Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm concerned that this government is looking at kicking this can down the road to future governments instead of adjusting these financial realities head on. Can the Minister tell us if this government's setting up the next Assembly to make unpopular financial decisions to avoid making them in an election year? Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Speaker. And thank you, Minister. If no such austerity measures are planned, how will the government manage its considerable fiscal challenges without clear resources/future revenues to offset spending deficits? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Last week your Standing Committee on Government Operations reported on the 20202021 Public Accounts. One aspect of their report that has been subject to recent media coverage was the $194 million deficit of the Northwest Territories Health and Social Services Authority. That's a shocking fiscal reality for this government, already cash strapped, to bear, and it's only expected to increase with the realizations on major operation deficiencies.

Looking at other major spending items in recent times, we now know that the cost to repair the catastrophic flood in Hay River...

Yeah, thank you very much, Madam Chair, and I appreciate that. I am looking forward to work with the Minister in trying to figure out some dates and do what we can just to accommodate the community of Lutselk'e to see what we can do to bring in the new winter road probably on an ongoing basis, anything to help out the high cost of living in that community. Having said that, though, and I guess that I'm assuming that the discussion will also happen with the community of Fort Resolution and MACA and together I'm assuming. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. And thank you for that. Now that what I was thinking is that when I take a look at all the winter roads right now here in the Northwest Territories, we got Colville Lake, we got Deline, we got Gameti, Nahanni Butte, Norman Wells, Sombaa K'e, Tulita, Wekweeti, Whati, Wrigley to Wrigley to Tulita, then we got Aklavik, and we got Dettah ice road. But yet, you know, we have the in Lutselk'e, we have an isolated community. You know, we have no means of transportation other than air and boat during the summer. There's no winter roads. And the community's been asking...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I'm just looking just going through this budget here and understanding it.

This budget you're proposing, you're putting forward, you talking you look at your energy our project listing and that kind of thing. Does this cover winter roads as well, Madam Chair? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I mean, the courts were very clear yesterday, that in Supreme Court of the Northwest Territories, that this permit was quashed so therefore, I mean, there's no evidence, no proof, showing that there was any caribou wastage. So I'm still I'm going to ask for an apology here, and I'm not hearing it from the Minister so I'm going to ask again.

Is he sincerely going to apologize to the community of Lutselk'e for this raid? Thank you

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Timber Bay is a very traditional place for the community of Lutselk'e Dene First Nation. They have been using this area since time immemorial for hunting, trapping, fishing, wildlife; it's their way of life. And, you know, they've been doing it long before the Canadian Constitution ever existed. Same thing with treaties, the NWT Act 1967. And in September of this year, the camp was raided. If you could imagine the camp having elders, families, children, guests, up to about 80 people. And then all of a sudden the chopper comes into the community, wildlife...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. Yeah, I think there's got to be a way because, you know, the way I read this document to the Aboriginal governments in the Northwest Territories when you see $30 million going to and that's coming from Ottawa that was probably negotiated or application was made to get that money, but at the end of the day is does this makes sense to fix up public housing with CIRNAC dollars when we are in a housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories. So going forward, you know, like we're going to have to develop a better strategy as to how we're going to deal with this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to recognize Iris Catholique. She's the management for Thaidene Nene from Lutselk'e Dene First Nation in the audience. And also Laura Michel, traditional knowledge activist for Lutselk'e Dene First Nation. And I'd like to recognize Paul Betsina, a band member and also from YKDFN. So mahsi, and welcome.