This is page numbers 1277 - 1298 of the Hansard for the 19th Assembly, 2nd Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was 911.

Topics

Indigenous Procurement Policy
Members' Statements

Page 1284

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Members' statements. Member for Nahendeh.

Eulogy for Sharon Pierrot
Members' Statements

Page 1284

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sharon Grace Pierrot was born in Fort Good Hope on January 12, 1962, to Jean Baptiste Gully and Alice Masoonee. Sharon lived with her mother, Alice, until her brother got sick at the age of five. Then, she moved to live with her dad in Colville Lake. She lived with her dad until she reached the age of eight when her father moved Sharon and her sister back to Fort Good Hope to attend school. Each summer break, she would be taken out of the Fort Good Hope school and return home. She attended school in Fort Good Hope until June of 1997. Then, she went to school in Inuvik in 1979.

Sharon and Ronald Pierrot married in September of 1986. They have five children: Darren, Lisa, Matthew, Kelsey, Terrence, and five grandchildren. Sharon did various jobs in the community to support her children, including teaching in the school and working with the Gashnu Nahanni band office. Sharon and Ronald fostered many children, and this helped Sharon decide that she wanted to make a difference. She moved to Fort Smith to take the social work program. With the diploma, she worked as a corrections officer, a probation officer, a native customs adoption officer for the Sahtu.

In 2009, Sharon was diagnosed with breast cancer and fought it to beat it. In 2010, she was victorious in this battle. After the battle, she decided to go to Colville Lake to be a haul truck driver. After a while she decided to pursue a career goal and become a child welfare officer in Fort Good Hope. In 2017, she took a job in Fort Simpson as a child wealth officer where she mentored a number of new graduates, ensuring she passed on the knowledge she had for the betterment of the children under her care.

Sharon embraced her culture. Sharon could sew, hunt, trap, and do whatever necessary to live on the land. She wanted to teach those around her the importance of keeping our culture alive. She loved being out on the land, and she said that is the place you heal and find yourself. She was no stranger to hard work. She empowered those around her, encouraged those to use their voice for change if they wanted it. Sharon was the person that encouraged people to be kind, good to one another, and be there for those that needed help. She stressed we do not know what a person is going through.

On May 9, 2019, cancer came back. Through this battle, she was fearless and courageous, and she stayed positive throughout, continued to be selfless, preparing those around her for what may come. Her body succumbed to the disease, but her spirit and mind did not. To the very end, she fought, but in Sharon's words, "I cannot wait to see what heaven looks like. It must be beautiful. I get to see my parents and those who left before us. I can celebrate with them." She will be sadly missed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Eulogy for Sharon Pierrot
Members' Statements

Page 1284

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Nahendeh. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. Member for Thebacha.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Mr. Speaker, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation issued a public announcement stating that all evictions from rental housing units will not be carried out unless there is a significant matter involving risk to other tenants or the NWT Housing Corporation's buildings. My question is: will the Minister consider amending this policy to mandate a freeze on all evictions in the NWT until this pandemic has ended? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

Page 1285

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Thebacha. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

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Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Member for bringing this forward. I take this very seriously when we're looking at the evictions for our residents of the territory, but dealing with COVID-19, we have to take precautions, as well, and looking at the safety for the residents of our people that are occupying our units. For the eviction notice, it does go through a lengthy process, but this is something that I will be bringing back to my department. We are currently working on how are we going to be working with our clients who are ready for eviction or who have been through the process for eviction because they are given last chance agreements, as well, but we will be reviewing them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

My next question requires clarity on how responses are given to constituents. Will the Minister consider changing the policy for how her department deals with constituents who are receiving threatening letters of eviction, letters of last chance, and treating our seniors and low-income people disrespectfully and undignified?

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

Page 1285

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Member, for giving this forward. Client service is a priority of the Housing Corporation, and it is something that I have been working with very strongly. Acknowledging our client service at the LHO and at the district level, as well, we are looking at also providing training and client service training opportunities for our employees and also looking at the evictions and the process and also working with the elders, as well. However, safety is a priority, as well, for the Housing Corporation. We do deal with a lot of low-income families, and they do come with very unique situations that the Housing Corporation has got to work with. We take each file, consider it of all the situations that may come with those files.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

Page 1285

Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

There seems to be a communication gap between the Minister's office and the local housing authority regarding threatening letters of eviction and last-chance letters. Will the Minister ensure that the local housing authority follows the direction of the public announcement in Fort Smith?

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

Page 1285

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you to the Member for the question. I will be providing the Member with the process that we do follow, that lead up to eviction, just to provide clarity, as well. I will be working with my department, and I appreciate the comments coming forward.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Thebacha.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

October 16th, 2020

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Frieda Martselos

Frieda Martselos Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister give me a timeline for when I can expect replies to my outstanding emails and enquiries, specifically the status of the RCMP housing contracts and the two public housing units that were supposed to be built in the 2020-2021 fiscal year? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

Page 1285

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Member. The RCMP housing units in Fort Smith, five out of the six are currently under construction by the local Fort Smith contractors, and it is to be completed in 2021. The six units will be tendered in February 2021 and should be completed in 2021, the fall of 2021. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 353-19(2): Housing
Oral Questions

Page 1285

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Status of Women. Will the Minister update this House if there has been any progress made on the development of an NWT action plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for the Status of Women.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am very happy to be able to report back to the House. The special advisor, Sabet Biscaye, who I want to acknowledge for all the work that she has done as a one-woman, -person, really running that office. She has gone out, and we have hired a local consultant, Mr. Speaker. That person has a deadline of October 16th, by which point we will have a work plan. It has been very clearly instructed on my behalf that the work plan is meant to be one that involves tremendous engagement at the front lines across the Northwest Territories. Once I have that work plan ready, I will be sure to share it with the Members.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Mr. Speaker, I am really happy to hear that, that there is some progress being made. Can the Minister explain or give a little bit of a timeline that we should be seeing this work plan and possibly leading into an action plan?

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, obviously, when the work plan comes to me, and I expect it will be coming to me at some point later today, I do intend to get it turned around so the MLAs and all Members of the House will have an opportunity to see it and look at it. It's our expectation that, once the plan is approved -- which, again, does certainly involve some collaboration and communication with the Members here. Once it's approved, we are estimating four to six months in order to have a draft of the action plan. That timeframe and the reason for that extended time really is because, again, this has to be something that is driven by the communities, by the residents, by those who are involved on the front lines, and I want to ensure we have enough time to do that and to involve that engagement. Again, subject to exactly when the final work plan is approved, which is, again, due imminently, then in four to six months thereafter.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thanks to the Minister for that. I am going to be looking forward to that in four to six months. My question to the Minister is: how is this going to be kind of infiltrated into the departments so that way we know, when we look at the calls for justice, that it kind of filters into all different areas of the GNWT, that the GNWT would be responsible for actioning? Can the Minister just say how this direction is being provided? Thank you.

Caroline Wawzonek

Caroline Wawzonek Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, this is truly a whole-of-government opportunity, and there are a number of departments that are all engaged in terms of a GNWT working group. There has been much discussion amongst the departments, as well, around really re-examining how we deliver services that are aimed at vulnerable sectors and aimed at women specifically. I do think there will be some movement on that, also, over the next four to six months, where we can really see a concerted effort and a more organized effort. It has been part of what, as departments go through business planning and then prepare their main estimates and budgets for next year, that is exactly part of the conversation we are having, so I am hopeful that, as we move forward to our next rounds of budgets and main estimates, that the Member will see that there is a reflection there of this becoming a true whole-of-government opportunity.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.

Lesa Semmler

Lesa Semmler Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have any more questions, but I just want to say thank you to the Minister for taking this seriously, for taking the calls seriously, and listening to the families. I am looking forward and I am sure the families are looking forward to how this government is going to protect our women, girls, and our two-spirited, queer, lesbian, and QIA.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you. I will take that as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Premier, who is responsible for federal relations. In my statement earlier today, I noted the potential for literally billions of dollars of federal investment across the northern territories as part of an accelerated program on contaminated-site remediation and economic recovery. It's not clear that my call for action was taken seriously in May. Does the Premier see this as a major opportunity for federal funding transfers? If so, tell us who is actually in charge of this work and how it's going to be coordinated across several departments. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.