Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I appreciate the concern of Members. And what I think I would really love for people to be able to take home is the importance of what it is that we are talking about, which I think that everybody is on the same page of that is that we need to make sure that we are putting as much of a spotlight on culture and languages across the territory. When I have had the opportunity to speak with people from one end of this territory to the other, every time we start talking about healing, it always leads back -- the conversation always leads back to one of languages. And the amount of times that somebody has started a conversation about their journey to sobriety or their journey to healing, that starts with them reclaiming and revitalizing their language, I don't have enough fingers on my hands in order to express that. And it's not not just about sobriety. It's absolutely about healing, and it's about enriching our communities and our territory and making sure that we are doing our best. This is a vital piece of reconciliation in this territory. And I understand what the Member for Yellowknife Centre is saying as far as people on the ground is most important. I couldn't agree more. But what puts people on the ground is the millions of dollars that ECE receives from the federal government. Every year, we have federal funding of $5.9 million that flows directly through ECE and to Indigenous governments, and we need vital people in the department to be negotiating those dollars. And quite frankly, I would like somebody negotiating more of those dollars. And without those positions in the department, I cannot do that work, and I cannot make sure that we are in the territory getting a fair shake at the dollars that exist within the federal government to be able to do this work. If these dollars are cut, I don't just lose that position. Because this was internally funded, I'm losing another position within the department that can help do this work. And so I would urge Members to please leave the -- leave the funding where it's at, and let us go down this path of putting a spotlight on culture and languages because I think it's critically important, and I've long been an advocate for that. Thank you.
Caitlin Cleveland on Committee Motion 9-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): Main Estimates 2024-2025, Deferral of Department - Health and Social Services, Carried
In the Legislative Assembly on June 4th, 2024. See this statement in context.
Committee Motion 9-20(1): Tabled Document 93-20(1): Main Estimates 2024-2025, Deferral of Department - Health and Social Services, Carried
Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
June 4th, 2024
Page 700
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