Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s not all doom and gloom in the Sahtu, but some people are struggling. Whether a young family in Deline, an elder in Colville Lake or a single mother in Fort Good Hope, people are having to pay more to put food on the table and more to warm their houses this winter.
Will the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment tell us about the increase of people relying on income assistance since the drop of oil prices has slowed the economy in the Sahtu?
Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.
Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. We are fully aware of the high cost of living in the communities and the income support does reflect on that as well. ECE is working to enhance benefits for clothing, food and other incidental expenses to ensure that clients receive adequate benefits to meet their needs and that we are current with the high cost of living in the communities. We are currently spending upwards of $16 million in income support alone, and there is also a seniors heating subsidy of $1.8 million, and the list goes on. Those are the subsidies that we provide to the communities, and we also keep in mind the high cost of living as well.
I know the honourable Minister doesn’t set the oil prices, but it’s having a huge impact. Let’s shift our attention to the working poor or the single-income families.
Why would income support only grant one purchase order to a mother of twins when clearly she is trying to feed two children? Can the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment explain to this House how a front-line worker could deny the basic support for infants in these remote communities?
With our programming there are upwards of 1,600 caseloads within the Northwest Territories and on average 3,300 people access income assistance. We’re mindful of those individuals with dependents, especially if there are twins, even young twins. Those are some of the areas we closely monitor with client service officers. We need to have those individuals access our income support programming because it’s there for them. We do continue to explore those areas and having a program identified as part of education awareness on to the communities as well.
Can the Minister of Education tell us what emergency measures are available for those who might be in between jobs or students without work? What can they do to ensure they have a roof over their heads this winter and dealing with the high cost of living?
It all depends on the individual. If they are younger than 19, then we have to work with the Department of Health and Social Services. But there are various programs within our income support area, whether it be early childhood or other departmental programs such as emergency measures when it comes to MACA or the Department of Health and Social Services or my Department of Education, Culture and Employment. It is an interagency responsibility and also working very closely with the community organizations that deal with those matters at the community level as well. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment commit to this House that when he meets with his federal/provincial counterparts that the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories will be a priority item that he can discuss with the other provincial leaders as something that needs to have the full attention of Canada, to raise this issue to know that this issue here is important to people and Members of this House?
Mr. Speaker, that is exactly what’s happening. I’m just one part of government that addresses this with my federal counterparts. My colleagues around the table here also stress the importance of the high cost of living. When it comes to remoteness in our jurisdiction, we’re very remote with a high cost of living in our communities. At times federal Ministers and federal representatives are not fully aware of our situation. So it’s always a learning curve when there are changes in the federal government, but it’s a challenge that we always put at the table and we will continue to do so. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bromley.
