Check against delivery

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to provide an update on the on-going efforts of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to work with community government partners to support the COVID-19 pandemic response.

We have all been affected by COVID-19.  Taking action to slow the spread and protect public health has required leaders from all levels of government to act and adjust operations in order to continue serving Northwest Territories residents.

Since mid-March the MACA has worked with community governments to identify and monitor impacts to communities, share information about the government’s response to the pandemic, update community emergency plans and ensure continuity of local emergency and essential services.

Community governments have also needed to adapt. Practical challenges have been met with creative solutions such as holding council meetings remotely and making changes to by-laws to do so.

Mr. Speaker, these efforts have been supported, in partnership with the NWT Association of Communities, through virtual town hall meetings with community leaders, that have happened since the beginning of the pandemic. Other Ministers and GNWT officials have collaborated at these meetings to share information and answer questions that leaders have had about specific topics.

I am proud to say that these meetings have fostered engagement between our community governments resulting in responsive “made in the NWT” plans that have helped to provide assistance and support to NWT residents. These include food hampers and on the land supports. MACA also worked with other departments to create multi-media communications about safety during the pandemic, factsheets, and “How to Get Help Guides.”

Mr. Speaker, MACA continues to connect with community governments regularly to share current COVID-19 information, provide support with problems and issues they are encountering, to hear their concerns, to answer any questions they might have, and to provide a mechanism to feed their information into the GNWT response.

Currently, MACA is continuing our work with the health authorities, the Department of Health and Social Services and to engage community governments in providing community specific details and updates to community pandemic plans that reflect the capacity and resources in each community and region to support the health response efforts.

Mr. Speaker, I want to share my gratitude and thanks for the ongoing efforts of community governments to not only maintain support for their residents, as well as their support of the GNWT in maintaining isolation centres and border checkpoints, both on our highways and at the airports. On that note, I also must recognize the GNWT staff, especially those that have put their hands up and redeployed to support the efforts thus far. As the Minister for MACA I want to echo an earlier statement by our Premier and take a moment to recognize them here in the legislature and say thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we have benefitted greatly from and appreciate the collaborative and solution-based approach of everyone involved. We thank the leadership in our communities for their efforts and their cooperation. MACA is committed to continue working with communities to share information, to listen, and to respond to issues and concerns. We will work together, to continue to manage the risks, and protect our residents.  Nothing is more important than their safety.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.