Jackson Lafferty

There is some feasibility or discussion has taken place now to deal with potential widening of the road to Whati. When are we expected to wrap things up so we can start planning on that? I understand Kiewit is very interested in doing that project, so just wondering when, because the ADM alluded to, as well, the current discussion happening. When are we expecting to get some results out of that? Masi.

Masi, Madam Chair. I do believe, when we toured the 72 kilometres, my official chief's leadership have also travelled the road, as well, have a tour of the road infrastructure. There's been questions asked by the Chief of Whati and of council members, too. I understand that there's been talks that Kiewit, the main contractor, they can link up the road towards the community of Whati as opposed to just access road. I believe that there's discussions taking place with the main contractor, and I'm just wondering where things are at because that was the last couple of weeks now, I believe, or the...

Masi, Madam Chair. One would assume that once a proposal is submitted, approved by feds, then this area would be targeted as Frank Channel Bridge in Behchoko. I'm not sure if I'm correct on that, but if I can be corrected? Madam Chair, the next one I have is: the proposal has been submitted the previous year, as well. Unfortunately, it was denied by the feds because of various competing proposals from across Canada. The proposal has been submitted according to the Minister's response. When do we expect a decision to be made? We should have a good idea because we've experienced that last year...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. What I am referring to is a dedicated person in the community who some elders can call directly because those elders will know the specific individual. We do not have that right now. We have somebody possibly coming from Yellowknife, and who do they call? The local housing authority. Sometimes, there is a runaround, and at times, a family member would have to come and possibly service the furnace, uncertified. What if something happens? Are we waiting till something happens here, Mr. Speaker? It's very critical that this policy change that the Minister is referring to, if...

[Translation] When we take a look at our elders in the communities, they have worked a long life, and we are trying to give them a comfortable home. We should make sure that they are taken care of. [Translation ends]. I am speaking on behalf of the elders of the communities, even throughout the Northwest Territories. The Minister alluded to where private homeowners are not eligible, and when we provide services such as for a furnace breaks down or plumbing, minus 40, minus 50, it's very critical that we assist those individuals. Policy or papering should not be in front of us. We should send...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. I, for one, am all for on-the-land program. When I was the Justice Minister, we pushed for that. On-the-land program in the Sahtu region has been very successful at that time. The Minister alluded to the funding that's available to Aboriginal groups or the Northwest Territories. That $1.8 million can only stretch so much. Five regions, that is approximately $360,000 if all access it, $360,000 for the Nunakput region. That is peanuts. That is very low funding compared to a major centre, so, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister consider, seriously consider, increasing the funding...

Yes, I would like those actual numbers, probably for the last five years, so we can compare what is truly happening in our southern institutions versus the North. Just moving on to my next question, pertaining to the whole COVID-19 that we are faced with, the government sends people to southern institutions such as Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario for sometimes up to six weeks for treatment, exposing them to greater risk of contacting COVID-19 cases, then risks bringing them back to the Northwest Territories to go into two-week self-isolation. I would like to ask the Minister: how can...

Masi, Mr. Speaker. When we ask questions to Ministers or Premiers, I guess the longer the answers, the more questions it creates for us, so I have some more questions here. Mr. Speaker, there are best practices already in place with Nunavut, over five years now. Obviously, our territorial government should be working very closely with Nunavut to gather that information. I am very surprised and shocked that our current Department of Health and Social Services does not have that information at hand. Passing on the buck does not sit well with me. We are representing the GNWT here, so I have a...

Since truth and reconciliation, 94 recommendations came out. More specifically on number 20 and 21, it's been well over five years. This government should have been prepared. When the first TRC came out what were the plans in place? I'd like to know from either the Premier or Minister of Health and Social Services what partnerships has this government explored with the federal government to follow up on the call to action number 20? What have we learned from our neighbour Nunavut's very successful federal engagement in pursuant of their new treatment centre for their territory?

Masi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, I'd like to talk about how we receive funding. I'm talking about billions of dollars, and it's very difficult. Sometimes, it's really difficult to get an addiction treatment centre here in our homeland. Instead, I'm going to talk about the treatment centre [Translation ends]. Why can't we as a territory with our billion-dollar budgets find a way of providing residential addiction treatment here in our homeland in the Northwest Territories instead of spending $2 million a year sending people south?

Mr. Speaker, our sister territory Nunavut is...