Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the chairman rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I do acknowledge and recognize the good work done by this department, our Department of Health and Social Services, on the cultural competency. I would like to ask the Minister about the federal task force and just a question asking the Minister if there is a current status since the task force was formed or, if not, then would the Minister provide a current status to the House once that status is available?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I spoke of a former Member of the House talking about coerced sterilization in the NWT. Following that statement, there was an article written in Windspeaker publication which described a GNWT program where coerced sterilization victims could come forward to begin an inquiry if they believed they were wrongfully sterilized. My question for the Minister is twofold: how long did the program run in that time; and, in that time, how many women came forward? Thank you.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about an issue that has garnered increased national attention over the past few years, that being sterilization without proper prior consent. Unfortunately, the concept of either forced or coerced sterilization of women is not a new phenomenon for Canada, nor is it solely a part of our history. In fact, there is mounting evidence across our country that proves just how far this practice has reached and, in some cases, continues to reach.

Mr. Speaker, let's consider the history of coerced sterilization in Canada. In two provinces, this practice...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for that response. Can the Minister advise us if it's very clear to the practitioners that forced sterilization is not something that can and should be done in the NWT? Thank you.

I would like to thank the Minister for that response. Mr. Speaker, in December 2018, the federal Health Minister responded to an issue of coerced sterilization by inviting all provincial and territorial Health Ministers to participate in a taskforce on cultural competency in healthcare. My question is: what was the department's response, our department's response, to the call, and are we participating?

Mr. Speaker, I have some anecdotal evidence to share on this matter. Last month I spoke to a woman who discovered that her daughter, a young, university-educated Indigenous woman, was asked by her doctor if she was interested in sterilization. For her situation, such an inquiry was unprompted and highly unnecessary. I urge all citizens to be vigilant. If you suspect that you or someone you know has been pressured for sterilization, make it be known. No person should have the procedure performed on them without free, prior, informed consent. Anything else would be a violation of the victim's...

Will the Minister agree to share that plan with us, the plan where it looks like the Minister is looking at divesting public housing, which I think is the right direction to go? I would like to ask the Minister if he is prepared to share that plan with us, indicating how many units that the Housing Corporation could probably divest itself of.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In 1974, the NWT Housing Corporation was formed, and one of the principles in forming the Housing Corporation was to develop markets in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, CMHC, funded the capital construction costs of new public housing, either 90 percent or 75 percent, depending on the section under which the units were built. In addition, CMHC paid for 75 or 50 percent of the operating costs and the mortgage costs, until the CMHC mortgage of 25 to 35 years was paid off. At that time, the NWT Housing Corporation would make the houses...