Masi, Mr. Speaker. It has been almost a year since all of the craziness of COVID began with us here in the Northwest Territories. While we have been largely unaffected by COVID in terms of actual numbers of COVID cases, there have been many hidden consequences resulting from this pandemic. The restrictions that were put in place to keep us safe from this disease also keep us apart in many other ways. We have seen the impact of this: rise in addictions, mental health, and social services.

In the past four months, my family and I have lost five significant people in our lives. In November 2020, I lost my youngest brother, Troy. It was the most difficult time; it still continues to this day. This past week, we lost my auntie, Therese from Whati. Therese was a second mother to me since my mother passed on in 2014. She took over the role. She was the matriarch for our family, our strength, our rock. Therese was the epitome of a Dene woman, a woman of such great strength, resilience, a traditional woman, a spiritual woman, a woman who loved all unconditionally. If she was here with us today, my auntie would be the one supporting all of us, holding us together in our grief through the most difficult times. She would be standing behind me, holding my hand right now.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very difficult time to stand here before you to talk about the most influential person of all times. Our hearts are broken yet again, and we are asking the public, the Members, for their continuous prayers and support through these difficult times. Masi, Mr. Speaker.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. It's only logical that Northerners undergoing addictions treatment do better when their treatment takes place here in the Northwest Territories. Regrettably, the government fails to understand this fact. That failure shows in the amount of money spent on southern-based treatment. I am talking about payments totaling as much as $2.3 million a year to six southern providers, which the North does without. Regrettably, that is not the only case of the government's failure on the addictions treatment front. Where the Department of Health and Social Services provides for on-the-land healing, it is also falling on its face. Let me explain, Mr. Speaker. At the urging of Northerners, the department has made $1.8 million available to Indigenous organizations wishing to offer on-the-land healing treatment. It's called the On the Land Healing Contribution Fund. Sadly, as of October 2020, only a couple of applicants have pursued this funding.

Mr. Speaker, it's not that communities aren't interested in on-the-land healing. It's that the department isn't bothering to promote this particular funding. It's that eligible groups aren't being properly encouraged. As a result, Mr. Speaker, Northerners are indeed missing out. It is so sad that this government is not being proactive on this particular, very important funding. These are just some of the words from the organizations that I represent, as well. Masi.

Masi, Madam Chair. Arctic Energy Alliance and other programs, there's always a threshold. Not everybody qualifies. Some people are making just beyond the threshold, and they don't qualify for a wood stove. Those are the individuals I'm voicing for. I'm certainly hoping that the Minister will seriously consider these areas. Madam Chair, the next one I have, obviously, is Community Access Program at $1.48 million. I know it goes directly to the communities. As you know, COVID-19 hit us over a year now, and there've been a lot of cabins built on my area on Highway No. 3. I'm assuming those are community access roads that we're referring to. How many communities or cabins have we covered over a COVID year period, and $1.48 million, is that enough? I don't think it is because I'm seeing a lot of cabins going up. Madam Chair, that will be my question to the Minister.

Madam Chair, obviously, that is good news. A lot of my communities have benefited from wood stoves. I serve four communities, almost 4,000 people, and when the Minister is talking about 54, that's 54 throughout the Northwest Territories possibly. Even my communities, obviously, there's an outcry for wood stoves. A lot of our people are not employed in the community, and they're struggling. Power went out 20 hours in Whati. Some communities were fortunate they had wood stoves, but a lot of them didn't have a wood stoves. Those are real challenges, real stories.

Yes, Arctic Energy Alliance, there are monies set aside there, but I'm strictly referring to the biomass energy of $200,000 that's to assist increase use of modern wood-burning technologies. I'm referring to a pellet boiler system, and not everybody has or in a position to purchase $10-, $15-, $20,000 worth of equipment to cut down their costs on an annual basis. Even the pellet bags at 40 pound a bag, just imagine transporting that to isolated communities that do not have road access. There's a substantial cost, and I'm just wondering if there's been an appetite to assist those communities at the initial stage. Usually, government turns to individual community members saying, "You buy this, and we'll give you a rebate," but not everybody has money up front. I'm just wondering that because it says to assist increase use of modern wood-burning, how are they assisting, Madam Chair? Masi.

Masi, Madam Chair. Just probably a couple of areas. First is the Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh talked about the cost breakdown. I'd like to see that, as well. Provide the list for the last five years. The community contribution, it does vary on an annual basis based on the application. For the last five years, we should have a good idea who got what. The $12 million previous years, last five years, if there could be a breakdown of funding contribution, that would give us a good idea of where the money is expended, either Yellowknife or outside Yellowknife, and the regions, as well. If we could get that, Madam Chair?

One of the areas I've been focusing on is the biomass, the $200,000 to assist increase of modern wood-burning technologies to heat homes and buildings in the communities. As you know, we serve a lot of communities that are isolated, high cost of living in the communities, no road infrastructures. Those are real challenges that we're faced with today. I can only speak to the experience that I've had with my own alternative heat in my home. In 2003, we purchased a pellet boiler system. At that time, it cost us $10,000. That was 18 years ago. I'm sure it's way higher now, probably double, almost double. It did cut my heat in half, I mean the cost, on an annual basis. It is beneficial. But $200,000 can only stretch so much. When you serve 33 communities, $200,000 a pot, that's $6,000 per community. That's pocket change for the Government of the Northwest Territories, Madam Chair. We should have that increase over the years. If you talk to people that installed pellet boilers, it's all good news. Wood burning, all great news, but we're still at that low level. Has that been contemplated by this department over the years to increase that funding? If not, why not? Madam Chair, that will be my first question.

Masi, Mr. Speaker. It has been well over a month since we had a public forum in Behchoko, and part of the discussion we had was with the Minister's senior staff, as well. They agreed that we need to formulate partnerships to deal with these particular issues. It has been over a month, and we are still talking about, potentially, we can work on this. I would like to see an action plan in place during the life of this Assembly. Could that be established between the partners? Of course, working along with the Tlicho government because they are the ones who initiated the discussion. Could that be established within the life of this Assembly? Masi, Mr. Speaker.

[Translation] Yes, there are questions I have. I am talking about the elderly ladies, the elderly ladies. I am talking on behalf of what I was told. The Minister, we have to respect. Though we always say, "Let's work with one another; let's work with one another," that is not what I am hearing. These words of the elders are very important. [Translation ends] This is not an outhouse we are talking about. We are talking about restrooms along the highway. Will the Minister commit to coming back to this House with plans and funding for the construction of at least a minimum of one or two public washrooms or restrooms along highways between Yellowknife and Behchoko? I don't mean a long line of promises, study. We are tired of studying. It's a very simple problem that -- to death. A promise to put a 20-year plan in place, this is part of the commitment that needs to be made in this House. I need to bring the message back to the elder who particularly asked me, and I'm not getting any answers today. Can there be a plan in place that can be brought back to this House?

I did not hear much of an answer there. Highway safety, as the Minister indicated, we need to put that into actions; less talk, less study. We have experienced a tragic accident on the highway numerous occasions, and here we are still deliberating in the House about restrooms along the highway. There is urgent need. Mr. Speaker, I don't know how else I can relay that message, the importance of having those restrooms along the highway. Just putting into action on the general standards for providing public toilets or restrooms on the well-used highways like Highway No. 3, has her department, the Minister of Infrastructure, thought of devolving a position on this particular question that I have in this House?

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] When I did the Member's statement, the one on behalf of the words of the elders, the words of the elderly ladies were talking about while they were standing, just like them standing here, asking the government. Because we are asking questions on behalf of the elders, the Minister of Infrastructure, I have a question for you. [Translation ends] The Minister of Infrastructure talked about engineering in her statement earlier. I would like to ask questions about this, the sorry inconsideration her and her department has for hundreds of people driving back and forth between Yellowknife and Behchoko on a daily basis. You would think, with their great feats of engineering, that they might give minor passing thought to the biological needs of people driving those roads. I am talking about simple places to relieve themselves. Mr. Speaker, the first question I have for the Minister is: why don't we have on Highway No. 3 and beyond to all our communities restrooms along the three side turnouts between Behchoko and Yellowknife? Mr. Speaker, Masi.