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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, so we all know now that come April 1st we're going to have carbon tax, whether it's GNWT or the feds. So I guess my question is is, you know, knowing that we never know what's the outcome of anything, and so what would be the implications, you know, if we did not have that carbon tax for April 1st? Like, how would that impact our businesses? Like, the things that we asked for as Regular Members, you know, like we have in our carbon tax, how would that affects the Northwest Territories by having the federal back stop? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Minister responsible for Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if we don't have the opportunity to maintain the system we are proposing, what we're likely to lose is this: Firstly right now we're proposing a three tiered regional system. So the communities that are facing the highest costs will get the most rebate. And what we've calculated is that the average household will, in fact, arguably be get more back in a rebate through the carbon -- or the cost of living offset than what they will actually be paying. That includes with -- an indirect tax, and the indirect carbon tax is the amount that we've calculated based on statistics Canada's supply use to show us what it is that industries are paying, built that in so that consumers have that power to offset when businesses have to raise their prices. So the consumer retains the ability to offset that. We would also be losing what we propose is a ten percent cost sharing with communities, Mr. Speaker, which right now is not something that we would -- that we are -- that we expect would come in if the federal back stop comes in. The challenge here, Mr. Speaker, I don't know necessarily what the federal government would do. I had an opportunity to speak with Minister Guilbeault. They were asking when we would be passing our tax, not coming to sort of rescue and not certainly making any commitments to me, but expecting that we pass this tax. And I hope -- certainly hope we do again so that, again, residents in the most vulnerable communities have that high est COLO payment so that communities get 10 percent sharing of our revenue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So I guess, again, like, to my Member's statement, you know, this is a hard decision, and it's something that we all have to sit here and make, what's best for the Northwest Territories. So I guess more of a comment, I thanks the Minister, and I'll just leave it at that.

Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Taken as a comment. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's been a long session. We're coming to the end of the session here now, and through the next few days we're going to be really busy here. And through committee work, we've been busy as he will. Earlier, I had mentioned that we're having our, you know, annual carnival in our community of Dettah and N'dilo and Lutselk'e as well, and the invitation is basically for everybody. But I'm just thinking as well in Fort Resolution this coming weekend there are also the Fort Resolution Metis government is also hosting a dog racer, and they're going to be one dog, three dog, and there's going to be a rookie race of four dogs three miles, and trapper race, six dogs, one veteran, one rookie, and. So -- and if anybody that is in the neighbourhood, please join us in Fort Resolution this coming weekend, and watch out for these dogs on the road and have some good time. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. No questions for anyone. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly support BC doing this. However, the NWT has only less than one percent of BC's population, and so it would be difficult for us to roll out a universal contraception program right here right now. But there's an election coming up. So it could be an election issue.

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I think what would be helpful in making it an election issue is just a few facts. And so whenever we talk about extended benefits in this territory, it's extremely complicated as the Minister's well aware. We've got Metis benefits, we got NIHB benefits, we got GNWT benefits, and we got a new extended benefits program rolling out as we speak. So I'm wondering if the Minister could take back and perhaps do an analysis of what this would actually cost and who presently do not have access to some sort of contraception coverage. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I can tell now -- tell you now about the inventory is that adult and youth residents of the NWT who are eligible for non-insured health benefits as well as the people who are eligible for Metis health benefits have access to contraceptives at no cost. There may be other residents who receive employee benefits or other third party insurance who may also have access to no cost contraceptives. The Member may recall last fall that we -- because we were concerned about the proliferation of syphilis throughout the NWT, installed 200 free condom dispensers throughout the NWT. So those are also available to the public to meet their needs. Now, a person in a small community, a woman in a small community who wants an oral contraceptive could get that from the community health nurse as an interim measure until the doctor comes to visit. Thank you.

No further questions, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Monfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the housing Minister consider transferring ownership of all housing units in the Tlicho region and other regions as well that are owned by housing NWT to the long-term tenants? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for asking the question. This is an opportunity for our current tenants that are occupying our public housing units. We do have a homeownership program here in the Northwest Territories that recognizes our long-term tenants as well. And through that program, we have a three to five year forgivable loan program that we have established. To date, we had 40 interested applicants, and we've approved 20 of them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many of these houses are old, like, they're from 60s, 70. I just want to ask the Minister what are they using to determine to sell to transfer those units. Is it assessed value, or fair market value. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the sale of these units, we do consider the age and condition of these units as well too. We do get into the communities and we complete housing assessment as well. Some of these units do require improvements, and we do provide that opportunity as well too the tenants that we would -- we would look at repairs and renovations prior to transfer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if housing NWT is afraid to let go of or sell any of its assets, such as its aging housing stock because the department is department is afraid to lose any operations and maintenance funding. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, this is not an issue within housing. This has not been brought up. We do have a hundred unit roll out that has -- that is now -- we see construction in the smaller communities right now. We have been working very strongly as well with the Indigenous governments throughout the Northwest Territories addressing the housing knees as well. My drive within the portfolio is to get rid of the communities that were built in the 1970s and look for clients that are able to maintain and operate their own units as well with whatever supports that we are able to provide. I welcome all those applications coming forward, and look forward to tenants that are wanting to have the units transferred and become homeowners. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, there are a lot of housing from the 60s and 70s that are being -- that are being renovated at this time. Instead of doing that, what the Minister should be doing is focusing on building more houses. So with that, Mr. Speaker, it appears that housing NWT has some competing interest here. On the one hand, they claim they want to increase homeownership across the NWT, and they want to create partnership with Indigenous governments, but they are also afraid to receive a reduction in O and M funding and are therefore hesitant to sell, to sell off any of their existing aging housing stock. Can the Minister clarify what housing NWT priorities are. Thank you.