Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, I hear the Member's concerns, but I want to go back to the philosophy. One, the Government of the Northwest Territories is not the only housing provider in the Northwest Territories. I've already said earlier that we are working with Indigenous governments. Indigenous governments are going to Ottawa and getting money. IRC is a great example of that, that they got money in the last Assembly for housing. I know that Dene Nation is putting their name forward for housing, for money. I'm not fighting those. Those are extra.

What I'm saying is that, out of 45,000 people...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Even if this wasn't in our priorities, the land claims and self-government agreements, I would be pushing this anyway. I believe it's a win-win situation. We've had Members talk about no economy means no social programs. The Indigenous governments, and I will use IRC as an example, who did settle, I look at where their nation is going. The economy is growing. More people who get jobs means fewer people on the GNWT burden, so we have fewer people on income support, fewer people in public housing, so it's a win-win. I've been putting that forward to every Indigenous...

I don't know if there is actually a laid-out plan. I could do a plan that says we have so many small communities and this is how many we have and this is how many I want to get to. I am more big on getting the work done. I do know that we are still working on it. The next one will be going into the Deh Cho region. My commitment is, because it is a great program, I think that we need to make sure that we try to get them in every single small community before we even start talking about regional centres or the capital city. I know people would like it everywhere. The reality is that the whole...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just heard that part of the reason he thought the joint committee didn't work well was because it didn't meet frequently enough. That might be an issue. It is hard to get everyone together.

Madam Chair, respectfully, I won't bump up the summer 2020 because, if you look at the wording, it says, "the internal working group will be established and the terms of reference developed by summer 2020." We're coming up on spring; it's not going to be very much time. This is going to take a process, and so I will not at this point be willing to move that up any further. Thank you...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Those are discussions we haven't had yet, but what I can say is that we are working with the other two territories across the North to actually look at how we address climate change. That meeting will happen in the spring, so, after that, I will have more information on where all three territories are going. At this point, I don't have the information. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just confirmed with my Minister. Absolutely not. Those are in addition. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Absolutely. That was the whole purpose of the initial calls, was to talk to them about their negotiations, to do an introduction, talk about doing business different, and we also talked about the UNDRIP and it being in our priorities. We have been soliciting feedback from them. We've already got, I think there are two or three that we've got already on this, so it has been put forward and there is already movement on it. I do want to clarify, it's not all Indigenous groups that I've met with; it's Indigenous governments. Because, if I was to call every Indigenous group...

Thank you, Madam Chair. At this moment, I am not willing to make that commitment because I need some time to think about it. It is too rushed to make that commitment. We have a whole bunch of Indigenous governments that are at the table. Am I going to pick and choose or have one of each? Then when does it become a land claim negotiation versus a joint oversight committee? I am not ready at this minute to make that commitment. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister of ENR would like to take this question.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is the goal for the Government of the Northwest Territories. Again, I am sorry if I get passionate too much, but this is my passion. We will have 100 new homes, and 100 people will be moved into homeownership. The Indigenous governments, that is aside. The previous government with housing was always saying to the federal government, "Give us the money, and we will put it out there." This government, I have met with the federal government; I have met with Ministers; I have met with our Prime Minister. We have a different tone. I want houses in the North. I have been...