Frieda Martselos

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Only when we do these kind of changes will I regain my confidence in Housing NWT, because I feel that the underprivileged and some of the situations that I tried to navigate through in the last four years have not been dealt with, and I feel that change is with oversight, neutrality, no judgement, and making sure that the underprivileged are looked after. Would the Minister agree with me? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to for the record, to talk about the housing stability worker for Fort Smith and the South Slave. And I want to ask the Minister about this because I think the person has to have certain criteria. The criteria should be a person without judgement, a neutral person, a person who can navigate underprivileged clients in getting through the system for housing, and therefore it should not be it should not be a person who is part of the Housing NWT office in Hay River. It should have a separate office. And that's the way that's the only way we would solve the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to ask a couple of questions because I mean, each one of us in the room has been touched by addiction in our lives, whether it be someone close to you, someone in the family, and it's always someone you love. And for clarity, we're putting I just want to make sure that, you know, there's situations where things happen and people have to go back to we're putting a lot of onus on Indigenous governments for their I'd rather I just wonder how that's going to work because I'm just wondering, you know, where's the anonymity that is going to is supposed to be...

Mr. Speaker, the community of Fort Smith petitioned and fiercely lobbied our government to replace JBT School. Would that speed up the timeline for our government to consider replacing this school? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of ECE has previously stated that the last time a technical status evaluation was done on JBT Elementary School was in 2005. Can the Minister tell us when the next technical status evaluation is expected to be done for the JBT School in Fort Smith? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I say it numerous times throughout this Assembly that Fort Smith is home to some of the oldest school infrastructure in the territory, and it is also home to some of the last remaining former residential school and indian day school buildings that are still in active use in the country. The buildings I'm referring to are PWK High School and JBT Elementary School.

Mr. Speaker, JBT School is 65 years old and was originally a federal Indian Day School until the building was purchased by the Government of the Northwest Territories and was converted into an...

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister tell us if he or Cabinet is content with the fact that the NWT is one of the only jurisdictions in the country who continues to actively use former residential school and Indian Day School buildings for students today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, during the last session the Minister stated that, based on current capital needs assessments, JBT School is expected to be replaced in 2035 which would make the school 77 years old until it's finally replaced. But the Minister also said it could potentially take a lot longer. At this rate, the school will only be replaced once it becomes a hundred years old.

Can the Minister tell us if there is anything that can be done to speed up the timeline for the JBT School to be replaced? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Al Karasiuk, the PWK High School principal for many years in Fort Smith, and who's a resident of Fort Smith and plans on staying in Fort Smith. And he's also a great friend of mine and has done many great things for the community, all across the community, and I'll always remember how he looks after the students and guided them down the right path. And he's an incredible guy, and I'm glad that he's here today with us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, June 2nd, 2023, I will move the following motion:

I move, second by the honourable Member for Hay River North, that when this House adjourns on Friday, June 2nd, 2023, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, August 16, 2023;

And furthermore, that at any time prior to August 16, 2023, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, or at a time later than scheduled resumption of the...