Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the federal government began to establish itself in our communities and to assume the responsibilities of our lives and to govern all aspects of our lifestyle by first signing the treaties and the Metis script, then to work with the missionaries to convert our people into civilized people, and furthermore, to support the trading companies to begin the first economic development programs with fur trading, slowly over the years more and more established structures began to be part of our present life today. One of the biggest single established infrastructures that was brought in was public housing.

Our elders, as a matter of fact, my grandfather once told his chief that we as people should not move into government housing. This would not be good for us, he said. It’s a trap. We’ll always be in debt to the government. We are independent people and we need to continue to be independent. However, with the promise of $2 per month rent, it’s too good of a deal to pass up.

In Colville Lake at the Sahtu Secretariat Annual General Assembly I heard stories again and again from the elders talking about the government officials telling people that if they move into the government houses, they would only have to pay $2 a month for staying there. These testimonies are very strong and true today as we rely on our elders to continue guiding us and providing direction to all our lives. More importantly, what was said during the treaties.

Today I see the true words of my grandfather and my elders. We are so dependent on the government for everything: to get us water, to turn on our lights, to heat our homes, to feed us, and even to police us. We were so independent at one time. Today I see, and I hear, and I know my people are now living in warehouses and tents and overcrowded houses. Today the Housing Corporation says we owe thousands, no, millions of dollars for rent. We see the Government of Canada is going to stop the funding by 2038. That’s 27 years from now. Meaning that my son, who is nine years old today, when he turns 36 there will be no more social public housing in Canada. Good.

Mr. Yakeleya, your time for your Member’s statement has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

We are often asked to rise up and begin to take full responsibility for our lives today. We have created it and now we must take back what once was ours. My only hope is that we do we act when the time comes. Remember, we continue to be slaves to the NWT Housing Corporation’s policies and they determine our fate in life. I say this doesn’t need to be our destiny anymore.

Housing is essential. It’s our home, our identity, our place we call home. NWT Housing Corporation needs to be really shaken up to help our people to keep their homes and start keeping people in the houses they once built and were once promised to us.

I witnessed our Minister work with one of my leaders this morning with the housing issue. I want to say thank you to the Minister for his leadership, and I know that we can solve our problems when we get our thoughts and minds together.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

The change in season reminds us how important it is to secure an adequate, affordable, suitable home. Hundreds of Northerners depend on our public housing system for this shelter. It is a constant source of challenge for our governments. These challenges are frequently debated in this House by MLAs.

I believe that the Northwest Territories would be better served if the Housing Corporation became a department of our territorial government. As a department, the Housing Corporation would prepare full government business plans and have the support of our intergovernmental resources. Core need in our communities is directly related to infrastructure planning. Preparing and being involved in our business planning process along with other infrastructure expenditures would help determine how to best spend our scarce infrastructure dollars. We would be more proactive in our approach to the decline in funding from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Core need is steadily on the rise and we need to reverse this trend as quickly as possible. The department also reports directly to the Assembly. Therefore, there would be greater accountability and oversight in how the Housing Corporation operates, resulting in greater transparency. There would also be an

opportunity to address the old arrears and get them off our books once the NWT Housing Corporation is dissolved.

In certain ways the Housing Corporation is already similar to a department. Members review its annual business plans and reports, and have regular contact with senior officials through the Minister. Restructuring the corporation as a department would not come at a significant cost, I believe. It is an opportunity to streamline our system, leading to greater savings in the long run.

As a government we should constantly strive for ways to improve our services to Northerners. We need to look beyond our four-year term and make changes that will benefit people over a longer period. Restructuring the Housing Corporation into a department is a viable option and one that is worthy of the 17th Legislative Assembly’s

consideration.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some months ago the Minister of Health and Social Services announced the suspension of midwifery services in Yellowknife. This was not welcome news for many women and families who had benefited from the services and those who would like to plan for the future. A recent petition supporting the program had 304 signatures. To me that speaks out loud and clear about how important the services are.

When midwifery services were first offered in Yellowknife, it was part of a plan to expand the Midwifery Program that began in Fort Smith, to reach out to other centres across our territory. Then the plans changed. While the Health department figures out what they need to now do and how to focus on the territorial program, we seem to be going backwards, according to constituents, certainly not forward on this premier health care service that has been offered in the past.

Many months have now passed without people knowing where the program is going, and accordingly this is a concern to many constituents who are trying to plan ahead, because they believe strongly in the Midwifery Program and they want that to be part of their childbearing experience. They have heard, and I truly believe this, that the NWT has one of the best midwifery programs and certain reputations in Canada second to none. As many people know, the birth of this spectacular program came out of the well-known small community called Fort Smith, hand delivered to our

Northerners by Leslie Paulette. To her I owe a great compliment.

I worry, as many others do, about what is the plan to re-establish this program here in Yellowknife. It’s a much needed service to help take off the pressure of our health care system while at the same time providing families with real options as they grow their families here in the North.

Later today I will have questions for the Minister of Health to find out how this program is evolving and when, hopefully, we’ll see the re-establishment of midwifery services here in Yellowknife that are in great need.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Mr. Herbert Blake, chief of the Nigtat Gwich’in in Inuvik. I’d also like to welcome Mr. Steve Baryluk, a resident of Inuvik. Welcome to the Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like today to recognize all the Pages who have been working so very hard for us in the last couple of weeks. I would especially like to recognize a constituent of Frame Lake, Jaida Brunet. Thanks to all of you for your work.

Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also welcome Mr. Herbert Blake from Inuvik. Again in the House I have Mr. Frank Pokiak, chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council, and Mr. Larry Carpenter, chair of the Wildlife Management Advisory Council.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to take a moment to recognize a couple of people. I’d like to recognize Chief Tsetta. I believe he’s up there in the gallery; I saw him a moment ago. He’s the chief for Dettah, as we all know. I’d also like to make special note of Lee Mandeville. He’s with the Dene Nation. And a long-time friend of mine, Sonny Lenoir. We were kids together growing up in Fort Simpson.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to recognize Morag MacPherson, the founder and creative force behind ArtsEnergy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my pleasure to recognize Chief Edward Sangris of Dettah and chief of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. I’d also welcome Chief Tsetta if he’s here too.