Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the 19 of us gathered this time last year to discuss our priorities for our term in office, we had a rare moment of actual consensus where all of us agreed the Northwest Territories was dealing with a housing crisis. One year later, we have not moved the needle on this critical issue as our government continues to focus mainly on COVID, creating additional layers of bureaucracy, rather than on the needs of our vulnerable citizens and how we have been failing them.
My home is my sanctuary. It is my refuge where I calm my soul and recover from the stresses of my day. It is my legacy and my security, the means to one day help my nieces and nephews or my plan B should life throw new challenges my way. I am proud of my home, that I was even able to purchase it, given I arrived in the North with nothing in my pocket 14 years ago. I am proud that it is a place to entertain my friends as well as to offer them comfort and solace in their times of need.
When people do not have the security of a place to safely lay their head at night, it affects all aspects of their lives. Without safety, sleep is elusive. Without sleep, people cannot function, and the mental health effects ripple throughout their lives. The stress of not having a home often leads to mental and physical abuse, addictions, and public health matters. Embarrassment of one's home or lack thereof can lead to depression and suicide. Intimate partners will stay in domestic violence situations longer rather than risk being homeless by themselves or with their children.
Mr. Speaker, this is not right. This is a situation we can start to deal with immediately. Throughout our territory, there are numerous empty housing units awaiting repair or retrofits. Why is this not a priority of this Cabinet, to get these units into circulation? Elsewhere, contracts are awarded for new units that often cost the public purse double what a private sector developer could build for. Why does this continue to happen? Why are we not being smarter with our dollars and ensuring we get quality work for what we pay for? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of housing. Thank you.