Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Premier welcomes the western Canada Premiers to Yellowknife, there's a lot of attention on us today around some recent decisions that Premier Smith in Alberta has made, most notably, I think, my colleague spoke to some of the issues related to trans and nonbinary folks. And let's also talk about the constitutional crisis that the Premier's walking into for some reason. She's cut the threshold for constitutional initiatives in half in her province and is gunning towards a referendum on separation for whatever reason.

If this -- does the -- has the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate Yellowknife's own, the Honourable Rebecca Alty, on her election to the House of Commons and further on her appointment to the Privy Council as Minister for Crown Indigenous Relations.

Rebecca was born and raised in Yellowknife in Chief Drygeese territory in the Akaitcho region. After high school, she completed a diploma in film and video at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology followed by a degree in communication studies from the University of Calgary. In 2018, she was elected as 15th mayor of Yellowknife, following two terms as a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Nunakput, that Committee Report 22-20(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 2023-2024 Public Accounts, be received and adopted by the Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Minister know when he'll be able to answer that question? Because I think the public would like to know. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's been some very high profile reporting on information breache,s related to this government recently. You look in old filing cabinets, old desks, and find names, dates of birth, addresses, contact information, employment history, financial and credit card information, and health care numbers. So – and, also, we hear other reports of staff snooping in medical records. The state of our information, our records system, our management of this information, seems to be in disarray.

Can the Minister of Justice, who has the access and privacy office within his...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, it's more than medical services. It will be all services. But that's good to know that we'd find someone else.

Mr. Speaker, this was -- this is a controversial decision. First Nations and Indigenous leaders have risen up to say that it's not okay, it's not something they'll allow on their watch. Will the Premier support those voices if there is a court challenge at some point, the GNWT can be in a position to intervene. Even if he can't make that commitment today, will he at least support those voices that are calling for Indigenous rights to be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize my constituent Mr. Floyd Powder, former sergeant-at-arms here at the Legislative Assembly. Floyd is here to honour Eddie Powder, a WWII veteran who you spoke of earlier today. And thank you for being here again, Floyd. It's always good to have you in the chamber. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in our sister territory Yukon, Yukoners are only officially known as Sourdoughs until they have survived a full winter. Here in the Northwest Territories it's a bit more complicated. You have to live half your life and then you become a P2. This has been -- for 30 years, this has been a cultural touchstone of the Northwest Territories, somewhat absurdly as well because there's plenty of people who don't work for government and, of course, plenty of people who do work for government who don't occupy that status but enjoy their careers anyway. But no matter...

Mr. Speaker, the RCMP is a key partner in keeping our North safe and secure because the role they play in our territory is incredibly different than how they operate in southern jurisdictions. We rely on the RCMP for many services they would not offer in any province because for most communities, they're the only police around thus they play a greater role here as first responders, search and rescue personnel, and are essential to fighting drug crime. So embedded are RCMP officers in our communities that they serve, they're always warmly welcomed and adopted as one of our own.

The pivotal role...

Thank you. What does the Minister -- is the Minister aware of the current core need for homeowners in the Northwest Territories; what that statistic is. Thank you.