Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about an issue which is affecting more and more people in the NWT. This issue is wealth inequality, which can be described as an increasing wealth disparity that exists between our richest and poorest citizens.

Mr. Speaker, the NWT has the highest median personal income in Canada, at $50,000 per year. However, a closer look at the figures will show that the distribution of wealth among our people is not equal. Of the 22 communities that have income data, only four have an average personal income above $50,000, which means that all other communities have an average personal income lower than the territorial average.

Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, the gap in wealth accumulation is even starker when you examine the incomes of different demographics. For example, the average median income for non-Indigenous residents in the NWT is $71,000, which is more than double the median income for First Nations people and nearly three times more than the Inuit.

Mr. Speaker, the rate of food insecurity in the NWT has also been increasing in recent years, going from about 13 percent in 2007 to over 19 percent in 2014. One fifth of our population fears that they will run out of food before they are able to get more money to buy food. The average number of people on income assistance has risen over time, going from 1,400 recipients in 2009 to 1,900 recipients in 2017.

Mr. Speaker, it is for those reasons that we have created cost-of-living priorities in our mandate. We have tasked ourselves with increasing affordable housing; improving food security; supporting energy-efficient technologies; implementing affordable daycare; allowing seniors to age in place; and fostering healthy families.

I can go on, Mr. Speaker. These staggering figures represent a reality that is only getting worse as years go by. As such, we in the NWT must work to close the wealth gap that has threatened our economic potential, prosperity, and day-to-day livelihoods. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.