Mr. Speaker, it’s an honour to report on the third successful winter of construction on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway project.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its Mandate to build partnerships to support, among other things, culturally-based tourism.

The tourism sector offers the potential for direct and indirect economic growth in many of our communities and the possibility for diversification and growth of regional economies.

As we look to the future, we can be assured that our government’s strategic approach to tourism development is already working.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report that this year’s wildland fire season is off to a slow start compared to the previous two years.

As of May 30^th, there have only been two wildland fires reported in the Northwest Territories.

All indications are the eight-hectare fire near Madeline Lake, along the Ingraham Trail, was a holdover from last fire season, which smouldered underground all winter. It is a strong indication of just how dry forests are in North Slave Region.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made the commitment in the Mandate to strengthen connections with public and private sector partners to improve critical transportation infrastructure in our territory.  Earlier this year, a workshop was held with key stakeholders to discuss how to restore safe and efficient access in the Hay River Harbour.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in the Mandate to pursue new federal funding for the enhancement of community government infrastructure. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, MACA, is working collaboratively with both the federal and community governments to fulfill that commitment through various funding programs, including the Gas Tax Agreement and the New Building Canada Plan.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories has made a commitment in its mandate to work in partnership with other orders of government to address affordable housing requirements. As Members already know, our territory has housing needs well beyond those of the rest of Canada, especially in our rural and remote communities.  The Northwest Territories has the second highest level of core housing need in the country at 20% while the national average sits at 12.5%. 

Introduction

Mr. Speaker, this first budget of the 18^th Legislative Assembly is about putting our fiscal house in order so that we can continue to provide quality programs and services and over the life of this Assembly, focus on what matters to the people of the NWT. We have worked with Members of this Assembly through the various Standing Committees to make the choices to guarantee that we can continue to provide the core programs and services that NWT residents need, and start to deliver on priorities identified in this Assembly’s mandate.

(Check Against Delivery)

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to welcome Members back to the Legislative Assembly for our spring sitting.

Our first months as an Assembly were spent working together to define our priorities and agree on a mandate for the government.

Our work was guided by a new process convention on priority setting that all Members agreed to.

Thank you all for coming today. I am here today to announce that as Minister Responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, I am revoking the appointment of the current Board of Directors of NTPC and appointing Deputy Ministers to the NTPC Board. This change will take effect on May 24^th, 2016.

YELLOWKNIFE (May 4, 2016) – NWT Premier Bob McLeod issued the following statement on the fires in Fort McMurray, Alberta today:

“On behalf of the Government and people of the Northwest Territories, I would like to offer my sympathies to residents of Fort McMurray and assure them that our government stands ready to offer whatever assistance it can as they deal with the effects of the wildfire currently burning in their community.