This is page numbers 5123 - 5150 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

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, housing is aware of the potential impacts and risks of data collection, both for Indigenous people and the public. As part of the renewal strategy, housing is aiming to take a trauma-informed approach, not just to data collection but to client service as well too. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Kam Lake.

Caitlin Cleveland

Caitlin Cleveland Kam Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Why stop at three, let's try for a fourth.

Mr. Speaker, I want to acknowledge that the Minister did inform us that housing is intending to create a data dashboard with the information that they collect, and I want to thank the Minister for that. The Minister might remember that the Department of Finance also has their open data portal that was recently released. And I'm wondering if the Minister of Housing will commit to ensuring that collected housing data is, where appropriate, updated on the GNWT's open data portal as well so that we have a consolidated solution for GNWT data for the residents of the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Paulie Chinna

Paulie Chinna Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As we collect information and create this data collection, I will update the Members as well. I just want to be careful on how this information is going to be distributed and how the files are going to be handled. I will follow up with the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I had mentioned that we're in a housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories. I'm not really sure whether or not the Indigenous governments here in the Northwest Territories know that the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Housing Corporation are making application to CIRNAC to apply for grant money, to take that money and then reinvest it in fixing up public housing, when they're supposed to be using that money to be dealing with the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as my statement earlier today, I rise to request that the Honourable Premier engage in meeting with the Dene Nation and its member First Nations to ensure the remaining federal investment dollars in public housing is used exclusively to support safe and affordable housing in our communities. Will the Premier take action? Mr. Speaker, this question will be to the Deputy Premier. Mahsi.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Deputy Premier.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to start off by saying the homeless strategy is a priority of this government. As a result, it's being led by the Premier. So meeting the Northwest Territories needs is bigger than any single government or organization. It's critical that we take coordinated interdepartmental approach and work in partnership with Indigenous governments and the Government of Canada, as well as community governments and other stakeholders. Mr. Speaker, Premier's not here today so I would hate to commit her to meeting with Indigenous groups but I will bring it up to her. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to call the Guiness Book of Records because I heard too many yes's today.

Mr. Speaker, in her capacity as the Minister in Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, how has the Premier engaged with First Nations, and the Dene Nation in particular, on the $60 million into housing because what happens is that they're taking that money to deal with their own housing crisis, but they're fixing up public housing. But yet in our communities, we're suffering. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do want to note that the Premier and Cabinet have been meeting in several discussions with people like Council of Leaders, bilateral meetings. So, I mean, we are meeting with the Indigenous groups. I also do want to note, Mr. Speaker, that Housing NWT works as well with Indigenous governments to be able to facilitate conversations about housing priorities and to have conversations about how to support each other because, Mr. Speaker, I think that's very important. You know, as we look at this housing strategy, we as a government as a whole need to start looking at some actions. And I think that breaking down barriers between government departments is probably a first step. That's why we have the first draft of the homeless strategy which will be released to standing committee. And I think standing committee will be very happy to know that -- and the public during this session because it takes a whole of a government approach, and I can't stress that importance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Deputy Premier, for your responses. Mr. Speaker, clearly the Dene leaders do not feel that any engagement on housing investment has been sufficient based on the resolution passed on December 13th and 15th here in Yellowknife. And has the Premier reviewed this resolution and taken steps to address the issues with her departments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure what the Premier is up to in terms of conversation with Indigenous groups. She is the Premier and responsible for Executive and Indigenous Affairs so I would hate to step on her toes to say that she has or has not met with any Indigenous groups specifically. However, Mr. Speaker, I do want to note that the Council of Leaders has a working group specifically on homelessness. So I think -- and housing. So I think that's a really good step in terms of having that collaboration with Indigenous groups, specifically the Council of Leaders. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Minister of Housing NWT has taken steps to review the department internal workings, but I'm speaking to the relationship between the GNWT and First Nations. Will the Premier direct the remaining $30 million to be allocated to First Nation governments and honour her government's obligation to Indigenous people as equal and sovereign government?

Mr. Speaker, as well, you know, when the Premier in her mandate letter had said that they were looking at building new relationships with Indigenous governments and -- but when they go ahead and make application to CIRNAC without talking to them is concerning. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Diane Archie

Diane Archie Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member's speaking specifically to $30 million which is public housing repair. And, again, I just can't sit here and speak on behalf of Premier to commit this $30 million to Indigenous groups. So I just do want to note, though, Mr. Speaker, that we are looking for further discussion with Indigenous groups in the next -- you know, after we're done session, we've got meetings lined up, bilateral meetings, with a variety of Indigenous groups. So I'm hoping that through that discussion, Mr. Speaker, that we can have more continued collaboration, more continued support, more continued dialogue. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Deputy Premier. Oral questions. Member for Great Slave.

Question 1322-19(2): Bill C-21 Status
Oral Questions

February 8th, 2023

Page 5132

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Justice.

Can the Minister please give us an update on where Bill C-21 is at federally and what he thinks is the next step that the federal government will be taking? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Minister responsible for Justice.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do my best to stay up to date with our own legislative agenda so I can't give too many specifics about it. But Bill C-21 was introduced, and it is now with the committee. So committee is undergoing a review. I believe it was in November, there was a government amendment to the bill which added a significant number of firearms to the list of prohibited firearms, and that has since been withdrawn. So that's where we are with the bill. The committee stage is continuing. And I expect that there will likely be movement in the next few weeks on this bill. Thank you.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. And I also do want to thank the Minister for a stronger response back to the government after we first spoke about the initial GNWT position.

Can the Minister then speak, does the GNWT anticipate having to submit any more information to this committee or have any further interaction or ability to input to the committee before any other decisions are made? Thank you.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So last week I spoke to the federal Minister, Minister Mendicino. He is the Minister of public safety, and he is the lead on this bill. And I did my best to explain the context of the Northwest Territories, the history of the Northwest Territories. And he was fresh off a trip to the Yukon where he heard the same things, and he had been hearing the same things from Nunavut. So I know that he got the message. And I wrote a letter back to him thanking him for pulling that amendment and inviting him to come to the territory and engage with the people of the territory. I tried to hit that home during our conversation that the federal government needs to talk to the people on the ground. So I'm doing my best to get him or his department up here to have those conversations. Thank you.

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I'm really glad to hear that the Minister has invited the federal government to come, and I hope that that will -- he will continue to apply some pressure there and not just allow us to be sloughed off as often sometimes seems to be the case with the feds.

Can the Minister commit that not only pushing for that federal government meeting but to then actively engage our side of the House in ensuring that our constituents and people in our ridings are having the opportunity to meet with the Minister should they come to the territory? Thank you.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will do what I can, but sometimes we learn about federal engagement after it happens. So it's hard for me to commit to doing that. But this is an issue that is close to the heart of many people in the Northwest Territories. So despite the fact that it is a federal bill, we are on top of it and we are paying attention, and I will continue to share information with the Members and I will continue to advocate for the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Frederick Blake Jr.

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

Katrina Nokleby

Katrina Nokleby Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to ensuring that the federal government knows that the GNWT will not stand for any of the guns to be added back to the C-21 bill? Thank you.

R.J. Simpson

R.J. Simpson Hay River North

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the primary issue that we ran into was with the amendments to the bill. The initial Bill C-21, it spoke to handguns, making efforts to reduce family violence with red and yellow flag laws, and things like that. The amendments are what introduced a number of rifles that were not prohibited previously. So we don't even know in the territory how many of these rifles are out there. We've made some estimates but there could be thousands of rifles in the territory that were affected by that bill. One model is the SKS. That seems to be the most popular one. And so just that alone is one gun that we don't want to see prohibited. I can't say the same for all of the other rifles on there. But we are doing our best to ensure that any rifles that are used for hunting by Indigenous people and Northerners don't make it back on that list. Thank you.