Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm pleased to rise in support of this motion and to second it. I think there's an interesting debate going on, as my colleague alluded to, in the Northwest Territories right now of how best to resolve the increasing rates of crime in our communities and addictions and substance abuse. And I think, unfortunately, this discussion turns into a binary of either you support more policing, or you support more addictions, and you can't do both at the same time. And I think you can -- I know because I certainly do, and speaking with our police services as well they certainly...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Premier. Will the Premier allocate funding directly to the training of professional ground search and rescue volunteers with accountability built in to ensure they're being trained to current national standards as recommended by the report? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Premier commit to releasing the GNWT Justice Search and Rescue System Review MMP 2022 Final Report to the public as soon as possible and table it in this Assembly when the next opportunity arises? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

To the motion as amended, yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we will have to wait for the afteraction review to come forward, and then we'll have more comprehensive recommendations on how we can improve the operation of the emergency management system, inquiry or not, I think everyone supports that exercise, and it's something that we're looking forward to seeing come forward.

Yesterday I raised the issue of requiring, through regulation, that emergency management organizations follow a common system of command and control. These are the kind of things that the department could offer...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this report was commissioned by the GNWT and was completed and hasn't been implemented. So can the Premier commit to an implementation schedule that will be costed and released publicly so we can know when these necessary lifesaving changes to search and rescue will take effect? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize a constituent of mine, who also happens to be my lovely wife, the love of my life, Colleen. She's here today, and whilst I have been here working on behalf of all of our neighbours she's been holding down the fort at home, and I couldn't do it without her. Thank you so much for being here.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think we're on the same page, but I do hope that the Minister will look to mandating best practices for EMOs in the Northwest Territories. Can he ensure the House that he will do that and provide support for those best practices through training and planning support? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what work is already underway to review the regulations, or absence of regulations I suppose, as we currently have them? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Nunakput, that pursuant to Rule 9.1(5)(a), the Government of the Northwest Territories table a comprehensive response to this report, including all recommendations, within 120 days, or at the earliest opportunity subsequent to the passage of 120 days.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, your Standing Committee on Public Accounts is pleased to provide its Report on the Review of the 20222023 Public Accounts.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Member for Nunakput, that Committee Report 720(1), Standing Committee on Public Accounts Report on the Review of the 20222023 Public Accounts, be deemed read and presented in Hansard in its entirety. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.