Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to acknowledge the passing of Esther Braden. Mrs. Braden arrived in Yellowknife with her husband and five children in 1964 and she soon became a tireless and indispensible volunteer in our community. She most recently was involved with the Hard of Hearing Association and with the seniors, and she was a frequent entertainer at Aven Manor often playing the piano, which was a true love of hers. Her efforts earned her an Order of Canada in 2006. Mrs. Braden helped build Yellowknife in her reflection: kind and caring. As well as her own contributions to public...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last Tuesday the Regular Members of the Standing Committee on Priorities and Planning issued a media release to give our view of the budgetary process now underway, and to propose some priorities for measures and public consultation. I would like to add that information to the record here by speaking of it. The government's media release of February 9, 2016 said, “The GNWT is committed to working closely with MLAs to identify practical solutions to the fiscal challenge,” and that “The GNWT will develop proposals and share them with MLAs for input prior to...

Thank you for that commitment. I urge you to make good your promises for collaboration and open government by consulting people in whatever manner is feasible within the time that is available. This is a very significant change in direction for the NWT and I think that people will want to have their say on it. Further to your fiscal statement today, as you know, government jobs are very valuable jobs, especially in the small communities. I'm wondering whether you have done any analysis of the impact of the loss of jobs at the local level and that you'd be able to share with us?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Finance. Today the Minister of Finance in his update is asking us to consider a 10 per cent cut in the territorial budget in the order of $150 million. Yesterday, in the Opening Address, the government said they want people to see collaboration and collective decision-making aimed at addressing pressing challenges together, so with those two things in mind, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance what the plan is for consulting the public about the next budget.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. They recognized their fiscal situation was not temporary and that before setting a direction that would be long-term, they would ask the citizens their views. They are asking citizens to identify a combination of measures to increase revenues, reduce expenditures, eliminate waste, and establish fiscal targets. Citizens have many choices for participation. They can comment on a discussion document, attend public discussion sessions and town hall meetings, host their own meetings, and make submissions online. In order to focus their comments, residents were asked to comment...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize today Ms. Lydia Bardak. She is a constituent in Yellowknife Centre and a tireless worker with the population of homeless people that I spoke about in my Member’s statement. I commend her for all the work that she does on behalf of those that need it, and I'd also like to introduce my partner and recognize my partner, Janice McKenna, and my mom, Ann Little.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I was campaigning for the position I now hold, voters told me more about homelessness than any other issue. Their concern is for people who are visibly homeless. People who sleep in tents around this building, stairwells, bank foyers, and emergency shelters at night and who wander the streets by day. This is a group of people who need homes. There is some debate about how many people are homeless in Yellowknife today. The last time the emergency shelters publicly reported on the number of unique visitors they had, the number was 936. That was in 2008. This number...

 Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

My final question for the Minister is whether the government is prepared to increase the level of clinical support available to people whose mental health and addictions have made them homeless? That's the staff to go with the housing piece.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was delighted to hear in the opening address that the government wants to create solutions to address homelessness, so my questions today are for the Minister responsible for Homelessness. Does the Minister support Housing First as a solution to chronic homelessness in Yellowknife?