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Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Business Development and Investment Corporation, or BDIC, is excited about business development and digital transformation opportunities in the territory.  As we shift to a digital economy where consumers are purchasing more goods and services online, looking for e-commerce convenience, and expecting vendors to personalize offerings, there is a greater need to support businesses to establish or increase their online presence.

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Mr. Speaker, in May 2022 our government announced the merger of the departments of Lands and Environment and Natural Resources. 

Post-devolution, the merger is an important step to evolve the resource management, regulatory, and security responsibilities that are linked but currently split between the two departments.

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Mr. Speaker, in 2018, the Government of the Northwest Territories released the 2030 Energy Strategy, our roadmap to supporting secure, affordable, and sustainable energy in the NWT.

Guided by the Energy Strategy, the Climate Change Strategic Framework and the GNWT’s mandate, we are working to increase the use of alternative and renewable energy and reduce the territory’s greenhouse gas emissions.

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Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge the recent addition of the Legislative Assembly’s Process Convention related to the introduction, consideration, and enactment of bills under the Intergovernmental Council Legislative Development Protocol. I do not often get to express appreciation for the work of the Legislative Assembly as led by you Mr. Speaker, and supported by the Clerk and your staff. This new process convention is another example of the Northwest Territories leading the way in collaboration with Indigenous governments.

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Mr. Speaker, on January 16th, the Government of the Northwest Territories launched a new Open Data Portal to provide a single point of access for existing GNWT data resources.

This portal represents a significant step forward in our commitment to transparency and open government, and it will be a valuable resource for residents, businesses, researchers, and anyone else interested in the data and information that shapes our communities and our economy.

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Mr. Speaker, I would like to share information about the voluntary supports available for Northwest Territories children, youth, and families through the health and social services system. There are several voluntary support services in place that are based on the prevention of negative outcomes. Community Social Workers are available to assist individuals and families in accessing them.

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Mr. Speaker, today is International Women’s Day, an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of women, to raise awareness of gender inequality, and to recommit to building a territory that values, respects and gives equal opportunity to all women and  2SLGBTQIA+ people.

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Mr. Speaker, addressing housing needs in the Northwest Territories cannot be done by any single government. We must continue to build and strengthen partnerships: partnerships with Indigenous governments, Indigenous organizations, community governments, Non-government Organizations, private companies, and  the Government of Canada.

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Mr. Speaker, as part of the GNWT’s commitment to address homelessness in the territory, Housing NWT offers several client centred programs. Today I would like to highlight some of these programs as well as the investments we have made since the beginning of the 19th Legislative Assembly to support residents experiencing homelessness and those at risk of becoming homeless.