Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was thrown off by having to repeat myself for question number two. You know, I really find it quite disturbing that the Minister of MACA is passing off the responsibility to advocate for funding for communities, to not only us on this side but to his colleague the Finance Minister. Can this Minister commit to finding money to address the funding gap of $40 million? If that has to be a supplementary appropriation, I'm sure that Members on this side would be in support of that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you. I appreciate the Member's love. I mean, I've received it in this House numerous times from this Member and I greatly appreciate it; thank you very much for that. Mr. Speaker
Thank you, Minister. The Member for Great Slave is rising on a Point of Order. What is your Point of Order?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find that the Minister's comments to me are derogatory and offensive. It is not said with any sort of actual respect towards me on this side. I would ask that the Minister withdraw his remarks and apologize. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Great Slave. Just to be sure, we'll check Hansard and we'll take it on notice and deal with this another day. Thank you.
Oral questions. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
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 in the Northwest Territories. In this document that was tabled on October 18th, 2022, it clearly shows that the housing corporation used that money to fix up public housing. And I'm not really sure how that is dealing with the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. But in the budget this year as well, it shows that the money was put aside of $25 million and another 30 this year. My question is as well where did the $5 million go?
So my question to, Mr. Speaker, to the housing minister is can the Minister responsible for Housing NWT let me know how much money and her agencies have received from CIRNAC to address housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories to date? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question as well too, because our federal engagement has been quite successful. In the first year of this government, we were able to access the $60 million coinvestment fund. Out of that, we were able to access $25 million. The remaining had went out to stakeholders and Indigenous governments and nonprofit organizations throughout the Northwest Territories. And also, we did receive the $60 million over the two years as well too. But as the territory knows, and the Members on the other side, is that our public housing units are in very, very poor condition and it's very challenging for us to keep up with those renovations that need to be conducted. So that money is going to be set aside and be committed to be repairing those public housing units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Minister. Can the Minister comment on if she talked to the Indigenous leaders here in the Northwest Territories when the application was made so that they understand that this application was made from CIRNAC to put into housing to deal with the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories; did she consult with the Indigenous governments on this application process? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely. Consulting with Indigenous groups is a priority of this portfolio and it is something that has we have made significant progress in the Northwest Territories and is set aside from the CIRNAC funding that we did have to the Members that we've also been very successful with distinctionbased funding that was set aside for Indigenous governments, that we had worked with the federal government to try to simplify that application process. We had a number of announcements where Indigenous governments were directly funded. And what I can think of on top of my head is that with the GNWT and Indigenous governments working in partnership, the Tlicho was able to receive $42 million and the Sahtu was able to receive $25 million. The Gwich'in also received $25 million. And this is not funding that is directly or involved or we're not even involved as a government as to what their plans possibly can be like and how they're going to be spending their funding. This is not territorial funding that has been brought into the territorial government. This is direct funding from the federal government to the Indigenous groups. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
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. And thank you to the Member for his question as well too. And looking at the funding that we have received as Housing NWT, right to my knowledge I'm just thinking just at the top of my head is that we received $25 million in the last government. We received an additional $25 million through the coinvestment. And then also $30 million over two years. So he can do the math there. And also I just want to speak about the participation we've had also with YKDFN who we work very closely with as well too, and we're going to be looking at working together in having a housing forum this summer. And they are actually going to be cochairing that housing forum. We've also worked with them directly as well too, and they have been quite successful in their coinvestment applications as well too where Lutselk'e had received five units, $2 million through the coinvestment. YKDFN has received $19 million for 19 units. And also a Habitat for Humanity unit was constructed in the Member's riding. This year, out of the housing rollout, Fort Resolution will be receiving six units, Lutselk'e will be receiving four, N'dilo two, and Dettah two as well.
Also I'd just like to include that over the past ten years, we've invested $18.5 million into the Member's riding. The current year delivery, we will be investing $12.1 million. And our proposed for 20232024 will be $4.1 million invested in Tu NedheWiilideh. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Tu NedheWiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yeah, it's nice to see that they're spending money in my riding. The thing is that I don't think the people understand that the units that's going into the community, who's paying for the operation and maintenance on those things.
Mr. Speaker, we're talking about $30 million here for this fiscal year and, you know, I disagree with the Minister in regards to her consultation with Indigenous governments. I don't think that happened because I could tell you this, I could go through my communities and they don't say anything about consultation.
Anyways, my question to the Minister, can the Minister would the Minister entertain taking that $30 million and do a contribution agreement with Indigenous governments here in the Northwest Territories to address their own housing needs and housing repairs in the communities? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I want to comment on the consultation that housing has provided. They have been very diligent, I want to say, with the consultation throughout the Northwest Territories. And like I have said, YKDFN has been a very active participant on our Council of Leaders, and we have a very respectful relationship working with YKDFN. And also right now in Fort Resolution, they will be receiving one of our duplexes that we will be constructing for seniors throughout the Northwest Territories, and there is a consultation going on right now. I also want to include that our engagement for seniors housing is actually happening. Letters have also gone out to every Indigenous group recognizing that we do have a rollout of these units.
They were given prior notice to these units coming into their communities. And also we meet regularly with the Council of Leaders that have had a lot of engagement with our changes for our policy changes going forward. And for the Member asking for the $30 million, I've already said we are going to be investing $4.1 million into the Member's riding. This current year we've invested $12.1 million. The $30 million that we do have is to repair our public housing units and throughout this government. And the comments that have been made, our units are in very poor condition. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I brought up the Member's statement for the Arctic Council. Can the Premier tell this House where does the Arctic Council stand right now and have they met, or is there any dialogue going back and forth since the Russian attack on Ukraine, because the Russians are the chair of the committee. So is the federal government engaged with the territorial government in regards to for the committee to move forward and where it's at? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So Canada, the federal government at this point is the representative on the Arctic Circle or the Arctic Council, sorry. The Northwest Territories does go as part of the Canadian delegation, and we do sit on working groups as appropriate for the Northwest Territories. But the Arctic Council has not met for the last two years. Russia was the chair from May 2021 to May 2023, which is coming up. My understanding is that Norway will be the next chair and hopefully there will be some movements once Norway takes over the chair. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Arctic Council resumes meetings, when will that be on a timeline on a go forward? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, the Northwest Territories doesn't actually have a seat at that table. It's the federal government that does. We sit on working groups. We go as part of the Canadian delegation but we're not actually the direct member for that. I am assuming that once Norway takes over the chair that meetings will start again. However, I'm kind of wondering where the Member is going with this and I think it is around geopolitical things that are happening. And so I do want to stress that the Ottawa declaration explicitly excludes discussions of military security at the Arctic Council. So if that's where the Member's going, then this is not the right forum for that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is involved in any work associated with the Arctic Council as they were just delegates, I guess. But it's not in regards to military or anything like that. It's climate change research, ocean management, Arctic shipping, waste management, regional planning. Can the Premier just explain to us where they're sitting and if they're just delegates sitting behind the table in regards to for Canadian what are they doing? What are they saying? Are they representing us? Are they because if they haven't been sitting for the last two years, has the Premier's office got in touch with them and on a go forward, what's happening? That's all I'm trying to ask, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So thank you for the clarification. I was kind of wondering what the line of questioning was going to be. So no, the Arctic Council has not met in the last two years because of Russia being the chair and the geopolitical issues that are going on right now around that. But the Member is correct, it's important that things are happening in the Arctic, and so it's important that we do take as many opportunities as possible to be able to discuss issues that affect the Arctic. So I know that Ministers have gone and officials have gone to COP. I also know that in the last short time over the last year, I've attended the Arctic Circle, both in Greenland and in Iceland. I've gone to the Arctic encounters in Alaska. I've also met with the northern Premiers. We've talked to Ministers together, all three northern Premiers. So any opportunity that we can to speak about the issues in the Arctic, whether it's climate change and even if it is geopolitical issues, we take those opportunities, Mr. Speaker. I think this is really important for us all to pay attention to what's going on. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, madam Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to thank that. I just want to really emphasize that any meetings like that that are being attended, you know, just to let this side of the House know, and please let us know on this side of the House in regards to any meetings like that where it's happening in our back door where we live and where we're born and raised. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually we do try to I'm not sure if all the time but try to get better at it. But I do know that at the Arctic Council actually that we just attended, we did let the Members know on the other side. They sent a Member to attend with us. So thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some significant concerns with the current proposal to change extended healthcare benefits. So my first question to the Minister of health is we've gone out, we've engaged; can the Minister just update this House what the next steps are on this plan? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Yellowknife North. Minister responsible for Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to start by thanking the 729 people who provided input into the public engagement process on the supplementary health benefits. That feedback was aggregated into themes and released as a report on January the 23rd. Using the information gathered, the departmental staff are writing a new policy. In fact, we didn't consult on a policy. We consulted on an issue. So they are writing a new policy, and it will go through the standard process of being presented to Cabinet and to the Regular Members, the Standing Committee on Social Development. So that will happen in this not in this sitting but through the spring. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it was quite clear in that public engagement that lots of people were very concerned about the proposal to remove the specified conditions. Can the Minister confirm whether the plan is to draft that new policy that will, in fact, remove those specified conditions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the point of revising this policy was to make it more equitable and to bring people into coverage who currently don't have any third-party insurance. That's approximately 2,200 people. And so we can't have an equitable benefits program if you have to have a specific disease in order to qualify for that program. There are 34 conditions on that list. So, for example, if you have ALS, you're not covered, and that puts the people who don't have coverage in a very awkward position to buy the medication and, especially for ALS, the medical equipment and appliances that they require to live their lives. Thank you.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Then I think the answer there is to add ALS to the list. I don't understand why this is being posed as a binary that we on one hand want to have a meanstested program for low income people who are you know, inherently don't have these conditions because they would be covered so are likely healthy people, and on the other hand people who are existing with a specified disease condition and putting their current treatment at risk. Is it not possible for the Minister to put forward a new policy that keeps the current approach and as a meanstested approach? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, people who are currently receiving support for their specified conditions will continue to receive that support. The change here is that the program proposal that was in the discussion paper is to have income testing in order to figure out what level of support the person themselves might be able to afford towards the total cost. We use income testing for everything. You need income testing for income assistance. You need income testing for housing. You need income testing for the seniors fuel subsidy. We're looking at income testing. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Final supplementary. Member for Yellowknife North.
Yeah, thank you, Mr. Speaker. In fact, we don't use income testing for anything in public healthcare. And if you show up to the doctor, it doesn't matter how much money you make; you get services provided if you are sick. And that is exactly what we were trying to do with people who had these specified disease conditions. And my concern, Mr. Speaker, is we're now asking people to go out and try and find third-party insurance when they have diseases which makes it very difficult to get third-party insurance. We're asking people to put their coverage at risk, and it is causing them a lot of stress and, in fact, not helping the health of our residents. My preference here is that we don't do this at all. But I'm wondering if one option is that we could grandfather people who are currently under this program so that their coverage is not at risk. I'll note it's much easier to ask a person who doesn't have one of these diseases to go out and get insurance health insurance than it is to ask one of these people who currently do. Is it possible to grandfather these people into their medication programs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I fear that the Member is muddying the waters here, and that's a cause of anxiety. The principles of the Canadian health system is that everybody receives hospital and doctor care in a single-payer system. We are committed to that system. The whole country is committed to that system. Nothing about that is going to change. There are, however, related services like pharmaceuticals that are subject to different programs. So we're not asking anyone to be income tested to show up at the ER. But we are looking at income testing in order to make access to drugs equitable. And I think the Member is making a huge mistake in assuming that the people who are not covered now by any form of insurance are healthy and they don't need it. That's not my experience of low-income people. They usually have worse than average health outcomes. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
Merci, Monsieur le President. My questions are for the Minister of Lands, again on the preventable public liabilities at the Cameron Hills sour gas field.
Can the Minister tell us whether there's anyone from the Northwest Territories working at the site for Environmental Liabilities Management Incorporated or any of its subcontractors? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Frame Lake. Minister responsible for Lands.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT receiver sought bids through the procure process from all parties, including Northern Indigenous governments and Northern businesses. The NWT receiver did not receive any bids from Northern businesses or Indigenous governments. To the Department of Lands' knowledge, there currently is no one from the NWT working at the site but that there may be opportunities for subcontractors to conduct some of the upcoming work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. That doesn't really surprise me. It appears the entire operation is being handled out of Alberta. No jobs, no contracting. The government that actually said no to an Indigenous government that wanted to do the work? That's pretty bad for a government that says it wants to support a remediation economy and then the work goes elsewhere. So can the Minister tell us how the work at Cameron Hills is supporting the remediation economy of the Northwest Territories? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, access to the site, with the exception of one well, has always been through winter road constructed through Alberta. The receiver is responsible for the procurement process and the management of the contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Merci, Monsieur le President. I want to thank the Minister for that. So from the questions I asked yesterday, it seems that the sumps and contaminated soils are not covered in the current land use permit or the abandonment agreement that's been negotiated with ELM. It's not clear whether all the closure and reclamation work is sorry, can the Minister tell us whether the current contract with ELM and the land use permit cover all the work that's going to be required at Cameron Hills? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The current contract covers the work required to carry out the order issued by the regulator of the oil and gas regulations to comply with any directions from the GNWT inspectors. The regulator is inspected and certified the work being done. As mentioned, the receiver is working to submit a revised closure and reclamation plan by June of 2024. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
