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Mr. Speaker, health systems across Canada are facing serious and complex challenges. The Northwest Territories is not alone in this. Every province and territory is working to respond to the growing impacts of addictions, mental health needs, workforce shortages, and service gaps. That is why collaboration with other Canadian Jurisdictions is essential.
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Mr. Speaker, Happy Small Business Week. Let us recognize and celebrate the entrepreneurs who drive our economy and enrich our communities.
Small businesses are the backbone of the Northwest Territories. Whether it is recent graduates and newcomers bringing fresh ideas and technologies, Indigenous people keeping cultural traditions strong, or long-time Northerners sharing decades of experience, these businesses reflect the values, cultures and aspirations of the people who live here.
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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize and congratulate the participants who represented Team NT and the NWT Youth Ambassadors Program at the 2025 Canada Summer Games that were held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, from August 8 to 24.
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Mr. Speaker, this summer I had the honour of co-hosting the 43rd annual meeting of the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for the Status of Women here in Yellowknife. Ministers from across the country gathered in this lovely city to discuss shared priorities.
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Mr. Speaker, the 2025 emergency season once again tested the strength and resilience of our territory. It showed the courage and dedication of those who step forward in times of crisis to protect residents and communities. It also reinforced that the changes and improvements we have made since 2023 are making a real difference in how we respond and recover.
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Mr. Speaker, ensuring residents across the Northwest Territories continue to have access to health care that is safe, reliable and equitable is a top priority for me, for this government and for the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services system. Today, I am pleased to share an update about the work we are doing within that system to improve care in small community health centres and health cabins.
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Mr. Speaker, the Territory’s 2025 wildfire season was a challenging one. With 201 wildfires and nearly 1.4 million hectares burned, this was one of the most-active wildfire seasons in Northwest Territories’ history.
I want to acknowledge the tireless dedication, personal sacrifice, and incredible teamwork of our staff. Wildfire crews showed up day after day to protect our territory. These efforts deserve the recognition and appreciation of this House.
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Mr. Speaker, I am committed to building more homes for Northerners.
We are turning this commitment into action through a multi-year plan with funding from the GNWT, the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Housing NWT. Each year for the rest of this Legislative Assembly, Housing NWT will invest $50 million annually, including $41.6 million per year from the GNWT, to build new homes and repair existing ones.
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Mr. Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to provide the Legislative Assembly with the fall economic and fiscal update. This statement will describe the changes that have happened since Budget 2025 was released, review the supplementary appropriations to date for 2025-2026, and outline how we are revising our fiscal strategy goals to better match the uncertain economic times we find ourselves in.
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Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Member for Kam Lake, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, will be absent from the House today as she is travelling back from the Forum of Ministers Responsible for Immigration in Toronto, Ontario.
The Honourable Member for Thebacha, Minister of Justice, will be absent for today and tomorrow to virtually attend the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Ministers Responsible for Justice and Public Safety meeting.
