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.
Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories made a mandate commitment to develop a territorial climate change strategy that takes into account Northern energy demands and the cost of living, while reflecting international and national commitments to lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Last year on May 1, the Government of the Northwest Territories released the 2030 Northwest Territories Climate Change Strategic Framework. This is our government’s coordinated, comprehensive response to mitigating and adapting to climate change, outlined in the following three goals:
Mr. Speaker, today marks a major milestone for Health Care delivery in the Northwest Territories. On May 26, 2019 we began accepting patients at the new Stanton Territorial Hospital, and implemented a detailed patient move plan to bring patients from the old Stanton hospital to our brand new facility.
The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has released its 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework 2019-2023 Action Plan — the first of two five-year Action Plans to guide the implementation of the 2030 NWT Climate Change Strategic Framework.
Mr. Speaker, to advance our government’s commitment towards community wellness and safety, we are taking steps to improve care for our people by working with the Registered Nurses Association of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, to explore the creation of one self-regulatory framework for all nursing professionals in the NWT.
Mr. Speaker, the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre has acted as the territory’s museum for the past 40 years. The institution cares for a large collection of objects representing the peoples, cultures, history and land of the Northwest Territories on behalf of all the people who live here.
