Open and respectful communication between all Members is the most essential feature of consensus government. While it is impossible to reach unanimous agreement on all issues, the opportunity for all Members to have meaningful input into important decisions is fundamental.
– From Consensus Government in the NWT Guiding Principles
The 20th Legislative Assembly is starting to look a bit like its battle-weary predecessors, with frequent infighting overshadowing the inclusive decision-making, accommodation, respect and trust so necessary in Consensus Government.
In ruling that a Facebook post last week by Range Lake MLA Kieron Testart did not undermine Finance and Infrastructure Minister Caroline Wawzonek’s ability to do here job, Speaker Shane Thompson tried to put a lid on the burgeoning turmoil among some members of cabinet and Regular MLAs.
“The people we represent in this Assembly are also concerned about this, about the behavior that they’re seeing,” he said. “And I’ve been spoken to numerous times on the street here and in my own riding. I expect more of you as members of this Legislative Assembly.
‘We’re here to work together for the benefit of all people of this territory. We were not elected quarrel and bicker. This isn’t what our people expect or need.”
At the start of proceedings last Thursday, Minister Wawzonek raised a point of privilege, asserting that a Facebook post by MLA Testart implied that the ongoing budget process involves backroom deals and is mere “accountability theatre.”
Premier R.J. Simpson backed up Wawzonek, who is also Deputy Premier.
In a Facebook post this afternoon, Testart wrote: “Speaker Thompson has dismissed the allegations against me of intimidation made by the Premier and Deputy Premier, finding no grounds for these accusations. Thank you to everyone who reached out with words of support, it means a lot to me.”
And on Friday, another MLA filed a complaint with Speaker Shane Thompson for a perceived slight from one of their peers.
Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan was irked by something said off-microphone by Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins.
Speaker Thompson said his ruling on that will be soon.
Thompson told the Assembly the electorate expects the politicians to behave in a way Northerners would be proud of in our consensus government structure, and “we hold ourselves and each other to a higher standard.”
He said if Testart had made the same comments he did online in the chamber, he would have been ruled out of order.
Thompson also cautioned MLAs about their speech not being protected, or privileged, outside of the Legislative Assembly.
“As long as I am your Speaker, I will expect each of you to strive for this higher standard. Further, I expect improvements on how we treat each other inside and outside this chamber.”
Just prior to the day’s sitting, it was announced the federal government has raised the GNWT’s borrowing limit to $3.1 billion from $1.8 billion.
Minister Wawzonek announced the need to have the flexibility to increase the federally imposed limit in her Fall Economic and Fiscal Update in October.
Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek meets the media in February prior to the release of Budget 2025-26. (James O’Connor/CKLB)
Wawzonek stated in a release the extra borrowing space will provide the, “flexibility needed to pursue new opportunities for northerners and respond to fiscal shocks.”
This GNWT’s ability has now been bolstered to respond to expenditure shocks, such as effects of extreme weather events like floods and wildfires, and address implications of US tariffs on the Northwest Territories’ economy.
The increase also ensures that the GNWT has the fiscal capacity and flexibility to continue to support economic growth through much needed investments in infrastructure.
The GNWT’s debt remains affordable (debt servicing payments are less than five-per-cent of total revenue) and it has maintained high credit ratings from both Fitch and Moody’s Investor Services, stated the release.
The GNWT’s borrowing limit was last increased in 2020 when it increased from $1.3 billion to $1.8 billion.
Also on Monday, Yellowknife North MLA Shauna Morgan told the Assembly that Arctic Energy Alliance has experienced major funding reductions in recent years and has struggled to meet a huge demand from NWT residents, businesses and community governments for its programs and services.
With Mark Heyck, the organization’s executive director, looking on from the public gallery, Morgan said as of October of 2024 the Alliance had run out of money for energy rebate programs and were no longer accepting applications.
Morgan asked Minister Wawzonek if any GNWT money was available to support those programs?
Kuptana replied: “We were quite disappointed to see the federal cuts to the low-carbon economy funding that had a significant impact on the Department of Infrastructure and on our energy programs, and in particularly with respect to the funding that’s provided to Arctic Energy Alliance.
“So, it was a significant impact on our budget. We have not we don’t have other or additional independent funds necessarily to come up with in areas where we could realign. Obviously, the department’s budgets are under review right now, and certainly I would look forward to answering some questions in that regard.”
And Sahtu MLA Danny received what he called “wonderful news” from Housing Minister Lucy Kuptana about housing materials successfully being trucked North on the winter road:
“The volume of material being shipped over the winter road … the contractor anticipates approximately six dedicated loads for two new housing construction projects that Housing NWT is underway in the Sahtu communities. The first is the Tulita seniors duplex. This modular duplex is now on the winter road and headed to Tulita. The second project involves two hybrid modular duplexes for Délı̨nę. The construction materials for this project are now in the community. The hybrid core components will be delivered via the winter road shortly, so no delays are anticipated at this time.”
