Katrina Nokleby

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The point of dedicated funding is that it's actually set aside for that priority, and so I guess my point being is I'd like to see a pot that's actually for that work.

Moving on, the timeline on their website says that an implementation plan will be completed in the summer of 2022. Does that mean that nothing is going to be done any further until that time? Are we going to be waiting for another year to see action happening? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm going to go check Hansard because I'm pretty sure I've heard triangle somewhere there before.

I'm glad to hear that things are moving forward, and I will give the Premier kudos that I have heard from Indigenous leaders they do feel that there is a lot more discussion happening than there has been in the past.

My question is around last session I was asking about the investigations into the graves of the residential schools, and the Premier indicated that that work needed to be led by Indigenous governments and organizations, which I agree with. So could the Premier...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all I'm going to say is ditto to my colleague from Hay River South. Everything that he has spoken to is exactly the same things that I feel. We sit here and talk about large infrastructure projects but we also need to remember that there are a lot of small infrastructure projects, including a very important highway in your riding, Mr. Speaker, the Dempster Highway. So this is not just only I'm pleased, actually, to see a budget that does take into account that we need to build more infrastructure, that our lack of infrastructure is really putting us behind...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the beginning of the 19th Assembly, back in the sunny days prior to Cabinet being selected and COVID chaos, those of us sitting in this Chamber sat down and determined our priorities for the next four years. Those priorities then informed the mandate of Cabinet once they were elected.

One of the priorities set in October 2019 was to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, or UNDRIP, within the constitutional framework of Canada to advance reconciliation. On their website Executive and Indigenous Affairs, or EIA, promises to work with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't argue with the Premier why I think that's important for UNDRIP, but I would imagine that others could probably provide some information on that.

What funding has the GNWT identified or committed to spending towards the implementation of UNDRIP? If the GNWT is committed to making missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls a priority, why has no funding been dedicated? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier. Can the Premier explain to me how the GNWT is moving forward on implementing UNDRIP in spite of noncommittal federal direction and little action? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to make a comment that we are hearing in several of the committees that people are feeling a bit of engagement and consultation burnout and fatigue. So I just wanted to say that this, I think, is very important because while it does say that, yes, we are reaching out to all these people, if they're not feeling like they have the adequate time to respond and such, then are we really meeting the goals of engagement. So I just wanted to say that I strongly support this motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I agree with my colleague. I think this is one of the low hanging fruit that we often hear the government talk about. As we, again, had gone through the pandemic, we've realized how much of our stuff needs to be accessible virtually, and a lot of the low income people IN my constituents have told me that they are not able to download forms or get online and do the housing or the, you know, health requests and things that they need to do, and that's a lot of work that we as MLAs end up picking up to help them navigate the system. So I think this is a win-win, that in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm glad to hear the Minister speak about working with other departments. I think that the way that youth are being dealt with definitely crosses multiple departments so we do need to keep breaking down those silos.

My last question is will the Minister commit to touring other buildings in my district, such as Norseman Manor and Simpson House, to see where we are placing the vulnerable youth and committing to developing an action plan to end youth homelessness? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that commitment to come and take a look at their operations. I think it's always good when you can see things firsthand. Let's keep it on vein of saying yes.

Can the Minister commit to providing Home Base with emergency funding to expand support hours to 24/7 and to keep their shelters open? The reason that this is so crucial right now is the temperatures are dropping, and they do provide a very important service for youth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.