Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as Members are aware, the business community and newcomer community in Yellowknife are very anxious about expiring work permits. Can the Minister please share what provisions she is seeking from the new federal government on drastically reduced allotment of spaces in the NWT nominee program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. I'm assuming Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as a starter I am seeking that our allotment of 300 be restored with greater flexibility. This has been communicated in a letter. And I intend to travel to Ottawa as soon as we're done session so that I can continue that conversation in person. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. I'm glad that she is seeing the urgency on this.
Mr. Speaker, can the Minister elaborate if she's working with her Cabinet colleagues to ensure information about critical service extensions, such as driver's license and health care access, is being made accessible to organizations that support newcomers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Both myself at a political level and also at an official's level, the government is working to ensure that we are unified. In support, sometimes we do receive outreach from newcomers who do require support, and we're always as MLAs happy to provide it. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.
Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that. Will she be speaking to her federal counterpart about the need for newcomer services specifically, not just permanent residents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very happy to share with the House today some greater detail of what I have started the conversation with, with the federal minister. That includes restoring our nominee allocation with greater flexibility. It also includes engaging directly with northern stakeholders. Nothing beats hearing a personal story from a Northerner to help understand our northern and territorial context. It also includes extending the GNWT -- or working with the GNWT to extend work permits to people working in the territory and increase investment in settlement services. And one of the things I hear greatly about is that there are gaps in how we can apply those settlement services in the territory. So that conversation is not only around increasing supports, but also broadening supports. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.
