Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I guess I'd just like to talk about the release of treated oil sand tailings in Alberta. And I guess it's difficult for me to wrap my head around the fact that we don't hear much from the government's side on this. We hear Indigenous organizations, you know, opposing it. You know, we're downstream from it. We have claims out there that have, you know, sections about water rights and management. They have sections in there about the right to fish and wildlife.

And so I would ask the Minister if his department is collaborating or working with the Indigenous governments to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. At 65 years old, I don't have much time left. So I want to see something done.

Laughter

Madam Speaker, can the Minister please explain to this Assembly the process for her department to take over existing vacant federal government houses in Hay River, and throughout the NWT, and if this is something her department's being or has been looking at, and if so, what would the use of these buildings be? Thank you

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, can the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation provide me with some encouragement, and I'd rather hear a "yes", but that her department has a plan for the property previously known as the Disneyland in Hay River?

This land has been sitting vacant for several years and was, as I understand it, to be used for a multiresidential seniors use. And I'd like to see some type of commitment that, you know, at least she'll direct her department to start looking at, you know, a plan to do something with the property. Because if not, let's try and...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. You know, we have these I understand we have these agreements. And you know, we have the claims agreements as well. Yet, you know, I look at, you know, case law, you know throughout Canada and throughout the US and, you know, there's been issues that have arisen. So I just want to make sure, you know, your department and this government is prepared, you know, to ensure that water flowing into the Northwest Territories is protected and do everything we can, whether it's through agreements, through the claims, it's through the courts, whatever we have to do, and we have to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And this final question she'll probably answer in a couple days from now, but can the Minister tell this Assembly how has the objectives and direction of the NWT Housing Corporation shifted over the past two and a half years? What changes have been made, and have those changes shown up in the communities? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. And I appreciate the response from the Minister. It just sounds like that it's a long ways down the road. And I hope that's not the case.

Madam Speaker, can the Minister tell me when will the apartment building known as the Hay River Singles be replaced with the new complex? It is aging. I know they do work to it but it's almost as old as me. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, housing was identified and continues to be our priority for this government and, more importantly, it is a basic need that has a significant impact on one's quality of life and potentially one's future. This government, with all its good intentions, has made minimal progress over the last several decades on meeting the housing needs of Indigenous people in the Northwest Territories – and we continue down that same path.

We found our past approach to be flawed and through renewal we are hoping to see positive change. It is important to give a new approach...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just I think I'm in the right spot here hopefully. Environmental stewardship stewardship and climate change? Oh, sorry, I think it was the next one.

Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So I guess it's safe to say that, you know, if somebody's required to fly and a requirement the federal requirement is you have to be vaccinated, then it is mandatory to have the vaccination for that position if you want to keep it?

I just want to go on here, is how many Indigenous employees would have been impacted?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And I'm pleased to hear that, that you're willing to work with it because what I will do is I will send the artisans over there because what I proposed to them was that if they get the hides, that ITI then pay them to actually tan the hide, because I know how much work goes in to tan a hide. Like, it's not just a week's worth of work. It's longer than that. It's two weeks. Could be three weeks. And it's fairly intensive. And it was to provide the artisan a little extra money if they're tanning their own hides. So that's just a comment.

I'd just like to move on to personnel...