What ties do you have to the 2SLGBTQIA+ community and what steps will you take to grow those connections if elected?

My ties are primarily through friendships, a few of my close friends and loved ones belong to this community. I don’t have particularly strong professional connections, admittedly, though as a candidate I made a point of attending the recent 1 million march for children counter-protest to show and express my support. If elected, I think it will be important for me to engage with this community, hear about your concerns and interests, and ensure the work of the assembly, and structures and actions of the GNWT are responsive to your needs.

The Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two Spirit Report specifically states 2SLGBTQQIA+ Indigenous communities are included in the Calls to Justice. If you were elected, what is your plan for seeing through an inclusive MMIWG2S Act in the NWT?

Upon reviewing this report I’m of the opinion that I need to spend a lot more time with it, noting that there are a large number of recommendations in the report directed at territorial governments which I need to familiarize myself with and consider. I’d like to meet with the Mosaic network to learn more about your recommendation for a MMIWG2S Act and what it would include, if I’m elected. I would note that I think all NWT legislation should be inclusive.

What do you know about the current challenges of two spirit, indigiqueer,transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in the NWT, and what steps will you take to commit to addressing these challenges?

I think I have some understanding of these challenges, but do have more to learn. My understanding is mostly through knowing and talking with friends in some of these communities, learning through social media, and paying attention to public conversations surrounding these challenges.

Steps:

1. educating myself further by engaging with organizations such as the NMN.

2. Working to implement solutions in consultation and accordance with advice and

engagement of these communities.

3. Ensuring my work and conduct as an MLA is openly inclusive, and leads by example.

The NWT currently offers the most protection for two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people in Canada. This includes gender-affirming surgeries, trans+ healthcare, policies and more. Given the current political atmosphere targeting two spirit, transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people, what steps would you take to preserve these protections?

I’m happy to hear this is the case and would fight to preserve it if it were challenged in any way.

The evacuation(s) this past summer were detrimental to many communities with devastating aftermaths. Were you impacted by the evacuation(s) this past summer and what did you do during that time? If elected, how do you plan to deal with the ongoing impacts, and how would you improve a future response?

Yes I was impacted. My girlfriend and I drove south with our two dogs and cat, staying in a number of different places throughout the evacuation. Our experience was mostly positive, all things considered.

I think we need to seek Federal funding to deal with the significant expenses incurred by the territorial and municipal governments during the wildfire response and evacuations. My first action will be to advocate for an external review of the 2023 evacuations, rather than the internal review currently planned. I think outside expertise and advice is needed to answer this question with any kind of adequacy. Emergency response is clearly incredibly complex, involving multiple levels of government and thousands of interconnected pieces. I am not an expert in emergency response and don’t think I or any layperson could lay out solutions and expect them to change anything.

One suggestion I received is that we look into establishing a standalone all measures emergency management organization, which is what is done in some other jurisdictions. This idea seems to have merit, but again, I suggest we need expert advice on what needs to change.