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Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the 4th anniversary of the release of the Final Report of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. The Final Report describes the dire situation faced by Indigenous women, girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ people as genocide.  It also delivers 231 Calls for Justice directed at governments, institutions, social service providers, industries, and all Canadians to affect change.

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Mr. Speaker, today I rise to share very good news out of Ottawa.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced they will be matching contributions made to United Way NWT. This generosity will have a direct impact on people affected by wildfires in Northwest Territories, and I am deeply grateful for Canada’s support.

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Mr. Speaker, in 2021 the Government of the Northwest Territories released the Northwest Territories Arts Strategy, a 10-year plan to improve NWT’s arts programs and services, and strengthen the territory’s arts sector. The first key action identified in the strategy was to complete a review of the GNWT’s arts programs so that we could have a better understanding of the changes required to help us achieve our goals for the sector.

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Mr. Speaker, the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Commission is always looking for new ways to support employers and create safer workplaces in the Northwest Territories.

Through ongoing communication and engagement with employers, the WSCC identified an opportunity to improve their services and provide additional supports for employers facing occupational health and safety challenges that is separate from their role as enforcer of the Safety Act through penalties and fines.

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Mr. Speaker, June is Seniors Month, a time for us to recognize the important role of Seniors in our families, communities, and the territory. They connect us with language, land and culture, and bridge the past and the future.

Under the Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories, 2019-2023, we are supporting this role by enabling Seniors to age in place with dignity. We want to help Seniors remain in their homes and communities for as long as they are able.

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Mr. Speaker, as we prepare to wrap up another school year, I would like to highlight a number of exciting initiatives that reflect our government’s commitment to improve student outcomes in the Northwest Territories.

This semester, three high schools in the territory piloted the new Northern Studies 30 course. This made-in-the-NWT high school course is the first in the territory to follow British Columbia’s curricular framework.

Le gouvernement des Territoires du Nord­‑Ouest (GTNO) est heureux d’annoncer les membres intronisés au Temple de la renommée de l’éducation des TNO en 2023!

Les personnes et l’organisation intronisées ont laissé une impression forte et durable sur leurs collègues, leurs élèves et leur collectivité. Nous reconnaissons quatre personnes et une équipe méritantes qui se sont distinguées par leur travail exemplaire en éducation aux TNO.

Dans l’optique d’améliorer la sécurité routière, le gouvernement des Territoires du Nord-Ouest (GTNO) a apporté des modifications au Règlement sur les heures de service en vertu de la Loi sur les véhicules automobiles de façon à rendre obligatoires les dispositifs de consignation électronique (DCE) pour les véhicules utilitaires de 4 500 kilogrammes et plus circulant aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest (TNO).

Aujourd’hui, à l’Assemblée législative, la première ministre Caroline Cochrane a déposé le document Un chemin vers chez soi : Une stratégie globale pour lutter contre l’itinérance aux Territoires du Nord-Ouest.

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Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize the athletes, coaches, managers, and mission staff who will represent Team NT at the 2023 North American Indigenous Games that will be held in Halifax, Nova Scotia from July 15 to 23.