As N.W.T. Legislative Assembly returns, it faces last chance to make progress on promises

The Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly is back in session as of Thursday.

According to the former caucus chair, it's now crunch time for MLAs to make progress on some promised business before the 2023 general election.

"I think this session is really the last chance to get commitments on things that we can actually get done in the life of this assembly," said Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson.

At the top of his list: Making progress on settling land claims and self-governance, along with "any sort of progress" on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People (UNDRIP).

"Those are both our number one priorities and are high up in the mandate document. And it seems to me that we've made little to no progress on both of them," Johnson said.

He said he expected the N.W.T. to come up with some sort of action plan on UNDRIP after the federal government passed legislation on it in June 2021.

"I really [think] any sort of plan would be helpful at this point," Johnson said.

Another main priority should be "stabilizing" the territory's health-care system, he said, including attempting to increase resident healthcare workers by 20 per cent.

"We're nowhere near that," he said, pointing out the N.W.T. instead faces about a 20 per cent vacancy in health-care positions.

He is optimistic progress can be made there: the territory saw bonuses come out for health-care professionals to help them to come work in the territory or to stay. He said the government is also set to go to the negotiating table with the Union of Northern Workers.

He added it's time for the assembly to make real progress on improving mental health and addictions services in the N.W.T. The latest auditor general report said the N.W.T. government is 20 years behind on making addictions services accessible in the territory.

"We heard the minister of health say that some conversations were being had about some sort of in-territory treatment centre, perhaps with co-operation and Indigenous government, perhaps with an on-the-land focus," he said.

"I think the minister of health really needs to come out with that plan and to expand on what she meant by what conversations are being had."

Johnson also said as the territory works toward $10-a-day child care, it must secure federal funding to build child care spaces.

Economic concerns

Meanwhile, Tu Nedhé-Wiilideh MLA Richard Edjericon, who is about six months into his position as MLA, said he's concerned about the territory's economy. He said the budget, around $2.1 billion, also comes with a $1.6-billion deficit, "and we're fast approaching $1.8 billion."

"The future in the Northwest Territories' economy is really not there anymore, because we got the mining industries on reclamation mode now, and people are going to be starting to getting laid off here ... in the next five years."

Other items he'll also be bringing up this session include issues like the housing crisis territory-wide and the need to organize a search for unmarked graves, particularly in Fort Resolution.

"We've got to take ownership of that, and see how we could really work to help these guys out in Fort Resolution to really identify where their unmarked graves are," Edjericon said. "That's really hitting home, because [of] this year [with] the truth and reconciliation and the Pope's apology."

He said he's disappointed little progress has been made on this government's commitment to settle two land claim agreements with Indigenous groups.

"I don't think they're going to achieve it, because there are too many obstacles and barriers there," Edjericon said.

"When you make commitments like that, then you don't follow through, [it] sends the wrong messages to the people in the Northwest Territories."

The assembly's return will be kicked off by the Aklavik Delta Drummers and Dancers, who are set to perform at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Legislature in Yellowknife.

R.J. Simpson, the government house leader, said in an emailed statement to CBC that with just one year left in this government, the focus is on "advancing priorities" under the N.W.T. government's mandate. There will be a focus on the review of the 2023-24 capital estimates, which will take up a "big part" of this session, Simpson wrote.

"We will be discussing several pieces of legislation, which currently sit in various stages of the legislative process, and we will address important topics that affect residents across the N.W.T.," his email read in part.