Caitlin Cleveland

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I've had the opportunity to actually at this point, in my term as Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, to sit down with the association and have a very frank conversation with them about their concerns and about what they're looking for. I know that the department right now is working with the sector in order to do engagement and feedback on where they're at with establishing what the wage grid is. And so given that that information has not been solidified with the sector, that's why there is no final determination of what those dollars...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The fuel subsidy increase that I was referencing has already been implemented; however, the increase to the income assistance payments and the changes to the income assistance payments that the Member for Great Slave was asking about earlier are forthcoming and will also help with this. And those changes are expected to come this coming summer and so residents will see who are on income assistance as well will see increases to their bank accounts as well, and that will help as well with monthly costs as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, we were able to make some changes over at Education, Culture and Employment in 2023. At that time, we were able to do some exempting of income. That included monies from selfgovernment agreements, treaty agreements, land claim agreements, and impact benefit agreements. That also included compensation from residential school settlements, Indian Day School settlements, and 60s Scoop settlements. Also monies received on behalf of Jordan's Principle and Inuit Child First Initiative and agricultural benefits from Indigenous governments, as well as...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize not a Member of Kam Lake but somebody who helps me take care of Kam Lake, and that's Leslie Straker, who is my constituency assistant. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, how the thresholds are currently set up, they're divided into three separate zones, and these zones take into account the size of the communities and where the communities are located within the Northwest Territories. So, for example, zone 1, which is where Behchoko is located, has an income threshold of $56,000 versus a community like Gameti, which is zone 2, which has a threshold of $64,000, and zone 3, which, for example, has communities like Wekweeti, has a threshold of $73,000. But I really welcome the conversations with the Member and...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you very much to the Member for the question. There was an increase to the seniors home heating subsidy that was recently done, and that was able to ensure that seniors receive up to 80 percent of the estimated 2023 fuel costs associated with heating a home in the Northwest Territories. And so there was an increase that was recently done, and the intent of the policy is to cover up to 80 percent of the fuel costs on average of Northwest Territories seniors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for the question. There was a lot of excitement in August when this announcement was made and, unfortunately, these changes to the programs have been delayed due to some systems issues that are outside the department's control, and we're currently working with the Department of Finance to resolve these. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to start off by just reflecting on the words of hope and collaborative leadership and also words of eagerness to get to work that we've heard here today from multiple colleagues. I share in that sentiment, and I am glad that that sentiment continues today throughout our statements.

I want to start off by thanking the residents of Kam Lake who, without their confidence, I would not be standing here today, and I am very grateful for their confidence in my ability to serve them for another four years.

You know, when we talk about serving our...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to acknowledge a page that we have working here with us today as well. We have Kam Lake resident Leah Yakeleya Kosloski here with us today. And thank you to the pages who have joined us.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, dissolution of the 19th Legislative Assembly.

WHEREAS under section 11(1) of the Northwest Territories Act (Canada), the Commissioner may dissolve the Legislative Assembly;

AND WHEREAS under section 11(2) of the Northwest Territories Act (Canada), writs for the election of Members of the Legislative Assembly are to be issued on the Commissioner's instructions;

AND WHEREAS under section 2 of an act to Postpone Polling Day for the 2023 General Election, notwithstanding subsection 39(5) of the Elections and Plebiscites Act, polling day for the 2023...