Lucy Kuptana

Member Nunakput

Circonscription électorale de Nunakput

Lucy Kuptana a été élue à la 20e Assemblée législative des Territoires du Nord-Ouest en novembre 2023 pour représenter la circonscription de Nunakput, qui comprend les collectivités de Paulatuk, de Sachs Harbour, de Tuktoyaktuk et d’Ulukhaktok.

Juste avant son élection, Mme Kuptana était directrice générale du Hameau de Tuktoyaktuk. Elle a également occupé le poste de membre du conseil d’administration de l’Administration scolaire de district de Tuktoyaktuk.

Pendant 22 ans, Mme Kuptana a été la directrice des opérations, des communications et de la culture de la Société régionale inuvialuite. À titre de bénévole, elle a été membre du conseil d’administration de la Inuvik Homeless Shelter Society, administratrice du Prix Inspiration Arctique, présidente de la Société inuvialuite des communications, membre du conseil d’administration de la Société inuvialuite de placement, membre du conseil d’administration des sociétés communautaires de Tuktoyaktuk et d’Inuvik, et membre du comité des Jeux de la jeunesse du Nord 2023 « Inuvialuit Piuyausiat » à Tuktoyaktuk.

Mme Kuptana est originaire d’Aklavik et a grandi à son camp familial établi sur les terres ancestrales du delta du Mackenzie. Elle a obtenu un certificat de niveau II et de niveau III en administration communautaire au Collège Aurora au début des années 1990 et y est retournée pour obtenir un diplôme en administration des affaires et en gestion en 2013. Mme Kuptana poursuit actuellement des études dans le cadre du Programme de gouvernance et d’administration publique des Premières Nations à l’Université du Yukon.

Malgré une carrière fructueuse s’étendant sur plusieurs décennies, Mme Kuptana attribue ses réalisations à ses parents et à sa famille élargie, à son mari, à ses deux fils et à ses deux petits-enfants. À ce sujet, elle dit devoir une grande partie de sa carrière à sa famille, aux aînés et à tous ceux qui se sont battus – et qui continuent de se battre – pour les droits des Autochtones et des Inuvialuits.

Le principe qui guide Mme Kuptana est de diriger avec respect et empathie et avec les connaissances et la volonté de travailler sans relâche pour le bien commun de ses électeurs et de tous les résidents des Territoires du Nord-Ouest.

Committees

Nunakput
Bureau

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Boîte
1320
Ministre
Ministre responsable du logement des Territoires du Nord-Ouest, Ministre responsable de la Condition féminine

Déclarations dans les débats

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Housing Northwest Territories Annual Report 2023-2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 37)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, residents have noticed a significant increase in illegal activities across the territory and within public housing. In particular, there has been an increase in drug use and sales. I am concerned that this behaviour is a risk to public safety, especially to elders and children in our communities. Local housing organizations are actively looking for ways to address and report drug use and sales in public housing by working with the RCMP, the rental office, and residents.

Proving illegal activity can be challenging. Witnesses may be too frightened to formally...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize, Mr. Speaker. I won't do that again. But, again, I commit to the work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member's asking some tough questions on the floor of the House. But, you know, commitments have to be made, but I -- at this point, I can't make commitments in terms of pausing evictions. Many of the evictions that are happening today are those from illegal activities in public housing units. And that will be my ministerial statement tomorrow. It'll describe some of the work that Housing NWT is doing towards illegal activities.

Much of the evictions that are slated towards rental arrears are slowed down, some are paused. I'm pressing Housing NWT to work with the...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Something that Housing NWT does internally is work with communities on the loads going into the communities. I can have this discussion with the MLA, also with Housing NWT, to make sure that these loads going in are full loads and that we're utilizing all resources. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It must be Halloween because we're -- there's a lot of trip ups today, but that's okay. Thank you to the Member for the question.

It's important that we prepare for our housing projects over this next little while considering the low water levels. On the Mackenzie has presented many challenges for transportation. What we're planning to do with Housing NWT is work towards the winter road and be prepared for winter road transportation for housing materials and housing modular units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, another tough question. Thank you to the Member for that. I appreciate it, Rick. But these are some of the things that we have to do, the policies that we have to amend. Talking about this situation in one of the communities, these are tough discussions we have as Housing NWT. And sometimes policies don't fit but policies are rules and guidelines, and we have to look at those and see how we could make things fit for the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this forgiveness arrangement has been an ongoing issue for a number of years. Housing NWT and this government's forgive hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars in housing arrears over the last 20, 30 years. We have to work with the clients at this moment. And we're working with a housing forum, which includes Indigenous governments, to review our policies to make these policies workable for the people of the Northwest Territories. Right now many of these policies are almost impossible for many to accomplish, so this is work that we're doing with...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, again, much of this work is ongoing. We have an infrastructure team within Housing NWT that works on design and also the rollout of housing infrastructure projects within the communities. So a lot of this work is ongoing. There's a lot of internal work and a lot of discussions with local housing associations to make sure that these projects are delivered on time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 36)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Major Tony Brushett from the Salvation Army, a partner with Housing NWT and with this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.