Debates of October 16, 2025 (day 63)

October
16
2025
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
63
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Mr. Nerysoo, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Mrs. Yakeleya
Assembly Members
Topics
Bill 21: An Act to Amend the Workers’ Compensation Act
Bill 22: Legislation Act
Bill 23: An Act to Amend the Children’s Law Act
Bill 24: An Act to Amend the Family law Act
Bill 27: An Act to Amend the Protection Against Family Violence Act
Bill 28: An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, No. 2
Bill 29: First Responders Workers’ Compensation Amendment Act
Bill 32: An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, No. 2
Follow-up to Oral Question 439-20(1): Respite Care and Home Care in Dehcho Communities
Follow-up to Oral Question 502-20(1): Public-Private Partnership Project Leases
Follow-up to Oral Question 503-20(1): Public-Private Partnership Project Records Management
Follow-up to Oral Question 582-20(1): Reducing Primary Care Wait Times in Yellowknife
Follow-up to Oral Question 628-20(1): Junction Lights on Highways No. 4 and No. 5
Follow-up to Oral Question 656-20(1): Construction of New Housing Units
Follow-up to Oral Question 693-20(1): Elders in Schools Program
Follow-up to Oral Question 694-20(1): Targeted Amendments to Waters Act Regulations
Follow-up to Oral Question 706-20(1): Community Counselling Program
Follow-up to Oral Question 712-20(1): Nurse Practitioners
Follow-up to Oral Question 742-20(1): Shelter Encampments in Yellowknife
Follow-up to Oral Question 746-20(1): Mandate Implementation Update
Follow-up to Oral Question 747-20(1): 911 Service Disruption Update
Follow-up to Oral Question 749-20(1): Guidelines for Use of Generative Artificial Intelligence in the Government of the Northwest Territories
Follow-up to Oral Question 758-20(1): Implementation of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls Call to Action
Follow-up to Oral Question 762-20(1): Functional Communications Review
Member’s Statement 698-20(1): Community Ambulances
Member’s Statement 699-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Member’s Statement 700-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Member’s Statement 701-20(1): Condition of the Dempster Highway
Member’s Statement 702-20(1): Housing Access for Elders
Member’s Statement 703-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Member’s Statement 704-20(1): Standing Committees’ Recent Activities
Member’s Statement 705-20(1): Wildfire Evacuation of Fort Providence
Member’s Statement 706-20(1): Missing Person Frank Gruben
Member’s Statement 707-20(1): Nation-Building Projects
Member’s Statement 708-20(1): Celebration of Life of Hilary norwegian
Member’s Statement 709-20(1): Eulogy for Moses Larel Luwalira
Minister’s Statement 144-20(1): Sessional Statement
Minister’s Statement 145-20(1): Ministers Absent from the House
Question 763-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 764-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 765-20(1): Funding of the NWT Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Question 766-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 767-20(1): Community Ambulance Services
Question 768-20(1): Financial Supports for Emergency Evacuees
Question 769-20(1): Language Barriers in Accessing Housing Supports
Question 770-20(1): Dempster Highway Conditions
Question 771-20(1): Funding of the NWT Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Question 772-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Question 773-20(1): Additional Housing Units to Tlicho Communities
Question 774-20(1): Electronic Emergency Signage on Highways
Question 775-20(1): Highway Construction in the Sahtu
Question 776-20(1): 2023 Wildfire Emergency Response After-Action Review
Return to Oral Question 666-20(1): Northwest Territories Legal Aid Commission Capacities
Tabled Document 371-20(1): Additional Information for Return to Written Question 18-20(1), Surgical Wait Times and Backlogs
Tabled Document 375-20(1): Northwest Territories Power Corporation Amended Capital Budget
Tabled Document 376-20(1): Report of the Northwest Territories Integrity Commissioner on the Complaint by Mr. Benjamin Adams about Mr. Shane Thompson, MLA
Written Question 17-20(1): Staff Turnover and Vacancy Rates
Written Question 18-20(1): Surgical Wait Times and Backlogs
Statements

Question 775-20(1): Highway Construction in the Sahtu

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Infrastructure based on some of our previous correspondence going back and forth on the barging season. Will the Minister provide an update on the progress that we've decided to submit a town hall session in Norman Wells and other Sahtu communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, so I know we've been trying to get into the Sahtu, and I committed to going to the Sahtu. We have plans, I believe, in the new year to try to go there because I think we'd like to get up there and not only go and meet about the barging season but also see the winter road and see how it is.

So I am committed to meeting with the residents of the Sahtu for the barging and anything else that we need to talk about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that reply here. Moving ahead here. In preparation for that trip there, we need a contract so the road can be built so we can drive on it. So will the Minister follow up on the requests put forward some weeks back by the local contractors? And I understand Cabinet approval was given, so now we just need to conclude and wrap up the negotiated contracts for the winter road construction. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member. You got lucky with that last little bit of the question because you were going a different direction there. So Minister of Infrastructure.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, so I don't know if it's right to be talking about contracts in here. But I will follow up with the Member, and we'll have some discussions on what needs to be done there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Final supplementary. Member from the Sahtu.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I believe the contractors are listening, so I think they take that really seriously. My question, if the Minister would send me an email so I can forward it on to the contractors that are waiting. Thank you.

Yes.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Infrastructure. Oral questions. Member from Range Lake.