R.J. Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I think I explained earlier what we're talking about when we talk about critical services. However, I do take the Member's points. You know, from time to time you hear about the impact of stray dogs in communities. It comes and goes. Sometimes it's worse than others. But what I'll do is I will have a conversation with the Minister of MACA, I'll have a conversation with the department, and see what type of work is happening in this area and what types of supports are possible, if any. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I very much appreciate the work of the SPCA. I've had pets most of my life and, you know, when there's an emergency, I know that the trauma of being separated from your pet. So the work that they have done over the years is -- you know, is very important. What we are doing as a government is looking at the services that we provide, the services that we would have to provide if other service providers didn't do them. And so what we're focusing on now as we strengthen our relationship with the NGOs is those types of services, the services that if that NGO was to stop...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the honourable Member for Kam Lake, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, will be absent from the House today as she is travelling back from the forum of Ministers responsible for Immigration in Toronto, Ontario;

The honourable Member for Thebacha, the Minister of Justice, will be absent for today and tomorrow to virtually attend the federal-provincial-territorial Ministers responsible for Justice and Public Safety meeting;

As well, the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, the Minister of Health and Social...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following six documents: GNWT Response to Motion 49-20(1), Compassionate Medical Evaluation Policy GNWT Response to Motion 50-20(1), Appointment of Person to Investigate the Critical Incident of Avery Burke, Wesley Marcellais and Hilary Norwegian; GNWT Response to Motion 55-20(1), Staffing Solutions to Rebuild and Reform Health Care Now; GNWT Response to Committee Report 23-20(1), Report on the Review of Land Use Permitting and Water Licensing Regulatory Framework in the Northwest Territories; Additional Information for Return to Written Question 17-20(1)...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I am not a big fan of amalgamating and separating departments. I've seen it happen during my time in Cabinet, and it takes a lot of energy, it takes a lot of resources, and it takes years for things to begin working smoothly. We have a system right now where there's a dedicated team of people who work on emergency management. There's training for government employees who can become part of that team when it is necessary. And so the decision was made, as I understand it, based on those factors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I've committed to work with the Minister of MACA, have a conversation with him, talk to EIA about what is possible, and so I will ensure that I do that. If it moves beyond that, I'm happy to work with the SPCA as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, I definitely value the work of the SPCA. Not everything that happens in the territory is government-supported, nor should it be. There are some things where the community, where people have to step up. I'm happy to make a donation. I'll commit to making a $500 donation to the SPCA here. I encourage other Members to do it. There are some things that we as citizens of the territory need to come together and support. There's other things only government can really support. So while I'd like to be able to stand up here and say every NGO gets money because...

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Minister of Justice, I have a return to oral questions asked by the Member for Monfwi on May 21st, 2025, regarding the Legal Aid Commission of the Northwest Territories.

The Member asked about the current capacities of the Legal Aid Commission, noting a vacancy for the North Slave region on the Justice website. This vacancy was filled by the appointment of Jennifer Frankie-Smith commencing July 25, 2024, but the department did not update the Justice website to reflect this. The website is now current and correct, and the department thanks the Member for bringing...

Mr. Speaker, as we come together for the fall sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly, I want to welcome all Members back to the House and thank the people of the Northwest Territories for their strength, generosity, and optimism about the future of our territory, even in the face of challenges.

The work we do in this House reflects the people we serve. Northerners face adversity with determination and meet change with creativity. Whether it is returning home after evacuations, adapting to new realities in our communities and economy, or finding new ways to support one another, the spirit of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And so one of the things -- speaking specifically about the website, reorganizing that website is one of the key things that we want to do. Group things by topics and themes that residents care about. So if they want to find something out, they just go to that topic. They don't have to try and figure out what department it's from and then go there. And in terms of the social media, I'm happy to get back to the Member on that one. Thank you.