Debates of October 29, 2025 (day 70)

October

2025

Session

20th Assembly, 1st Session

Day

Speaker

Shane Thompson

Word PDF

Members Present

Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay MacDonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong

Assembly Members

Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Monfwi

Sheryl Yakeleya

Dehcho

Topics

Bill 33: Technical Safety Statutes Amendment Act

Committee Motion 84-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 385-20(1): 2026-2027 Capital Estimates, Carried

Committee Motion 85-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 386-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures and Borrowing Authorization), No. 3, 2024-2025, Carried

Committee Motion 86-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 387-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, Carried

Committee Motion 87-20(1): Concurrence Motion – Tabled Document 388-20(1): Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures), No. 2, 2025-2026, Carried

Committee Report 30-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Information and Privacy Commissioner,

Committee Report 31-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Office of the Ombud and the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Languages Commissioner,

Committee Report 32-20(1): Standing Committee on Government Operations Report on the Review of the 2024-2025 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Human Rights Commission,

Committee Report 33-20(1): Standing Committee on Procedure and Privileges Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly

Follow-up to Oral Question 797-20(1): Wildfires in Tlicho Lands

Member’s Statement 777-20(1): Accountability Mechanisms under the Residential Tenancies Act

Member’s Statement 778-20(1): Mine Closure and Remediation in the Northwest Territories

Member’s Statement 779-20(1): Support for Affordable Childcare

Member’s Statement 780-20(1): Government Approach to Traditional Use Cabins

Member’s Statement 781-20(1): Economic Outlook for the Northwest Territories

Member’s Statement 782-20(1): Early Learning and Literacy Programming

Member’s Statement 783-20(1): Homeownership and Transfer of Market Rental Units to long-Term Tenants

Member’s Statement 784-20(1): Access to Assessments for School-aged Children

Member’s Statement 785-20(1): Celebration for Mike Rowe

Member’s Statement 786-20(1): Auditor General’s Performance Audit on housing in the Northwest Territories

Minister’s Statement 160-20(1): Update on Residential Schools Monument

Minister’s Statement 161-20(1): Release of the Auditor General’s Peformance Audit

Question 870-20(1): Surety Bonds for Environmental Remediation and Reclamation

Question 871-20(1): Renewal of the Literacy Strategy

Question 872-20(1): Assessments for School-aged Students

Question 873-20(1): Support for Affordable Daycare Providers

Question 874-20(1): Traditional Use Cabins

Question 875-20(1): Homeownership and Transfer of Ownership of Market Rental Units to Tenants

Question 876-20(1): Transfer of Commissioner’s Lands to Municipalities

Question 877-20(1): Public Housing in Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Question 878-20(1): Assessment of Fiscal Capacity of Mine Operators

Question 879-20(1): Out-of-Country Medical Coverage Policy

Question 880-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance

Question 881-20(1): Electronic Medical Records

Question 882-20(1): Dog Act Policy and Regulations

Question 883-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance

Question 884-20(1): Transition to British Columbia Curriculum

Question 885-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance

Question 886-20(1): Downtown Yellowknife Encampment Fire Safety

Question 887-20(1): Late Payments for Student Financial Assistance

Tabled Document 418-20(1): Budget Dialogues 2025 – What We Heard

Tabled Document 419-20(1): Letter Dated July 8, 2025, from Mayor of Yellowknife to Minister of Finance regarding the City’s Budget Submission Supporting the Transfer of Commissioner’s Land to the City of Yellowknife

Statements

Follow-up to Oral Question 797-20(1): Wildfires in Tlicho Lands

Speaker: Mr. Harjot Sidhu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to Rule 7.2(7), I have received follow-up information for Oral Question 797-20(1). This follow-up will be printed in full in today's Hansard.

Further to the response provided to the Member for Monfwi on October 20, 2025, the following additional information on the amount of land burned in the Tlicho region is provided below:

Between 2005 and 2025, a total of 1,232,936 hectares of land within the Tlicho region were burned as the result of 270 different wildfires. This total represents approximately 32% of the total land area of Tlicho lands, which span 3,902,414 hectares. On average, this equates to about 1.5% of the land area burning annually, which aligns with overall wildfire patterns in the NWT, where typically 1to 2% of the land base is affected by fire each year.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Clerk. Colleagues, our time is up for oral questions. Nobody had their hands up.