Mr. Speaker, today I’m pleased to share information on the NWT Association of Communities’ upcoming Annual General Meeting and the specific training and networking opportunity for Chiefs and Mayors.
The NWT Association of Communities represents all 33 of the NWT’s incorporated communities. Together they are an effective voice for community governments. The NWTAC promotes the exchange of information among community governments, working together to reach collective goals. The NWT Association of Communities will host their 2020 Annual General Meeting in Inuvik from February 27th until the 29th.
Mr. Speaker, this is a time of complex changes in the world, especially with the effects of climate change that we are experiencing in the North. Appropriately, a theme for the AGM this year is Managing Change. Mr. Doug Griffiths has been invited as a keynote speaker and will share his knowledge and experience in helping communities identify challenges and develop solutions to become successful during times of change.
This year there will be an interactive session focused on Healthy Communities and the Social Determinants of Health, sponsored by the Department of Health and Social Services. This collaborative opportunity will be followed by a Healthy Living Fair.
I am excited to note that the formal AGM will wrap up with a discussion with the Cabinet. This session has historically been very popular with community representatives and I am pleased to share Cabinet will be in attendance.
In addition, leading up to the AGM, MACA and the NWTAC are collaborating to offer Mayors and Chiefs the opportunity to attend the second annual Mayors and Chiefs Bootcamp on the 25th and 26th , and training for elected officials on the 27th prior to the start of the AGM later in the afternoon.
This year’s Bootcamp is about building relationships to help navigate the everyday challenges of governance. The focus of the Elected Officials Training is in the process of being finalized but topics being considered include addressing the media, fraud prevention and forensic audits and the importance of these actions.
On behalf of the GNWT, I wish the NWT Association of Communities well with their upcoming AGM and training opportunities. I look forward to being part of the discussions and hearing from communities to better understand their priorities and concerns.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.