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Mr. Speaker, today I want to extend my continued sympathies to the families of two men who gave so much to our territory and also highlight how our government will be honouring their memories for years to come. I am of course speaking about the loss of two exceptional men, former Housing Minister Alfred Moses, and former Housing NWT President and CEO,
Tom Williams. I have carried their memory in this portfolio, advancing our relationships with Indigenous governments and most importantly, working directly with our communities.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Premier to announce two new government policies on how the Government of the Northwest Territories supports resident who have been evacuated from their communities for extended periods of time and the communities that support them.

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Mr. Speaker, the availability of healthy, affordable food is a fundamental requirement for a good quality of life and a strong, healthy territory. The Government of the Northwest Territories mandate reflects this and commits to addressing food security while also investing in NWT agriculture as a growing sector of our economy.

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to provide an update on the Ministerial mandate commitment to review the Government of the Northwest Territories’ Land Lease-Only Policy.  

Mr. Speaker, the Land Lease-Only Policy was initially established in 1987 to ensure ongoing Aboriginal rights agreement negotiations were not impacted through the sale of land.  

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Mr. Speaker, at a recent Council of Leaders meeting on Mental Health and Addictions, I heard from Indigenous governments about what is working well in their communities and some of the challenges.  There are many successes, and it is truly inspiring to hear about the programs and initiatives going forward in communities across the NWT.

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Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a reality that far too many people experience. The factors that contribute to homelessness are  complex, and unique to each individual who experiences it. The challenges and solutions vary by community, and differ in the Northwest Territories compared to urban centres in the South. This is why we need an all-of-government strategy to address homelessness in the Northwest Territories.

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Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is committed to creating a public service that ensures underrepresented groups are genuinely included, celebrated and supported to meet their full potential. It is a public service that strives to be welcoming, culturally competent, and free of discrimination; one that serves in a way that respects and includes the diverse population of this territory.

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Mr. Speaker, the COVID-19 pandemic challenged our entire society on a fundamental level, forcing us to grow and adapt in the face of unprecedented threats to the health and wellbeing of our loved ones and our communities. Three years since the outbreak of the pandemic, it is still easy for many of us to recall the fear and uncertainty of those early days, as the world searched for answers amid reports of rapidly rising death tolls.

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Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Health and Social Service, I am deeply concerned about the harm alcohol does in our territory. Alcohol misuse continues to have significant, even devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities, resulting in poor health, social problems, and economic costs. We know that alcohol impacts NWT residents disproportionately compared to other regions in Canada, and alcohol-related hospitalizations and deaths remain several times higher.

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Mr. Speaker, I want to share with you some of the exciting things happening at Housing Northwest Territories that are a direct result of our renewal strategy. 

Since the initiation of the strategy, Housing NWT has worked with the Council of Leaders to revise and modernize its mandate and use that mandate to guide the review of our policies and programs. We are now in the process of implementing the changes coming from that review.