The Government of the Northwest Territories is introducing amendments to the NWT Employment Standards Act and Regulations that provide new and enhanced types of employment leave and will be effective as of January 01, 2020.

These Amendments align with the Government of Canada’s amendments to the Employment Insurance program and the Canada Labour Code, and let workers take advantage of the federal leave allowances and associated benefits while providing recognized and consistent guidelines for employers to better support their employees during important life events.

Mr. Speaker, our greatest Northern resource is our people and it is our responsibility to invest in and take steps to ensure their health and well-being.

On January 1, 2020, Northwest Territories residents will be able to access new and enhanced types of employment leave to protect their jobs when faced with important or challenging moments in life. 

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise today to provide an update to the House on the launch of the territorial-wide 9-1-1 system on November 4th of this year. This new NWT 9-1-1 service will enhance our ability to connect residents and visitors with emergency services such as police, fire, and ambulance.

Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to announce that female inmates have moved into the new women’s unit at the Fort Smith Correctional Complex. I had the pleasure of touring the new unit last week and was blown away by the care and attention that has gone into designing a facility that is tailored to meeting the needs of female inmates in our care and specifically in the Northwest Territories.

Starting January 1, 2020, new hunters must complete Hunter Education prior to being issued a hunting licence in the Northwest Territories (NWT).

Mr. Speaker, hunting has a long and honourable history in the Northwest Territories. At the heart of this tradition is a deep respect for wildlife, the environment and the people of this land. Residents of the Northwest Territories have told us they want to make sure these values and practices are passed on to the next generation of harvesters.

Earlier this week, Minister of Health and Social Services, Diane Thom, tabled the 2018-2019 Annual Report of the Director of Child and Family Services (CFS) in the Legislative Assembly.

The report provides data on child and family services program delivery throughout the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to update Members on our economy and to discuss some of the fiscal challenges that we will face as we work to deliver our Assembly’s shared priorities.

As we move towards the first Budget of this Assembly, we must be realistic in our expectations for how quickly we can make positive changes to strengthen our programs and services and deliver on our commitments to support the NWT economy.

Mr. Speaker, The transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university is a priority of this Legislative Assembly and I am pleased to say that we continue to make progress.

To be successful, we must focus investments in programs and services that lead to better education and employment outcomes for residents, including through our post-secondary education system.

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to share with the Members of this Legislative Assembly my reflections as a new Minister of Health and Social Services.

I have spent my first few weeks as Minister receiving a series of comprehensive briefings from both the Department of Health and Social Services and the Health and Social Services Authorities.  I have had the opportunity to meet with the Leadership Council, senior management, as well as staff.