Debates of May 23, 2024 (day 14)

May
23
2024
Session
20th Assembly, 1st Session
Day
14
Speaker
Shane Thompson
Word PDF
Members Present
Hon. Caitlin Cleveland, Mr. Edjericon, Mr. Hawkins, Hon. Lucy Kuptana, Hon. Jay Macdonald, Hon. Vince McKay, Mr. McNeely, Ms. Morgan, Mr. Morse, Mr. Nerysoo, Ms. Reid, Mr. Rodgers, Hon. Lesa Semmler, Hon. R.J. Simpson, Mr. Testart, Mr. Thompson, Mrs. Weyallon Armstrong, Hon. Caroline Wawzonek, Mrs. Yakeleya
Assembly Members
Topics
Member’s Statement 155-20(1): Supporting Families with Disabilities
Member’s Statement 156-20(1): Liquor Tax
Member’s Statement 157-20(1): Mackenzie River Water Levels
Member’s Statement 158-20(1): Residents Affected by Enterprise Wildfire
Member’s Statement 159-20(1): Inadequate Housing in Mackenzie Delta
Member’s Statement 160-20(1): Health Care Workers
Member’s Statement 161-20(1): Aurora College
Member’s Statement 162-20(1): Hamlet of Fort Resolution Fire Plan
Member’s Statement 163-20(1): Carbon Tax
Member’s Statement 164-20(1): Education
Member’s Statement 165-20(1): Supports for Senior Citizens
Member’s Statement 166-20(1): Eulogy for Roy Joseph Mouse
Minister’s Statement 32-20(1): Mandate of the 20th Legislative Assembly
Minister’s Statement 33-20(1): Notice of Budget Address
Motion 26-20(1): Appointment of Ombud
Motion 26-20(1): Appointment of Ombud, Carried
Motion 27-20(1): Referral of Tabled Document 67-20(1): Mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 2023 to 2027, to Committee of the Whole
Oral Question 154-20(1): Status of Aurora College Transformation to Polytechnic University
Oral Question 155-20(1): Liquor Tax Regime
Oral Question 156-20(1): Carbon Tax
Oral Question 157-20(1): Affordability of Seniors Housing
Oral Question 158-20(1): Collaboration with Indigenous Governments on Mackenzie Delta Home Renovations
Oral Question 159-20(1): Adult Literacy in the Northwest Territories
Oral Question 160-20(1): Notices of Assessment Collection for Income Assistance Clients
Oral Question 161-20(1): Fuel Resupply for Northern Communities
Oral Question 162-20(1): Nurse to Patient Ratios
Oral Question 163-20(1): Supports Available for Residents of Enterprise
Oral Question 164-20(1): Supports Available for Hamlet of Fort Resolution
Return to Oral Question 62-20(1): Consultation with Members of the Legislative Assembly on Policies and Strategies
Return to Written Question 2-20(1): Government of the Northwest Territories Public Sector Positions
Return to Written Question 3-20(1): Extended Health Benefits Policy
Return to Written Question 4-20(1): Private Agency Nurses
Return to Written Question 5-20(1): Municpal Funding Gap
Tabled Document 71-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 152-20(1): Public Safety
Tabled Document 77-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 133-20(1): Policy on Indigenous Hiring
Tabled Document 85-20(1): Additional Information for Return to Written Question 4-20(1)
Tabled Document 86-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 12-20(1): Children’s First Society Funding
Tabled Document 88-20(1): Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 105-20(1) and Oral Question 112-20(1): Municipal Funding Gap
Tabled Document 91-20(1): Speaking Up for Fairness – 2023/24 Annual Report of the Northwest Territories Ombud
Statements

Oral Question 163-20(1): Supports Available for Residents of Enterprise

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are, can the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs detail what programs and services, whether federal or territorial, that were provided to the residents of Enterprise displaced by last year's wildfires? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Deh Cho. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks for the question from the Member from the Deh Cho. I don't have a full detailed list, but I can get her a full detailed list. But what we did do is we -- some of the programs and services that were available for the residents, so the federal DFAA was available, or the DAP program for us, the GNWT Evacuation Assistance Program, the Red Cross, and the United Way are just some of the programs that were available to evacuated residents. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Member for that. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has stated in the media that MACA has exhausted all options to support displaced residents who lost their homes and businesses.

Can the Minister confirm if all options have been, in fact, exhausted and also explain what those exhausted options are? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The GNWT has engaged with many federal departments. We've also worked closely with the territorial departments to see what options we have, what avenues we have to work with the residents of Enterprise. We've worked with the Privy Council Office, Public Safety Canada, CIRNAC, and Indigenous Services Canada. Those departments have reached out to all their federal counterparts to see what other options are available for residents. And we've also worked with -- they've also worked with departments such as CMHC for the residents that are affected in Enterprise and Behchoko. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other avenues that have not yet been exhausted within the federal government that may be available to provide support to the displaced residents of Enterprise? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated previously here, we did work closely with the federal government. As far as I'm aware, we've basically gone down every avenue that we could. You know, I'm willing to ask the department if there's any other directions we can go in but at the time, as far as I know, we've basically resourced out every federal department that we could to find any assistance for our residents. So I'll work with the Member to see if there's any other options. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. Oral questions. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.