Check Against Delivery

I would like to begin today, Mr. Speaker, by commending the courage and resolve of our front line staff responding to this unprecedented public health emergency.

Mr. Speaker, the wildfire season this year is off to a slow start thanks to cooler temperatures in May, right across the territory. It is only been in the last week or so that things are finally starting to warm up. Hot weather is predicted through June and July with temperatures well above normal. These are prime conditions for wildfire.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, it is particularly important that each one of us take all possible precautions to prevent wildfire. Limiting the number of human-caused or preventable fires helps reduce the risk of exposure to fire crews and the public. Wildfire prevention efforts can also increase public safety, reduce the impacts on values-at-risk and limit the cost of fire response.

Shane Thompson, Minister of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), announced new funding today to support recycling depots and processing centres during the COVID-19 state of emergency.

This financial support will help offset costs directly associated with loss of income to operators since the closure of recycling depots on March 19, 2020 due to COVID-19.

For processing centres, a one-time payment of $5,000 will be provided while staff and operators explore federal funding opportunities.

Taiga Environmental Laboratory (Taiga Lab) is stepping up to support the response to COVID-19 in the Northwest Territories by producing hand sanitizer for Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) workers that interact with the public.

Frontline workers at airports and enforcement checkpoints, as well as wildlife officers and healthcare workers are at higher risk of exposure to COVID-19. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are proven to help reduce the spread of the virus.

The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources (ENR), Shane Thompson, together with Tłı̨chǫ Grand Chief George Mackenzie, Łutsel Kʼe Dene First Nation Chief Darryl Marlowe, and other Indigenous regional leaders, issued a joint statement today to reinforce the need for responsible harvesting of caribou in this time of rapid herd decline:

ENR officers determined that more than 80 caribou were killed illegally within the Mobile Core Bathurst Caribou Management Zone over the past two weeks.

The top priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories  (GNWT) is the health and safety of Northwest Territories (NWT) residents, and we are taking proactive measure to be prepared to respond to COVID-19 as the situation evolves.

There are currently no cases of COVID-19 in the NWT, and the risk of acquiring the virus in the NWT and Canada remains low at this time.

Check Against Delivery

Mr. Speaker, the 19^th Legislative Assembly believes our decisions must reflect a full understanding of our communities and regions. It is our responsibility to ensure that the needs of our residents are reflected in the decisions that will impact them.

This is especially important when it comes to decisions about the land, Mr. Speaker. That’s why our northern Indigenous governments and communities are at the heart of our northern approach to establishing and managing protected areas.

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Good morning, and welcome to the second day of the Conservation Network Gathering.

It sounds like you all had a full day yesterday, which I hope you found productive and inspiring.

I’m grateful for the chance to speak to all of you, and thank you in person for the incredible work you do.

Keeping the land healthy is a priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Not just our natural environment, of course, but also our connection to the land.

The attached has been jointly released by the Government of the Northwest Territories and Government of Nunavut