Michael Nadli

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since 2012 over 100 countries around the world have recognized this coming Saturday, October 10th, as a World Homeless Day. This is to draw attention to homeless people’s needs locally and provide opportunities for the community to get involved in responding to homelessness.

In recognition of World Homeless Day, I want to take a moment to voice my concerns about the impact of homelessness in small communities, like those in my Deh Cho riding.

Homelessness is one of the most chronic and damaging social problems in the NWT. Adequate housing provides a foundation for physical...

Thank you for kind of outlining how it is that maybe if another term could be used for community protocol in terms of trying to utilize what exists currently in the community.

The community has strengths, and one of the strengths is that we have caretakers, we have leaders that work sometimes with the front-line workers, mental health workers, the nurses. Sometimes you’re left with all that you have and so it’s really critical that at least an understanding of how communities would deal with circumstances like this is very critical at this moment in time in the NWT.

The other element that I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the mover and the seconder for putting forward this motion. I support this motion.

One of the things that I kind of thought about, and hopefully this never happens, or perhaps maybe it actually has happened, is that the thought of an elder who has to be transported from another community and that elder is unilingual and is brought to a foreign place and that elder is left to their own vices, to fend for themselves to talk their way into a cab and to get to the hospital. You know, I would never want to see a circumstance like that, especially with an...

Recently the community of Fort Providence, the leader had recognized that there needs to be something done with homelessness. So he had proposed to the Minister’s office, the department, of seeking assistance in terms of purchasing woodstoves and, at the same time, lumber to establish tent frames and I wanted to see if the Minister could explain to the community why that proposal was rejected. Mahsi.

Not a single community in my riding received funding from the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation in 2014-15 under the Small Community Homelessness Fund. Homelessness is a debilitating social problem in every community in the NWT. Given their very limited options for affected residents of small communities, I believe the Northwest Housing Corporation has an obligation to ensure that homelessness funding is fairly shared amongst all regions.

Later today I will have questions for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I want to talk about the exciting partnership that is benefitting the people of the Deh Cho. Aboriginal language revitalization is an award-winning and accessible four-year certificate program taught out of the University of Victoria but based here in the NWT. It pairs fluent speakers with adult students interested in learning Dene Zhatie, also known as South Slavey. I wanted to take the opportunity to briefly say something in my language as well.

[English translation not provided.]

This program is innovative because, unlike a traditional classroom setting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the mover, Mr. Bromley, for bringing this forward, and colleagues for speaking on it at this point.

I think the motion itself speaks to the most vulnerable in society who need help, people with disabilities. I can safely say that there a few of my relatives who are disabled and it’s disheartening to see them struggle, especially at the community level when the programs and services are very limited at the same time and when services like handivan services are basically stopped for one community because another community can’t afford to maintain those...

Perhaps you could sum up the situation like this: We need to do something today and now. I think persons with disabilities lack the services and support that they could have in larger centres, but in small communities people struggle. The town can’t afford to maintain the services, and at the same time, local costs cannot be absorbed by the Hamlet of Enterprise. The Minister is mandated with his department and also has the responsibility to look after the general interests of residents of the GNWT.

Can the Minister step in and commit to assist and providing the funding to the Town of Hay River...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services, specifically for persons with disabilities. Residents at Enterprise have very limited access to services, especially if people are disabled and they have very limited services in the community. That’s more likely a general statement that could be upheld in smaller communities.

My question is to the Minister. How will the Department of Health and Social Services support continuing the handivan services in Hay River and the surrounding communities? Mahsi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I must raise a serious concern brought to me by some of my constituents. The Hay River Committee for Persons with Disabilities and the NWT Council for Persons with Disabilities work together to provide handivan services to Hay River residents.

This essential transportation service helps people with disabilities or reduced mobility. With handivan services they can attend appointments, take job interviews, shop for groceries and complete other daily activities, all with ease and at reduced cost.

Once, Enterprise residents also had access to these services, but the hamlet...