2Nd Session Day 29 19Th Assembly HANSARD Tuesday, June 9, 2020
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2nd Session Day 29 19th Assembly HANSARD Tuesday, June 9, 2020 Pages 1055 - 1110 The Honourable Frederick Blake Jr, Speaker Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories Members of the Legislative Assembly Speaker Hon. Frederick Blake Jr. (Mackenzie Delta) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Mr. Ronald Bonnetrouge Mr. Jackson Lafferty Hon. R.J. Simpson (Deh Cho) (Monfwi) (Hay River North) Government House Leader Ms. Frieda Martselos Minister of Education, Culture & Ms. Caitlin Cleveland Employment (Kam Lake) (Thebacha) Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board Hon. Paulie Chinna Hon. Katrina Nokleby (Sahtu) (Great Slave) Hon. Diane Thom Minister responsible for NWT Housing Minister of Industry, Tourism and (Inuvik Boot Lake) Corporation Investment Deputy Premier Minister responsible for Homelessness Minister of Infrastructure Minister of Health and Social Services Minister responsible for the Minister responsible for the Status of Hon. Caroline Cochrane Workers' Safety and Women Compensation Commission Minister responsible for Persons with (Range Lake) Disabilities Premier Minister of Executive and Indigenous Mr. Steve Norn Affairs (Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh) Hon. Shane Thompson Minister of Municipal and Community (Nahendeh) Affairs Minister of Environment and Natural Mr. Kevin O'Reilly Resources Ms. Julie Green (Frame Lake) Minister of Lands Minister responsible for NWT Power (Yellowknife Centre) Corporation Ms. Lesa Semmler Minister responsible for Seniors Mr. Jackie Jacobson (Inuvik Twin Lakes) Minister responsible for Youth (Nunakput) Mr. Rocky Simpson Hon. Caroline Wawzonek Mr. Rylund Johnson (Hay River South) (Yellowknife South) (Yellowknife North) Minister of Finance Minister of Justice ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ Officers Clerk of the Legislative Assembly Mr. Tim Mercer Deputy Clerks Committee Clerks Law Clerks Mr. Glen Rutland Mr. Michael Ball Ms. Sheila MacPherson Ms. Kim Wickens Ms. Cynthia James Ms. Alyssa Holland Ms. Jennifer Franki-Smith __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Box 1320 Yellowknife, Northwest Territories Tel: (867) 767-9010 Fax: (867) 920-4735 Toll-Free: 1-800-661-0784 http://www.assembly.gov.nt.ca Published under the authority of the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories TABLE OF CONTENTS PRAYER ........................................................................................................................................................... 1055 MINISTERS' STATEMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 1055 51-19(2) – COVID-19 (Thompson) ............................................................................................................ 1055 52-19(2) – Aurora College COVID-19 Response and Beyond (Simpson) ................................................. 1056 MEMBERS' STATEMENTS.............................................................................................................................. 1057 Racism in the Northwest Territories (Simpson) .......................................................................................... 1057 Policing in the Northwest Territories (Jacobson) ........................................................................................ 1058 Recognition of 2020 Graduates (Bonnetrouge) ......................................................................................... 1058 Great Potato Collaboration (O'Reilly) ......................................................................................................... 1059 Lutselk'e United Nations Award (Norn) ...................................................................................................... 1059 Institutional Racism Against Indigenous and People of Colour (Martselos) ............................................... 1060 Camping in Territorial Parks (Semmler) ..................................................................................................... 1060 Poverty Track (Green) ............................................................................................................................... 1061 Racism and the Death of George Floyd (Cleveland) ................................................................................. 1061 Recognition of Front Line and Essential Workers (Lafferty) ....................................................................... 1062 Reality of Racism of Canada (Johnson)..................................................................................................... 1062 REPORTS OF STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES ............................................................................. 1063 ORAL QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 1075 TABLING OF DOCUMENTS ............................................................................................................................ 1086 NOTICES OF MOTION ..................................................................................................................................... 1087 10-19(2) – Extended Adjournment of the House to October 15, 2020…… ................................................ 1087 11-19(2) – Creation of a Northwest Territories Elders' Strategy …… ........................................................ 1087 MOTIONS ......................................................................................................................................................... 1087 9-19(2) – Reappointment of Human Rights Commission Members (Cleveland) ........................................ 1087 FIRST READING OF BILLS ............................................................................................................................. 1087 Bill 7 – Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2020-2021 ............................................................... 1087 SECOND READING OF BILLS ........................................................................................................................ 1088 Bill 7 – Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2020-2021 ............................................................... 1088 CONSIDERATION IN COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OF BILLS AND OTHER MATTERS ........................... 1088 REPORT OF COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE .................................................................................................. 1109 ii THIRD READING OF BILLS ............................................................................................................................ 1109 Bill 7 – Appropriation Act (Operations Expenditures) 2020-2021 ............................................................... 1109 ORDERS OF THE DAY .................................................................................................................................... 1110 June 9, 2020 NORTHWEST TERRITORIES HANSARD Page 1055 YELLOWKNIFE, NORTHWEST TERRITORIES Tuesday, June 9, 2020 Members Present Hon. Frederick Blake Jr, Mr. Bonnetrouge, Hon. Paulie Chinna, Ms. Cleveland, Hon. Caroline Cochrane, Ms. Green, Mr. Jacobson, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Lafferty, Ms. Martselos, Hon. Katrina Nokleby, Mr. Norn, Mr. O'Reilly, Ms. Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Rocky Simpson, Hon. Diane Thom, Hon. Shane Thompson, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek. The House met at 1:32 p.m. managing land use can continue in a way that is safe for our employees and residents. This includes Prayer new ways of carrying out inspections, research, and environmental monitoring while maintaining ---Prayer physical distance and respecting the public health orders that are in place. SPEAKER (Hon. Frederick Blake Jr): Item 2, Environmental assessments are a critical part of Ministers' statements. Minister of Lands. our regulatory system in the Northwest Territories and involve a high level of coordination between Ministers' Statements departments, agencies, and Indigenous governments. Despite the challenges caused by the Minister's Statement 51-19(2): pandemic, I am proud to say that we are on track to COVID-19 meet the legislated timeline of June 6, 2020, to complete our response to the Review Board on the HON. SHANE THOMPSON: Thank you, Mr. Diavik Environmental Assessment. Speaker. I would like to begin today by commending the courage and resolve of our front- As you know, Mr. Speaker, many Northerners are line staff responding to this unprecedented public going out on the land in response to COVID-19. As health emergency. From medical personnel, to the a result, Environment and Natural Resources and folks stocking shelves and keeping the grocery Lands officers have increased wildlife monitoring, stores open, to the water and fuel delivery staff and enforcement activities, and inspections. the officers in our communities and at the borders, I am grateful to you all for this selfless work. It is Of course, the way that we fight fires this summer because you are at work that others, in fact, much will be unlike any other season before. Environment of the Government of the Northwest Territories and Natural Resources has been preparing for workforce, have been able to work remotely months, reviewing best practices in other through this crisis. jurisdictions, and adapting our operations to reduce the risks to our staff and our