also answered my next question, which is great, which had to do with what training and professional development may be required for teachers and other school staff to ensure that they understand safe practices, language, and inclusive environments for all students? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members of the 2SLGBTQIPA+ community are watching their rights erode in other jurisdictions in Canada. Pride flags and crosswalks have been banned in Westlock, Alberta, and politicking by the UCP has resulted in gender affirming health care being removed for youth. The community has also seen disregard for queer lives lead to the death of a young two-spirit person in Oklahoma after they were beat up in a school bathroom mere weeks ago. What assurances can the Minister of ECE give to us and the public today that trans and queer youth are safe in NWT schools...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I too have been a volunteer for many years before stepping into this House, and I'm sure the Minister knows as well, burnout is really real in our territory when it comes to volunteers. If you want to -- you want to get something done, you ask someone who's doing eight other things, Mr. Speaker. So I'm wondering is there anything we can do for the wider volunteer just pool of folks who are out there and interested in things to support them, to get training perhaps on how to be on a board? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. As we shift to the new BC-based curriculum, is there any elements of that curriculum that are inclusive and supportive of queer students? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I believe later in the day I saw she might be tabling some of those documents, and that's also welcomed.

Mr. Speaker, what partnerships does ECE undertake with the Northern Mosaic Network and school-based rainbow clubs to foster safety for queer youth? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And this is pretty an insignificant detail but when folks look at this in the public, it helps. So it's my understanding, then, that the emergency management organization sits on the directorate and that's what this funding is for? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of a ceasefire and end to Canadian support for the plausible genocide in Gaza.

Mr. Speaker, the petition contains a total of 905 signatures with 295 being handwritten and 610 electronic signatures collected on change.org. Of those signatures, 645 are from Northwest Territories residents, including 276 handwritten signatures and 369 electronic signatures.

And, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories to request the Premier of the Northwest Territories...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. You'll learn my region eventually; it's fine.

Could the Minister please provide more detail about what this funding is comparative to the I assume it was the evacuations for flooding and fire? Thank you.