This is page numbers 5051 - 5086 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 housing.

Topics

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm going to age Jackie a bit here -- or the Member from Nunakput. I've actually known Jackie since when he was in high school in Inuvik so we had that opportunity to meet him and his mother, and it was great, that opportunity. And by 1994, I had seven children so, you know, it's very active, you know, getting stuff done. So in regards to making that commitment, yes, I'll make that commitment to get that information, you know, making sure that I give him the data that, you know, what programs are out there, when they were developed, and how much is there so we can get that information to the committee. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

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

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No, I thank the Minister for that. So he still never said "yes" for me tour with his staff, with MACA staff going into the communities in regards to letting us trying to work together for the youth of Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok, and Paulatuk for our tournaments, regional tournaments in the Beaufort Delta, where we bring all our youth together where it used to be a lot of fun in those days that we don't have that going on anymore. Our youth need that. So, Madam Speaker, would the Minister commit to working with us to coming up north to Beaufort Delta to help me help him. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

So I got two minutes and five seconds to go here? Just joking. I'm make a commitment again. I thought I made a commitment to the second question. But, yes, I will go to the Member's -- I'll go with the other Ministers as well. I think the Member is doing a great job, and I'm more than willing to work with his communities on this. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I should not have used the word "segue" in my last time and tipped you off that I was changing topic.

Can the Minister of Housing please provide us with an update on the Inuvik shelter and whether or not a contractor has been found? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Member. Minister of Housing NWT.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question because this is such an important issue in the Beaufort Delta, addressing homelessness. We did have some issues with the contractor and the delivery of the programming there as well too. We did have the request for proposal that did go out, and we did not receive a submission. And we had some nonprofit organizations that we were trying to work with. We soon identified that we need to further look at the training that we need to provide to the NGOs in the region and throughout the Northwest Territories as well, that we will be working with the NGOs addressing homelessness differently because we do need to provide adequate training and look for further funding for these program initiatives. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I do understand the trouble of trying to get an NGO in a community to run something when there aren't really any NGOs in that community that would want to take that on. And as a result of that, you know, and given the sensitive nature of this type of work, you know, hiring minimum wage workers here and that are not going to be adequately trained, as the Minister said, is not the solution. So can the Minister speak to whether or not the department is considering running the shelter themselves and having workers there be GNWT employees? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And this is something that we did try in the past as well too, and bringing on the shelter and employing them as GNWT employees. It was for a temporary period of time to give us some time to be working with the community, with the Indigenous governments, and try to come up with a solution. And also addressing the urgency in Inuvik as well too, we have been working with the NGOs that were potentially running the program previously. But I will have to get back to the Member as well to find what the current status is for Inuvik and looking at whether we're going to be keeping on the employees as GNWT employees. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So from listening to that, then it's my understanding that the GNWT is still running the shelter itself with GNWT employees. And that going forward, I'm just wondering how do we afford that? We all know that the GNWT is the most lucrative employer in the North for the most part, and we know that we -- when we want the NGOs to do it, we don't give them any money for it. So I'm curious to know how we're going to afford to run the shelter with GNWT employees over the wintertime. Are you going to be coming back for more money from us? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question because this is quite crucial in the Beaufort Delta, addressing homelessness looking at the severe weather conditions as well too, and trying to keep those shelters open. The program right now is internally funded. We will have to come back -- I would have to follow up with the Member on looking at when are we going to be doing forecasting into the future as well too. And one of the things I would like to -- I wanted to do is to encourage the NGOs at that time that we work with them to submit a co-investment application. But unfortunately that NGO had fallen apart. But it doesn't stop us from trying to work with the community and trying to come up with solutions to addressing homelessness in the Beaufort Delta. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Yeah, thank you, Madam Speaker. And again, I guess I just really struggle with the idea that we have to rely on NGOs who are notoriously underfunded in order to take care of our most vulnerable people. I just really find that to be unacceptable, and I do hope that the department is looking and considering that they do need to continue on being the operator of the shelter. My question, though, is around -- I know that when we were in Inuvik with social development, that there was a lot of conversation around even just proper food for people at the shelter. You know, we brought in some fruit and things and gave it to them. So my question is has the Minister reached out to any national organizations such as the Red Cross to talk with them about perhaps, you know, supplementing the shelter, either with workers or from a food security standpoint? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Housing NWT looks at the maintenance and the program delivery of homelessness more looking at operating of the shelter and the building but not necessarily the programming. But it could be something -- I'll bring this back to the department as well too, because I'm always looking for innovative and different approaches and ideas that we could be doing differently within the portfolio. I will have to get back to the Member. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Minister. Time for oral questions has expired. Written questions. Member for Nunakput.

Jackie Jacobson

Jackie Jacobson Nunakput

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Carbon Tax and the Cost of Living

My questions are for the Minister of Finance regarding the proposed increase in the carbon tax, impacts on residents in the small communities, and the efforts to mitigate those impacts. Can the Minister provide a cost estimates on how much home heating fuel bills are anticipated to go up for the average households in the Nunakput riding?

  1. Can the Minister provide further cost estimates on the anticipated average increases to household in all NWT communities;
  2. Can the Minister provide information on how the government's proposed carbon tax rates will affect households in each community for each year between 2023 and 2030;
  3. Can the Minister provide the above information, can the Minister break down the cost impacts on higher home heating costs and higher prices for the goods and services;
  4. The Minister stated in the House on November 1st, 2022, "unfortunately the communities in the riding of Nunakput are likely to be facing some of the highest impacts from the change to the federal carbon tax rate." Can the Minister alleviate the extra financial pressure facing Nunakput residents on carbon tax, please include any GNWT analysis to establish a tiered cost of living offset payments to the territory.

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Replies to the Commissioner's address. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Reports of standing and special committees. Tabling of documents. Minister of Justice.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 65, Builder's Lien Act; Plain Language Summary for Bill 68, An Act to Amend the Child Daycare Act; and, Northwest Territories Coroner Service 2021 Annual Report. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Shane Thompson

Shane Thompson Nahendeh

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following three documents: Plain Language Summary for Bill 66, An Act to Amend the Property Assessment and Taxation Act; Plain Language Summary for Bill 67, An Act to Amend the Fire Prevention Act; and, Northwest Territories 9-1-1 2021-2022 Annual Report. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Minister of Housing NWT.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish to table the following document: Housing NWT 2021-2022 Annual Report. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker Lesa Semmler

Thank you. Tabling of documents. Minister for Health and Social Services.

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Follow-up Letter for Oral Questions 1210, 1232, and 1255-19(2): Addictions Treatment. Thank you.