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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the participants who represented Team NT at the 2024 Canada 55+ Games that were held in Quebec City, Quebec from August 27 to 30, 2024. 

The Canada 55+ Games provide an opportunity for Team NT to engage and compete with other athletes from across Canada. In addition to being an athletic competition, these Games also provide an opportunity for participants to engage in other forms of competition and social activities with their peers.  

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Mr. Speaker, when the Public Utility Board, or PUB, accepted the terms of sale of the Hay River utility franchise to the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, or NTPC, earlier this year, it set a deadline of October 30 for the filing of a General Rate Application, or GRA, by all NWT utility companies. On Wednesday afternoon, NTPC filed a GRA Over the next several months, the PUB will review the application to ultimately determine whether the costs that NTPC has presented are reasonable and reflect the true cost to deliver electricity.

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Minister of Infrastructure, Caroline Wawzonek, issued the following statement today regarding the filing of Northwest Territories Power Corporation’s (NTPC) General Rate Application:

A new pan-Canadian initiative, Pathways to Teach Canada, has been introduced in the Northwest Territories (NWT) to simplify the evaluation of internationally educated teachers' credentials and language competencies.

By participating in Pathways to Teach Canada, the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) is taking action to address the challenges of recruiting educators. This initiative will make recruiting internationally educated teachers easier for NWT education bodies, including assessing their credentials.

The Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) has introduced a new tool to address the ongoing drug toxicity crisis and contaminated illicit drug supply. The Randox MultiSTAT Analyzer, now in use by Coroner Services, allows for rapid toxicology screening of substances involved in suspicious deaths, helping the Chief Coroner and Chief Public Health Officer take swift action to protect the public.

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Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about gender-based violence. Two out of 100 residents in the NWT have reported intimate partner and family violence to the police. As of 2019, Statistics Canada lists the NWT as having the second highest rate of police-reported intimate partner and family violence in Canada, and we know that not everyone reports these incidents to the police.

Women are disproportionally affected by gender-based violence.

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Following portion will be spoken in Dene Kǝdǝ́

[Mr. Speaker, genuine education is rooted in place and culture, and it cannot be nurtured in isolation. As the guiding piece of legislation for our Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12 education system, it is essential that the Education Act includes the voices and perspectives of Indigenous governments and our education partners.

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the challenges faced this year in maintaining the Northwest Territories' supply chain and the steps our government is taking to address them.

Our territory has been hit hard by a combination of record low-water levels, wildfires, rail disruptions, and added strain on our winter road systems. These issues have impacted the delivery of fuel, goods and services to our communities.

But, Mr. Speaker, I want to assure you and the residents of the NWT that we have taken decisive action.

The Strategic Plan on French Language Communications and Services 2023 – 2028 is now available to the public.

Originally developed in 2013 by the Francophone Affairs Secretariat to guide the Government of the Northwest Territories (GNWT) with development, implementation, offer and delivery of French language communications and services to the public.