Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, do I think this is a revolutionary game changing budget? No.

I have shared my views on the budget as a whole in my reply to the budget address towards the beginning of this sitting. But true change takes time, Mr. Speaker. Evolution takes time. And I'll be the first to admit that I'm not the most patient person in this House. But I acknowledge that we are at a place where costs are being stretched in all directions. Inflation is having a real impact on the people we serve as well as the government who serves them. And our expectations of how the government serves the people of the NWT has also grown.

While we have big asks for funding, we also have an expectation that the cost of living in the NWT not be further exacerbated by our government and that cost savings not be at the expense of the livelihoods of the people of the Northwest Territories.

Both sides of these constraints, combined with our passion and love for each of our constituencies, made for, at times, a difficult budget discussion. But these discussions, as difficult as they are, also make me proud to work with, and continue to learn from, my fellow MLAs because the people we serve were central to all of our conversations.

So I want to thank my colleagues, Mr. Speaker, for sharing so passionately and candidly as we continue to work together. I'd also like to thank the chair and deputy chair of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight who advocated for all regular Members with the Minister of Finance, and of course the Minister of Finance who was responsible to draft and implement the budget overall.

Last March, I read a motion into your House, Mr. Speaker, which called on the GNWT to prioritize the review of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation as part of the government renewal initiative, that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation update its mission statement and policies to reflect its role in social wellness, and that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation must include referrals to appropriate government programs prior to beginning the eviction process.

This year, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation released its new mission and vision which centers people at the forefront of its work, and now they are working with the Council of Leaders on organizational renewal by reviewing their policies, processes, and direction of NWT partnerships to house Northerners.

When questioning the Minister of the Housing Corporation during the main estimates review, she committed to a plan to address housing repairs in the NWT with an ultimate goal of bringing Northerners out of core need. There is still so much work to do, Mr. Speaker. But during my reply to the budget address, I asked if listeners only remembered one thing I said that day, it would be to note that the Housing Corporation cannot meet its mandate with a capital investment of $11 million.

Yesterday, the Minister of Finance committed to an additional $6.7 million in response to MLA negotiations. These included a one-time increase of $2.2 million for homelessness shelters, ongoing funding of $500,000 to Northwest Territories-based heritage centres, and to develop procedures for multiyear funding agreements that allow for inflationary increases for NGOs.

In addition to these three commitments, a fourth final commitment was most notable to me, Mr. Speaker.

After negotiations with regular MLAs, the government committed an additional $4 million per year in ongoing funding for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. This much needed funding will provide financial support for home repair, fuel tank replacements, home purchase programs, mobility modifications, and to the seniors home subsidy. While this funding does not fully address housing needs in the Northwest Territories, it is a start, Mr. Speaker; and, to me, a reflection that Cabinet is listening.

It is this substantial commitment, along with the promising efforts of the Housing Corporation to change the way it does business, that has secured my support for the 2022-2023 budget. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.