Herbert Nakimayak

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response. Mr. Speaker, it is good to see that the Housing Corporation is developing some programs that will involve not just the territory, but also our sister territories across the North.

Mr. Speaker, lately there have been some really pressing housing issues in my region, and I commend the Housing Minister and his staff for the hard work that they do to start to put people in homes, Mr. Speaker. As they develop policy, Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister is: will the Minister involve northern MLAs and Indigenous MLAs, who represent Indigenous...

It is good to see that the Minister is recognizing the harsh winds we have up North. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Housing announced that there will be community housing planning events. There is one scheduled for Paulatuk. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister give an update on what this meeting will consist of and what benefits will it bring to the community, not just the community of Paulatuk, but the region in Nunakput?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, through its Community Economic Development Organization, has been awarded a $500,000 prize by the Arctic Inspiration Prize Charitable Trust.

Mr. Speaker, the project is a joint venture between the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Gwich'in Tribal Council and fully supported by the Aurora Research Institute. Mr. Speaker, the concept is to develop an innovative process to support Northern Indigenous artists and crafters in the Western Arctic. The team will engage with artisans in each community and create an...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the response, and I see the reality of the issue of the capacity across the territory, seeing the residential school impacts have had a great impact, negative impacts, on all Indigenous peoples.

Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister is: in the long run, as we build our five-year or 10-year or 25-year plan, I think I would like to see more of a commitment since language is not in this Assembly but into the next Assembly, working towards bringing Indigenous language into grade five, grade six, and grade seven. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It is good to see that elders are being recognized. Earlier I was at the Dene Nation Assembly and they recognized all of the interpreters and language-holders, so kudos to that, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, the plan also commits to supporting professional development for language instructors and offering language-instructor training. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us more about these, and any other actions that the department is willing to do to build capacity in current language speakers and to ensure our traditional languages are kept alive into future generations?

Quyanainni, Mr. Speaker. The United Nations has designated 2019 the International Year of Indigenous Languages, and the NWT has announced February as Indigenous Languages Month here in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, what does this special focus bring? It brings the opportunity to highlight the urgent need to protect and nourish Indigenous languages and to emphasize this government's responsibility to dedicate itself to undoing the years of damage done to Indigenous languages by settler-colonial laws, policies, and practices.

A couple of generations have passed since children were punished for speaking...

It is good to hear that the department is allowing Indigenous governments to work at their pace. Mr. Speaker, I know that the department is currently hard at work with stakeholders, working on improving curricula for the Northwest Territories education system. Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister to seriously consider incorporating a heightened focus on language immersion in this work. Mr. Speaker, can I get the Minister's opinion on this proposal?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, on languages. Mr. Speaker, the action plan on languages commits to supporting NWT schools and early childhood programs to offer Indigenous language instruction and programs. Mr. Speaker, my question is: what is this going to look like in practical terms, and to what extent does it include language-immersion curricula? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize Adele Tatti. Adele Tatti was one of the bridesmaids at our wedding here at the Legislative Assembly. Welcome to Adele. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

It's good to hear that the GNWT is involved in activities outside the Northwest Territories, especially the Arctic Circle, which is a very important arena for development in the Arctic. Some policy specialists have also highlighted our infrastructure limitations, for example, limited airport capacity and the lack of deep-water ports. How does the Premier and his government address these types of infrastructure issues when engaging with the federal government on Arctic sovereignty?