MLAs and premier hint at priorities during initial sitting

As members of the 20th Legislative Assembly convened for their first full session, the carbon tax and wildfires were key topics of discussion. Not on the list? The new government’s priorities.

The Northwest Territories’ latest batch of politicians have yet to release their priorities for the next four years, which will in turn influence directions in ministers’ mandate letters.

MLAs decided to delay setting those priorities following a recommendation from a committee of 19th Assembly MLAs, who said the extra time would allow new members to understand government roles, responsibilities and resources first, and provide for more fulsome engagement.

Speaker Shane Thompson said the current assembly’s priorities won’t be released until next week. Yet the premier and some MLAs hinted on Tuesday at themes that might appear on the menu.

“Residents of the Northwest Territories want to feel safe in their communities and their homes, they want access to timely and appropriate healthcare, and they want their families and communities to benefit from the opportunities attained through education and employment,” Premier RJ Simpson said in his opening statement.

“Safety, health and opportunity are the building blocks of a prosperous territory and I know that as we come together to set our priorities, these themes will again emerge as areas of focus for this government.”

Simpson said other themes that have recurred in MLAs’ discussions with constituents include climate change, mental health and housing.

The premier reiterated his mantra that his government will focus on collaboration with Indigenous governments. He said he also wants the government to prioritize a person-centred approach to service delivery and make the most of the territory’s limited resources.

“The Government of the Northwest Territories faces a critical juncture. Despite increased spending on programs and services, many of the outcomes we strive for remain elusive,” he said.

“Our approach must pivot toward ensuring that every dollar spent translates into meaningful improvements in the daily lives of our residents. This strategic reallocation is about maximizing impact where it matters most.”

‘Change the plan but never the goals’

Danny McNeely, the Sahtu MLA, highlighted austerity, collaboration and climate change as issues the assembly will need to tackle.

“If the plan doesn’t work, change the plan – but never the goals,” he said.

Denny Rodgers, the MLA for Inuvik Boot Lake, spoke about the perceived migration of senior government positions from the Beaufort Delta and other regions. He said a regional director position in Inuvik, intended to be a community liaison to territorial departments, has been vacant since the summer of 2020.

“Collaboration, progress and the integrity of government are only possible when representation in communities is real and is sincerely felt by the people we serve,” Rodgers said.

“If we are truly going to listen, if we are truly going to be accountable and if we are truly going to be a successful government, then we must create new positions in communities and move existing ones out of Yellowknife and back to the communities we serve.”

A desire to decentralize government services was a common refrain among MLAs in the previous assembly. Increasing regional decision-making authority and increasing employment in small communities were among their 22 priorities.

Carbon tax and wildfires

Tuesday was technically the second day’s sitting of the House since MLAs were elected in October, following a one-day December sitting in which MLAs mostly made statements sharing gratitude and well wishes.

Tuesday therefore marked the first time regular MLAs could ask new ministers questions in public about issues affecting their constituents.

Kieron Testart, the MLA for Yellowknife’s Range Lake, pressed finance minister Caroline Wawzonek on the territory’s plans to exempt heating fuel from carbon tax.

The federal government announced in October that home heating oil would be exempt from the federal carbon tax for three years. As the NWT implemented its own carbon pricing regime to comply with federal requirements, rather than defaulting to the federal system, the territory has to change its regulations for the exemption to apply to NWT residents.

In response to questions from Testart on Tuesday, Wawzonek said the territory would not be backdating the exemption as residents had already received rebates in October and January and would receive another in April.

On Tuesday night, the territorial government announced that the carbon tax on home heating diesel will be suspended for three years starting in April. That suspension won’t apply to other fuels, like propane, and it’ll mean residents’ cost-of-living offset payments go down.

As for the premier’s stated desire that the territory be entirely exempt from the federal carbon tax, Wawzonek said that’s unlikely. She said that has been a “source of frustration” for herself and her department, who have “pled the case” to federal officials.

“We were told quite frankly that no, we will not get any extension in the amount of time that we can offer an exemption, no there will not be blanket exemptions, no, there will essentially be very little that accounts for the realities of costs of living, costs of heat and costs of fuel in the Northwest Territories,” she said.

Another hot topic on Tuesday was how the territory plans to review its response to the 2023 wildfire season, the territory’s worst on record.

Premier Simpson highlighted that what his government considers to be independent reviews are already under way through two territorial departments. He said those will include input from residents.

“Last summer’s evacuations were traumatic for many residents and communities, and it is incredibly important that the public has an opportunity to share their thoughts and experiences as part of that review process,” he said.

Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan, however, questioned whether those reviews would adequately address concerns like the support offered to vulnerable people and front-line organizations during evacuations.

On Thursday, MLAs will vote on whether to also pursue an independent inquiry into the 2023 wildfire season. Some MLAs contend that the government reviews aren’t truly independent as, while they’ll be overseen by third parties, those third parties are appointed by the government, which controls the terms of reference.

Other issues MLAs raised on Tuesday included supports for family members of people with addictions, the health of the non-profit and charitable sector, and progress on an income assistance program for seniors and people with disabilities.