Mr. Speaker, our government is following through on its mandate commitment to strengthen connections with our public and private sector partners to secure funding for strategic infrastructure projects across the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, June is Senior Citizens’ Month. As the Minister Responsible for Seniors, I want to encourage all Northerners to join me in recognizing and celebrating the valuable contributions that Seniors and Elders make within our families and communities.

 With a focus on aging in place, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made it a priority to help Seniors and Elders live in their own homes for as long as possible by ensuring that the right kinds of supports are available to them.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is pleased to have received continued federal support for an ongoing collaboration with Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service that helps to monitor the state of NWT forests and better understand the impacts of climate change.

The Department of Health and Social Services released the 2018 NWT Community Counselling Program (CCP) Client Satisfaction Questionnaire Report.

The CCP Client Satisfaction Report for 2018 has shown that a majority of clients who responded were satisfied or very satisfied with their overall experience in accessing services, and that a majority of those who responded were satisfied with the changes in their lives since beginning counselling services.

Mr. Speaker, I had the pleasure of hosting the Northern Housing Summit on April 23 and 24, 2019 in Inuvik.  The Summit’s theme was “Northern Solutions for Northern Housing,” reflecting the mandate commitment of the 18th Legislative Assembly, and its purpose was to encourage new partnerships in housing.

Mr. Speaker, Income Security programs are a vital part of the social safety network that helps Northwest Territories residents by bridging gaps in their ability to support themselves and to pursue their personal, educational and career goals. 

Mr. Speaker, this is tourism week in the Northwest Territories and is an opportunity to celebrate the unprecedented growth that we have nurtured and witnessed during our time as the 18th Legislative Assembly.

 During the life of this Legislative Assembly, visitor numbers in the NWT have increased by more than 30%. This includes a 61% increase in Aurora tourism.

 Our tourism sector is now worth over $203 million, a 48% increase in spending over the last five years; and led by a 75% growth in spending by leisure travelers.

Mr. Speaker, although last year’s fire season was a significant break from years past, we know that each fire season brings its own unique challenges.

Over the winter, most of the territory experienced below average precipitation, and the few weeks of record breaking warm temperatures we saw earlier this spring caused snow to disappear weeks earlier than usual in some areas.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has a mandate commitment to have land use plans in all regions of the Northwest Territories. Furthermore, the government’s vision of land management, articulated in the Land Use and Sustainability Framework, states we will promote and support land use planning in all regions of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, in the Northwest Territories, responsible resource development is at the core of who we are. It drives our economy, has generated billions in opportunities for northern and Indigenous-owned businesses and provides thousands of jobs to residents.  

 Our natural resource wealth is not limited to minerals.  We also have some of the world’s largest reserves of natural gas and oil, both onshore and offshore and these resources, developed safely and responsibly, will result in significant long-lasting benefits and returns for NWT residents.