Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was quickly trying to go through my material here to see if we have any vacancies in Nunakput. I don't have those numbers in front of me. But like I had said before, if the leadership is willing to work with us and if this is a project that they want to work towards, I'm more than open to be working towards addressing homelessness. I've done a similar project throughout the Northwest Territories. We recently worked with Hay River. We worked with Fort Simpson. We have ongoing communication with Inuvik and also with K'asho Got'ine Housing Society, so this is something that has been addressed throughout the Northwest Territories. But I'm willing to work in partnership. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I don't have the number of safe homes we do have in Nunakput. But housing is available and ready to be working with Indigenous governments and with community membership. If this is something that -- a project that we'd like to work towards, I'm more than open to having those conversations with the community leaders if this is something that they'd want to accomplish. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Rick Hunt as the new president and chief executive officer of the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, effective yesterday, October 2nd. This morning I met with Mr. Hunt and officially welcomed him to the position.

Mr. Hunt is joining the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission after almost 20 years of service with Nunavut's Qulliq Energy Corporation. His experience and depth of knowledge in the occupational health and safety field is extensive, and we are pleased to bring him on board.

Mr. Speaker, this will mark the first time that the WSCC's president and CEO will be based in Nunavut instead of Yellowknife. I am very proud of the partnership we have formed with our territorial neighbour and welcome the opportunity to work together to advance work safety across both territories. Nunavut Minister responsible for WSCC Margaret Nakashuk and I are equally supportive of Mr. Hunt's appointment and trust that he will do right in both jurisdictions.

This is an exciting time that will allow us to form an even deeper bond with our partner. We are also excited to have Mr. Hunt lead the WSCC through the next phase of our organization as we begin a new five-year strategic plan that will guide us through annual planning and reporting processes until 2027. The new strategic plan, called Paths Towards Safety, which I previously tabled, identifies a number of paths to improving safety culture through shared responsibilities.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Hunt is a champion of respectful workplace culture who values his colleagues' and employees' well-being at work. He is a strong advocate for collaborating and supportive relationships across all organizational levels. As a public servant, he also recognizes that he works for and ultimately the public. Understanding the needs and expectations of the public is a vital piece in providing quality services.

Since its inception in 1977, the WSCC has covered the same geographical territory When Nunavut was created in 1999. The governments of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut agreed to continue forward as a common agency. Maintaining this partnership between our territory is key in supporting the safety and care of workers in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. I remain very proud of this partnership and our shared commitment to workplace safety. I hope this historic appointment for the WSCC, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, benefits both workers in both territories for years to come. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, we do have units that are sitting empty. According to what I've received from housing, is that we have three units that are vacant, two of which were allocated to the housing authority yesterday, and the remaining seniors' units should be allocated in the next coming days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for the question. I did not receive that number yet. I will follow up with the Member separately. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. You know, like I had said that this is -- this is a strategy that we're using within housing and trying to have our clients become successful and having them to own their own units. And we're finding difficulty, to be honest, very much. You know, we're not having people that are able to repair their own stairs, pay for their heating. And it's a difficult time right now. And all of these units are -- they're drastically subsidized. You can be living in a unit that's going to cost us $20,000, maybe even more, for us to operate and maintain, and the client would only be paying $75. So we need to find a balance where we're able to have the clients become successful in operating and maintaining their own home, and acknowledging that we do have a hundred unit rollout. In Behchoko alone, the community has received six additional units. Nine throughout the region as well. It's probably -- you know, to just give her an idea of what we are facing within the Northwest Territories, we are in a housing crisis, and housing has done what they possibly can do working with the Indigenous governments, working with the federal government to address this housing need. And like I had said, all together for the portfolio, there's $400 million that's been allocated. $200 million from this government. There's $600 million throughout the Northwest Territories. And that's still not enough. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question because that's a mechanism that we are actually working with right now. We need to determine whether the client can actually afford these units and being able to take care of the operation and maintenance of these units themselves without government subsidy. And we're finding it very difficult throughout the Northwest Territories but trying to work with them fairly.

And also, I just wanted to speak about the Tlicho government as well and the working table that we do have established with them. They did get a distinction-based funding announcement, I want to say in the spring, of $47 million, to address their housing need. And like I had said earlier, is that there is $400 million across the Northwest Territories that has been allocated to Indigenous governments. And this is where we as a territory and we as Indigenous governments, we work together in partnership. And for the agreement that's been signed with the Tlicho government, these are the type of conversations that are actually happening to address the housing crisis in the Member's riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I just want to be very honest and say, no, I wouldn't be able to do that. Because we do need the programs and services in the smaller communities, we need to be able to house teachers, social workers, nurses in our smaller communities. So there needs to be housing set aside for them as well. But just looking at what the Member had said as well for the generational homes -- and I do know what she's talking at where we have families that have been raised in these units. These units were built in the 1970s. Going into the next government, this is one of the priorities of housing is how do we transition and how are we going to be dealing with these units that were built in the 70s. I myself personally -- but I've get to work with the department is I would like to see them all transferred. I would like to see them all transferred. And I would like the federal government to recognize that we need a replenishment of 23, maybe 5,000 units in the Northwest Territories. And hopefully this is going to be a working document for the next government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. I just wanted to just explain market housing was created to address the high income earners. Not only that, but the recruitment of GNWT employees to provide programs and services in our smaller communities. The units that are for sale now are the public housing units, but I am getting some push back from the clients as well that, you know, are they able to afford the units, are units in conditions that they're ready for sale. And also, Mr. Speaker, there is a consultation that is being done right now for the market housing units as well, too, that letters have gone out to the Indigenous governments acknowledging, would they like to work with us, are we going to address this market housing unit need in the smaller communities together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.