Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories create a program line for conservation planning and implementation in the 2027-2028 Main Estimates and adopt staged funding triggers tied to milestones under the Protected Areas Act. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, I wanted to draw attention to this one. The committee -- I don't think struggle is the right word, but really carefully considered how we wanted to address one of the audit findings which is that the government could have provided more leadership at the spaces they're creating. Commissioner DeMarco was very kind of clear in that assessment, that the GNWT was excellent at establishing bodies where Indigenous governments could come forward to collaborate but the decision-making at those bodies was often -- challenged, I suppose is a good word. Not compromised...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, March 2nd, 2026, I will move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the Member for Yellowknife Centre, that this Legislative Assembly calls upon the Government of the Northwest Territories to establish a Contingency Support Fund to assist Northwest Territories businesses experiencing financial losses due to power outages, including compensation for verifiable outage-related losses and support for preventative measures such as surge protection and continuity planning;.

And further, that the Government of the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories table in the May/June 2026 sitting a plan that sets out how the government will lead conservation planning in collaboration with partners through the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders and the Intergovernmental Council of the Northwest Territories with overriding Indigenous authorities;

And further, that the plan outlines the sequence of Government of the Northwest Territories decisions required to advance each protected area. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to waive Rule 8.2(7) and have Bill 29 moved directly to third reading later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories finalize the regulations for Thaidene Nene and bring forward any outstanding policy instruments required for Thaidene Nene and Ts'ude Niline Tuyeta sequenced with the approval of management plans and supported by publicly shared target dates within one year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the numbers would be good because my next question is how does -- how much do we spend on contracts and agency workers compared to what we spend on recruiting permanent healthcare workers? Because that -- if there's a deficiency there and it's significant, then we need to ask ourselves the question are we really investing in a northern workforce. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories demonstrate how current measures to involve management boards and hiring are improving Indigenous representation and how these measures will be sustained and strengthened;

And further, that the government establish timelines, metrics, and clear indicators of success to show how these actions ensure meaningful community representation in hiring for positions associated with territorial protected areas. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. And I think details are important here, Mr. Speaker. But, I mean, if anyone woke up this morning and felt the minus 40 wind in their face, they'll know that it's way more enjoyable to be working as a nurse in sunny British Columbia in Vancouver and Victoria. So we are now competing with a jurisdiction that is doing a hell of a lot to recruit 8,000 nurses. How is the Minister going to keep pace when a province is spending billions of dollars on nurses and we are still struggling to figure out how to retain them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee recommends that the Government of the Northwest Territories table information by the end of the May/June 2026 sitting on how its strategy for advancing candidate protected areas in the Dehcho is coordinated with ongoing land claim negotiations in the region. Thank you, Mr. Chair.