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Mr. Speaker, I would like to begin by again expressing my gratitude to all health and social services workers in the Northwest Territories. These dedicated professionals have been serving the needs of residents through some very difficult times. I want to assure staff, as well as my colleagues here today, and residents of the Northwest Territories, that the Department of Health and Social Services is working hard to find solutions that will ease the pressure on the system.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about a heavy subject impacting many Northern residents and I acknowledge that my statement may be triggering for some people as it includes subject matter around suicide and mental health in the NWT. I encourage anyone who may find these subject matters to be triggering to take the necessary steps for your emotional safety, which may include stepping out of the House or muting my statement until I finish.

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Mr. Speaker, for the second consecutive year, several communities throughout the Northwest Territories were impacted by flooding. That flooding caused significant damage not only to homes and properties of residents, but also to the roads, buildings, airports and ferry landings they use regularly.

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Mr. Speaker, the transformation of Aurora College into a polytechnic university is often presented as one project, but it is in fact a collection of over 100 projects, spread over three phases.  The work has been a collaboration between Aurora College and the Government of the Northwest Territories, with wide-ranging and ongoing engagement throughout the process.

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Good morning, everyone. I am pleased to be able to address you at your conference this week, albeit virtually. I am sorry I’m unable to meet you in person, as I am currently in Toronto attending the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada convention.

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Mr. Speaker, as another school year comes to a close for students across the Northwest Territories, I would like to recognize this year’s graduates.

Whether they are graduating from kindergarten, high school or a post-secondary institution like Aurora College, the territory’s graduates have a lot to be proud of.   

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Mr. Speaker, today is the third-year anniversary of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. I wish to honour the Indigenous women, girls and gender diverse people who have lost their lives or who have experienced or continue to experience trauma and violence.

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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to update Members on the work being done to recruit and retain health and social services staff in the Northwest Territories. This work responds to the mandate commitment of the 19th Legislative Assembly to increase the number of resident health care professionals by at least 20 percent.

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Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to acknowledge the efforts of Indigenous governments and the federal government on their approach to addressing housing and infrastructure needs. I would like to congratulate the Gwich’in Tribal Council, the Tłı̨chǫ Government and the Délı̨nę Got’ıne Government, on the recent federal funding announcement of $78.6 million for community infrastructure and housing.

This funding includes: