The Government of the Northwest Territories is moving to expand the scope of the ongoing environmental assessment for the Mackenzie Valley Highway to include the corridor from Norman Wells to a connection with the Dempster Highway. This expansion allows the full Wrigley-to-Inuvik transportation corridor to be considered through one coordinated assessment.

Northwest Territories Premier R.J. Simpson has officially assumed the Chair of the Council of the Federation, taking over the role from Prince Edward Island Premier Robert Lantz.

The Council of the Federation brings together Canada's 13 provincial and territorial Premiers to advance shared priorities, strengthen interprovincial and territorial collaboration, and work with the federal government on issues of national importance. The Chair rotates annually among Premiers, with Newfoundland and Labrador set to follow the Northwest Territories.

The governments of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are committed to strengthening internal trade and reducing unnecessary barriers that make it harder for Canadians to do business across the country. We recognize the important work being done through the Committee on Internal Trade and are proud to be active partners in those efforts.

Premier R.J. Simpson issued the following statement today ahead of meetings of Canada’s Premiers and First Ministers in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island:

“No matter where they live, Canadians are facing many of the same challenges. The high cost of living, access to health care, housing, public safety, economic uncertainty, and the growing impact of emergencies and natural disasters are issues that require governments to work together.

Premier R.J. Simpson and Minister Caroline Wawzonek issued the following statements today in response to the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, the Gwich’in Tribal Council, and Pehdzéh Kı̨ First Nation regarding the proposed Mackenzie Valley Highway.

Premier R. J. Simpson

“The signing by Sahtu Secretariat Incorporated, the Gwich’in Tribal Council, and Pehdzéh Kı̨ First Nation is an important moment for the Mackenzie Valley Highway and for the future of the Northwest Territories.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak about the responsibility all of us carry as Members of this Legislative Assembly.

In our system of consensus government, every Member has an important role to play. Regular Members have a responsibility to scrutinize government decisions, hold Ministers accountable, propose alternatives, and speak on behalf of their constituents. Cabinet has a responsibility to listen, to respond, to be accountable for the decisions we make, and to do the work residents expect of us.

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Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Member for Thebacha, Minister of Environment and Climate Change will be absent from the House today and tomorrow to attend the Canadian Council of Ministers of Forestry in Langford, British Columbia.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples establishes the minimum standard for the survival, dignity, and well-being of Indigenous peoples worldwide. First voted on by the UN General Assembly in 2007, this vital human rights instrument affirms the rights of Indigenous peoples to self-determination and authority to manage their own affairs, whether this is in the education system, healthcare, or justice. Its implementation in Canada has been a long time coming.

As Her Excellency the Right Honourable Mary Simon prepares to conclude her service as Governor General of Canada, Premier Simpson extends his thanks for her leadership and lifelong dedication to Canada and the North.

“For people across the Northwest Territories and the Arctic, Mary Simon’s appointment as Canada’s first Indigenous Governor General carried deep meaning. Throughout her life and her time in office, she brought northern and Indigenous perspectives to the centre of national conversations and reminded Canadians that the North is a vital part of who we are as a country.

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Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, will be absent from the House today for a personal matter.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.