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. 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, 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. 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.

As a Regular Member, I'm active on our social development committee which has identified children and family services as an area of focus. From this work, I have been learning so much about the issues facing families and youth in the NWT. One area that I am becoming more familiar with is the foster care system, and I want thank everyone who has taken the time to speak with me about this topic as it's a sensitive one.

Mr. Speaker, when I look at our social problems, I can see the gap that youth and young adults are falling into. Agingout or kicked out of foster care, they often find themselves...

Sorry, Madam Chair, I just got really into my committee work this season. So I just wanted to say that I think the way that I see this moving and the work being done on Aurora College with the inclusion of the councils, and such, that I believe it's in the right faith of what we discussed as a group when we first met back two years ago around this time, I guess a little bit earlier, to discuss our priorities and mandate. And so I'm excited to see that this is a piece of legislation that will now incorporate Indigenous voices and NWT voices in the college as it moves forward. So thank you...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, I too do support this bill. It was one of the first or sorry, this report and recommendations is one of the first ones that I worked on with this committee, and one thing I've noticed with the pandemic it is really highlighting the division in our territory of the have and have-nots and the need for infrastructure. I'm often pushing for the road infrastructure, which I think is just as critical, but the internet infrastructure and the telecommunications is key as well. If we don't address this issue now, we're only going to have our havenots fall further behind...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister's answers sort of speak to my next question as well.

Can the Minister commit to assisting or working with her colleagues to look for core funding for the Home Base program so that we can keep youth from not experiencing homelessness as well as ease the burden on social services? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.