Check against delivery

Mr. Speaker, across the Northwest Territories, residents want better access to primary and community care that feels safe, respectful, and connected to culture and community. Indigenous residents have been clear about the harm, discrimination, and inequities they continue to experience in the health and social services system. These experiences affect trust, access, and health outcomes in ways that cannot be ignored.

This is why our government is working in partnership with Indigenous governments to transform how care is designed and delivered in the Northwest Territories.

One of the steps in this work was Following the North Star: Primary Health Care Reimagined Together, a summit held in Yellowknife from January 20 to 22. The summit brought together Indigenous governments, leaders in health and social services, and partners from across the Northwest Territories and other northern, rural, and remote regions of Canada.

I joined the participants and toured an interactive learning exhibit supported by the department’s Community, Culture and Innovation team. I want to acknowledge the Elders, organizers, partners, and artists whose leadership grounded the event and strengthened relationships.

Mr. Speaker, the cultural safety and anti-racism exhibit was emotional and powerful. For many participants it reflected truths their families and communities have carried for generations. It showed how colonial policies and systemic racism still shape Indigenous peoples’ experiences in health and social services. It also affirmed the strength of Indigenous cultures, languages, and ways of knowing as central to healing and wellness.

The summit created space for honest conversations and new thinking about primary and community care that reflects northern realities and Indigenous priorities. Participants learned from promising models of care in other jurisdictions and discussed how they could be adapted to our communities. What we heard will help shape the Primary and Community Health Care Framework, scheduled for release this spring.

This work continues through the Northwest Territories Council of Leaders Health and Social Services Working Group. The Working Group supports a partnership between Indigenous governments and the GNWT that honours Indigenous authority and community priorities. It recognizes that sustainable solutions must be rooted in Indigenous knowledge, strengths, and lived experience.

I also want to acknowledge Healthcare Excellence Canada for their support of the summit and their commitment to Indigenous-led, equity-focused improvements to care.

Mr. Speaker, Indigenous approaches to health and wellness were described as our North Star. They set the direction for change and remind us that there must be accountability for cultural safety and equity across the system. For residents, this means working toward care that feels safer, more connected, and closer to home.

Throughout the summit, Indigenous governments spoke with honesty about moments when they did not feel heard in past processes or did not experience collaboration as balanced. Their guidance is essential. The future of primary and community care must be shaped through Indigenous leadership and shared decision-making. Our government reaffirms its commitment to implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and supporting Indigenous self-determination in health.

Mr. Speaker, the summit is one step in a longer journey. Transforming primary and community care will take time and continued partnership. Our goal is healthy people and communities, where Indigenous residents, and all residents, experience care that is culturally safe, community centered, and responsive to their needs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.