Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know how many times that I am going to bring up the Housing NWT crisis but until I see some real progress, it's going to continue to be my top priority as long as I am a Member of this House.

Mr. Speaker, housing corporation was born in 1972 and in the last 51 years since its foundation, the agency has failed to meet the housing demands of our residents apart from them rebranding and exercising, in 2022, that gave Housing NWT, not much has changed beyond a slick new logo and familyfriendly name.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just part of the executive, I guess, I'm just I want to just chat a little bit about housing, and we heard some of it today and, as you know, I still have you know, we still have problems in our communities. Have been for a while. You know, I sat on the AFN housing committee for a while, and I understand the need of trying at least meet the demands in housing throughout Canada, and it's growing every day. You know, homeownership repairs in the communities is growing. Repairs are important. New homes, public housing down the road. You know, we already know that in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister also elaborate on how much money have Housing NWT received to date from CIRNAC so that the people here in the Northwest Territories knows that the application that was made for money for housing repairs right now as it is, I go into my riding, my chiefs tell me or my leaders tell me we don't know anything about this money and they want to know where the money is. But she still hasn't answered like, I'd like to ask that question. Where did the other $5 million go? Right now in the budget here we've got 25 and 30; where did the other $5 million go...

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On April the 14th, 2022, there was an article on the CBC website where it says NWT to see $60 million federal housing dollars, allocation to be determined. The Northwest Territories will receive $60 million over two years to tackle the territory's housing crisis from a federal budget directing $10.1 billion to housing. But now that funding will be allocated isn't clear yet.

Mr. Speaker, the people in my constituency and throughout the Northwest Territories were very happy to see that there was money to be allocated for it to deal with the housing crisis here...

Yeah, thank you, Madam Chair. I got one minute left. I appreciate what she's saying. And the thing is that on the interim basis, you know, again, I am still concerned about, you know, how we make application to CIRNAC and I heard your comments today. But I think we're going to have to work a way to work with Indigenous governments much closer because it's still a problem. Again, I don't know what the housing corporation takes for administration on those dollars. And, again, we're still struggling with housing in the community. As an example, last this year I brought forward a housing...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I do have questions, but I think we're going to come back to 274. I just want to ask one quick question in regards to the program details on page 380 on the executive.

Given that, you know, we in working with the housing corporation and the people in the communities, the Indigenous governments, you know, we have to start building a new relationship and trust again with the housing corporation. I just want to say that by starting to do that, maybe then we may be I would like to recommend that they should seriously take a look at having that Indigenous advisor next to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister, for your answer. And I appreciate that. It seems that it's clear that many of the issues in the healthcare system are systematic in nature.

Will the Minister commit to a full operation review of the healthcare services in the Northwest Territories so that the findings of such review can inform necessary reforms and prepare the next Assembly to get ahead of this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I had said that I'll be asking the Minister for clear and decisive action on the overdue improvements to the healthcare system here in the Northwest Territories. We are year three and a half into our mandate here already, and my question would be to the Minister. Earlier today I mentioned a series of healthcare recommendations issued by the Canadian Medical Association in August of last year. What action has the Minister of Health and Social Services taken in response to these recommendations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'll have a followup question to that then. I guess what I'm trying to say is I think the Minister misunderstood what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to get a commitment from this Minister here to really trying to get somebody in the headquarters of the housing corporation and sitting next to the Minister or sorry, to the deputy minister. That's what I'm saying is on top of what you just said, yes, we understand what you're saying, you're working with the Circle of Aboriginal leaders, etcetera, but you need to have a body in an office over there that people could talk to, who could relate...

Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Just part of the review that you probably are going to look at, can we also take a look at the medical travel review policy that's outdated and inflexible to improve the access to healthcare for those residing in small communities here in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.