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Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, will be absent from the House today for a personal matter.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, workers’ rights are a cornerstone of safe and healthy workplaces. Across Canada, workers have three fundamental rights: the right to know how to do their job safely, the right to participate in making their workplace safer, and, of course, the right to refuse any work that feels unsafe.

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[Mr. Speaker, every child in the Northwest Territories has the right to quality education and learning, regardless of their abilities, circumstances, or where they live. 

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Mr. Speaker, last year the Department of Justice committed to swiftly introducing public safety legislation that would help residents in the Northwest Territories feel safe in their communities.  Today, I am pleased to provide an update about how we have delivered on the 20th Legislative Assembly priority to make residents and communities safer.

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Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Member for Hay River North will be absent from the House today for a personal matter.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Office of the Auditor General of Canada tabled its report on Child and Family Services in the Northwest Territories.

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Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories is entering a pivotal moment. More than ever, Canada is recognizing the North’s role in the country’s economic future, Arctic sovereignty, security, and supply chains.

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Mr. Speaker, we are more prepared for wildfires this year than we have been heading into any other previous season, and that is good news for everyone.

We have new initiatives moving forward. We are building facilities that we need, and we are getting more communities and local people trained and equipped. We have increasingly focused on prevention and mitigation, operational readiness, and strong coordination with communities, Indigenous governments, local fire departments, and other partners.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to provide an update on emergency preparedness in the Northwest Territories. The growing frequency and severity of climate-driven emergencies require a coordinated, proactive approach to emergency response. Our government continues to strengthen territorial readiness by improving interdepartmental coordination, community training, and response capabilities. These efforts reflect our responsibility to provide residents across regions with a responsive, organized system rooted in northern realities.

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Mr. Speaker, as we begin this sitting of the 20th Legislative Assembly, we are entering a period of opportunity unlike anything we have ever seen in the territory. The rest of Canada and countries around the world are looking North for secure supply chains, critical minerals, Arctic research, strategic infrastructure, and reliable partnerships. Increasingly, they are looking to the Northwest Territories.