Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, in December 2022, the NWT recorded the highest employment rate in Canada. But like the rest of the world, NWT employers, including the GNWT, struggled to fill many positions critical to our success. But our population growth is not keeping up with our needs. By the 2040s, our population is projected to grow by only nine percent while Canada's at 25 percent.

Madam Speaker, the bureau of statistics projects that by 2035, the population will decline in 18 of 33 NWT communities, including Inuvik, Fort Simpson, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution, Whati, Fort...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I'm wondering if the housing corporation and, you know, people in the Northwest Territories understand that sometimes, you know, things can't be transported right away because of whether it's breakup or freezeup or anything else that's going on, that's just a way of life in the Northwest Territories, but I'm wondering if we can remove kind of an administrative burden or something that might turn people off from a program and really take away the April 1st to October 31st deadline on applications and just look at applications as they come through the door...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I will say that from my office, this is probably one of the programs that gets recommended the most to constituents who are especially just really being hit hard by inflationary increases that we're feeling in the territory, and so it's definitely a program that is much used and much appreciated by the people of the Northwest Territories, and I definitely recommend that the government continues to support this, especially right now with the economic landscape across the country.

My next question is in regards to some of the programs that are offered by...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, my first question is in regards to the CanadaNWT housing benefit program. I'm wondering if the Minister can speak to whether or not this program continues to be fully subscribed and also what the total amount is with the GNWT and federal contribution combined? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this time last year when I asked the Minister to create an immigration advisory council, the Minister informed me that, quote, "ECE and ITI are proactively reaching out to businesses and people who are familiar with the nominee program to find out what we can do to improve the program."

So I'm wondering, Madam Speaker, since there is no intent to create a strategy in the life of this Assembly, where I can find that information that the Minister has been collecting with his department over the last year? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Madam Speaker, today I spoke about sustaining and growing our population in the Northwest Territories, and a key tool to grow our population is using immigration. The GNWT currently does not fulfill its annual immigration quota allotted by the Government of Canada through the nominee program. This is a big concern especially within our business community.

So I'm wondering if the Minister can explain why we're not hitting our quotas and tell us what his department is...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have no further questions on this section. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, as I was explaining in my Member's statement, of the 38 current SNAP students in the Northwest Territories, many of those students are located here in Yellowknife, or what is referred to as the North Slave, and only four are located outside of the Yellowknife region. And so I'm wondering what has been the barrier to ensuring that there is a SNAP student in every NWT community or at least regional centre, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, then I will come back to that or one of my colleagues I'm sure will.

My last question is in regards to the homelessness prevention strategy. So I'm sure it's no secret to anybody who listens to session that this side of the House is very excited to get to read this and share in the excitement of that final draft with the other side of the House. And I am wondering if there is any dollars associated with this strategy within this budget and is it found here in executive, or would that too also be found in finance and infrastructure? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 57, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2022.

Bill 57 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on October 20th, 2022 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review. On February 13th, 2023, the standing committee held a public hearing and clausebyclause review of the bill with the Minister of Justice.

Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 57, Miscellaneous Statute Law Amendment Act, 2022, is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole...