Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess when the $60 million federal housing allocation was determined and there was a picture in the CBC here page and they talked about the allocation for the next two years of coming from the $10.1 billion, the housing, of that $60 million, it says right here that it's a drop in the bucket that was mentioned by the Premier but at the same time it's supposed to address the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories. So what I don't understand is that when I go through your list here, right now on public housing on page 73, it's highlighted that all these public...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the mandate of this Assembly calls on the Government of the Northwest Territories to build a productive partnership with Indigenous governments. The Premier, in the mandate letter given to the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, wrote that "I expect every Minister to foster constructive and respectful governmenttogovernment relationships with our Indigenous partners, and to seek ways to advance reconciliation, and recognize and affirm Aboriginal rights." The mandate letter also stated that "It is critical to address the ongoing legacies of...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess the question that I have first is in terms of how funding works for public housing, can you explain how funding works for public housing, where money comes in from CMHC for minor and major capital projects, operation and maintenance, and that kind of thing on an annual basis for a typical public housing unit. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. And as well, the Minister, if she could probably work with our the, some of the other I guess in this case the Minister of Finance to see if we get her on side as well because we did have a meeting with her a few weeks ago in trying to talk about this winter road. So I'm looking forward to work with all of you. I'm trying to make something happen. Thank you, Madam Chair.

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...