Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize my youngest grandson, Ezra James Whelly, first time in the Legislative Assembly, with his mother Jaqueline Whelly, and her father-in-law, Sean Whelly, who is a Council Member for the Village of Fort Simpson. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in May and June of 2017, a series of meetings were held to solidify feedback from age groups in Fort Simpson regarding community wellness. Information was gathered, compiled, and a community wellness plan was completed in July 2017 that addressed some of the concerns of the community Members. They were:

bullying and cyber bullying;

not enough activities for youth and families offered;

unresolved grief and trauma associated with residential schools;

not enough mental health services and counsellors available in the community, and information about these...

I think I may have given the wrong question here, and I will have to clarify it. I know there are three positions that are going into Fort Liard, Fort Providence, and Fort Simpson. Are they going to be in the schools year-round, or are they just in the schools during the school year, or is there going to be combination of these positions being placed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some follow-up questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. My first question is: what is the next action plan that is coming out of the Mental Health and Addictions Strategy Framework? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I appreciate that answer from the Minister. In regard to the plan to support family, staff, and communities who have been impacted by these tragedies, can the Minister advise some of the things the department is able to offer?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today, I spoke about some of the things that the community of Fort Simpson has done to address the tragedies that have occurred in the past year. I have some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services to hopefully clear up some stuff. Can the Minister tell us what the department has been able to do in response to the number of tragedies in the Deh Cho region in 2017? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks, colleagues. As I said, LKFN will be operating a four-plex housing unit that will be housing four people who have been homeless for 180 days in the past year. The program is called Pathways to Housing, and it is a solid beginning to solve our homeless issue. The project will be fully under way by April 1st.

I would like to thank the various departments that help with these projects; Municipal and Community Affairs, Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, Housing, and Environment and Natural Resources. If I missed any other departments, I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to follow up some questions dating back to May 31 and October 20 of 2016 with the Minister for Lands. There seems to be some confusion around the issue, and I would like to try to clear it up once and for all. With the changes with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and the creation of Lands, can the Minister please advise us: does the department has all the files as it pertains to equity leases at Cassidy Point? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. So on October 20, 2016, the Minister spoke about the importance of the Government of the Northwest Territories honouring its commitments no matter how old they are. It comes with the honour of the Crown. In speaking with a number of residents, we're not too sure what the Minister meant by this. Can the Minister please explain to the House what he meant by this statement? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'm a little bit concerned. This started in 1992, and if I heard the Minister say it correctly, it was 2014 when we consulted with the First Nations, so maybe he'll have to clarify that a little bit later. I guess my concern is, my understanding is that the Yellowknives Dene did not support the sale of this area to lease holders. So how was the government able to move forward with this commitment?