Good Afternoon.

Today we’re here to talk to media and residents about how the Government of the Northwest Territories will enforce orders made by the Chief Public Health Officer to protect NWT residents and communities.

For weeks now, responding to the impacts of COVID-19 has been the top priority for government officials all across this country and across the world.

COVID-19 is a global pandemic, a public health emergency that needs to be taken seriously.  In the Northwest Territories, we are taking this very seriously, and our decisions reflect that.

En réaction à la crise sans précédent causée par la COVID-19, le gouvernement des Territoires du Nord-Ouest doit prendre des mesures exceptionnelles.

La première ministre Caroline Cochrane, la ministre Diane Thom et la D^re Kami Kandola, administratrice en chef de la santé publique, ont annoncé aujourd’hui la création du Groupe de travail sur l’application et le respect des mesures d’urgence chargé de renforcer les mesures de santé publique prises pour protéger la santé de tous les Ténois.

La première ministre Caroline Cochrane a annoncé qu’elle prenait aujourd’hui même en charge le portefeuille de ministre des Affaires municipales et communautaires (MAMC).

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Good morning, thank you for joining us today.

Earlier today I announced that I would be assuming responsibility for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, effective today.

The COVID-19 pandemic is a global crisis on a level the world has not seen in generations. Taking action to slow its spread and protect public health requires personal attention and leadership from the highest levels of government.

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Thank you for joining us this morning.

Once again, we have some unhappy news that we’re here to discuss: the confirmation of two additional COVID-19 cases in the Northwest Territories, including our first case in a small community.

I know that people are concerned for their health, especially the people in small communities.

I also know that people are concerned to know if COVID-19 is in your community.

Déclaration de la première ministre Caroline Cochrane au sujet de la confirmation du deuxième cas de COVID-19 aux TNO

La première ministre Caroline Cochrane a fait la déclaration suivante au sujet de la confirmation d’un deuxième cas de COVID-19 aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest aujourd’hui :

Yellowknife, le 30 mars 2020 – La première ministre Caroline Cochrane a annoncé la nomination aujourd’hui de M. Russ Neudorf au poste de sous-ministre adjoint des Affaires municipales et communautaires. Cette nomination vise à appuyer les efforts actuels du ministère, en particulier dans l’organisation de la gestion des urgences pour encadrer les activités de réponse à la pandémie de COVID-19.

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Good afternoon, thank you for joining us today.

This week, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs Paulie Chinna exercised her authority under the Emergency Management Act and declared a state of emergency for the Northwest Territories.

I want to emphasize and reassure NWT residents that this step was not taken because the risk of COVID-19 to the NWT has increased or that the situation is worse than before. It is not.

En date du 24 mars 2020, la ministre des Affaires municipales et communautaires (MAMC), Paulie Chinna, a déclaré l’état d’urgence sur l’ensemble du territoire en vertu de la Loi sur la gestion des urgences afin de soutenir les efforts déployés pour protéger la santé publique aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest.

Good afternoon. Late last night our public health officials confirmed the first case of COVID-19 in the Northwest Territories.

This is hard news to share and I want to express my concern and sympathy for the people affected by this and let them know that the Government of the Northwest Territories is going to do everything we can to support them in this difficult time.

To the people of the Northwest Territories, I want to say that we knew this day would come and the GNWT has been working hard so that we would be prepared when it did.