The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is bringing northern voices to the United Nations’ 27th Conference of the Parties (COP27).

COP27 is the latest gathering of the annual global climate change summit. Leaders whose countries are parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meet to assess progress in dealing with climate change, share knowledge on GHG reduction and climate change adaptation, and negotiate protocols and agreements.

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Madam Speaker, at the appropriate time today, I will table Changing the Relationship, the final Action Plan in response to the Calls for Justice on Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls, and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People.

At its core, this action plan is about relationships. Our relationships with institutions, governments, people, and history.

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Madam Speaker, as employment levels reach historic highs, tight labour markets are being experienced across the Northwest Territories and Canada.  To address labour shortages, the Government of the Northwest Territories is working to strengthen our northern workforce through legislation, funding programs, academic and technical supports, and enhanced programs and policies.

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Madam Speaker, settling and implementing treaty, land, resources, and self-government agreements is a priority for the Government of the Northwest Territories and a key part of the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Concluding agreements with our Indigenous government partners will advance reconciliation, recognize, and affirm Indigenous and treaty rights, support program and service delivery by Indigenous governments, and set the stage for economic self-determination.

As part of its effort to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions and support the green economy, The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has launched a program to support electric vehicle charger infrastructure projects in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre (PWNHC) and Western Arctic Moving Pictures (WAMP) are now showing ARCTIC XR, a digital and virtual art exhibit with six new works by northern Indigenous artists.

These immersive films center on the retelling of a familial oral history, a mysterious monster, a land-based vision of past, present and future all at once, glorious dream on the ice, an Inuit island utopia, and an Indigenous skateboard video filmed on the Yellowknife’s Dettah Ice Road.

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Madam Speaker, this government works to support Northerners who want to get out on the land and participate in traditional activities as part of sustainable livelihoods.

Since marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in September, I have thought about our efforts to promote sustainable livelihoods and support residents of the NWT and the mandate commitments of this government all serve to create a critical mass that builds bridges and strengthens partnerships.

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Madam Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to increasing the use of alternative and renewable energy, stabilizing the cost of power, and supporting national and global efforts to reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions.

There are projects and initiatives the GNWT is leading that will help us meet this objective, like the proposed Fort Providence to Kakisa Transmission Line and our efforts to make biomass the main heating source for GNWT buildings.

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Madam Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services is reviewing the supplementary health benefits available to NWT residents. These benefits cover prescription drugs for approximately 1,500 residents, benefits that go beyond coverage provided by the NWT Health Care Plan. Unfortunately, these programs are not currently available to everyone, so we are now updating the policies that underpin this program.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is piloting Northwest Territories (NWT) Competency-Based Educator Standards for certified teachers this fall. These Standards identify professional expectations and guide professional development for all certified Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 (JK-12) teachers in the territory.