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Mr. Speaker, thank you for the opportunity to update the Legislative Assembly on the Government of the Northwest Territories’ fiscal situation since the tabling of the 2023-2024 Budget. It goes without saying that this has been an extraordinarily difficult financial year not only for the government but for many Northwest Territories’ residents and businesses.

Despite the challenges, our actions to address fiscal pressures combined with federal disaster assistance means that our fiscal outlook remains stable over the medium term.

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Mr. Speaker, three years ago, this government set a mandate to increase employment in small communities. Since then, meaningful progress has been made.

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Mr. Speaker, delivering the energy Northerners need, in our climate and in a territory as large as the NWT, is challenging. We must constantly maintain and improve the territory’s energy systems so our people and businesses have the energy they need when they need it.

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome my colleagues back to the house for the final session of the 19^th Legislative Assembly. Many of us have been through at least one evacuation since we last met in person, and I am grateful you are all safe.

For many NWT residents, you have recently returned home from a very long evacuation. Some residents have lost homes and businesses.  For students, this is yet another disruption to their school year.

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Mr. Speaker, earlier this sitting I was very pleased to update this House on the establishment of the Northwest Territories Housing Forum. The NWT Housing Forum is just one of 42 program and policy changes that Housing NWT staff have been working tirelessly on in collaboration with partners from across the territory.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to inform this House and residents of the NWT about the upcoming changes to the Extended Health Benefits Policy. They will come into effect on April 1, 2024. The Government of the Northwest Territories is dedicated to ensuring fair access to extended health benefits for all NWT residents, with a focus on  people with low income who are not covered under the existing policy.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 4th anniversary of the release of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Final Report describes the dire situation faced by Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people as genocide.  It also delivers 231 Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Canadians to affect change.

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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to share very good news out of Ottawa.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced they will be matching contributions made to United Way NWT. This generosity will have a direct impact on people affected by wildfires in Northwest Territories, and I am deeply grateful for Canada’s support.

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Mr. Speaker, in 2021 the Government of the Northwest Territories released the Northwest Territories Arts Strategy, a 10-year plan to improve NWT’s arts programs and services, and strengthen the territory’s arts sector. The first key action identified in the strategy was to complete a review of the GNWT’s arts programs so that we could have a better understanding of the changes required to help us achieve our goals for the sector.

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Mr. Speaker, the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission is always looking for new ways to support employers and create safer workplaces in the Northwest Territories.

Through ongoing communication and engagement with employers, the WSCC identified an opportunity to improve their services and provide additional supports for employers facing occupational health and safety challenges that is separate from their role as enforcer of the Safety Act through penalties and fines.