George Nerysoo

Member Mackenzie Delta

George Nerysoo was first elected as a Member for Mackenzie Delta in September 2023 for the 20th Legislative Assembly. Mr. Nerysoo was born in Fort McPherson and returned to his hometown after living in Inuvik and Aklavik for almost 20 years.
 
Mr. Nerysoo attended Samuel Hearne Secondary School in Inuvik and completed studies in business administration at Aurora College.
 
Mr. Nerysoo is an active community member, always keen to volunteer and participate in community events, especially sporting events. Mr. Nerysoo is also active at the regional level, being chosen several times as the Fort McPherson delegate for the Gwich’in Tribal Council Assembly.
 
Prior to be elected, Mr. Nerysoo held the position of Deputy Mayor with the Hamlet of Fort McPherson. He has also been employed as the Acting Band Manager with the Tetlit Gwich’in Band Council, and prior to this worked several years on the Louis Cardinal Ferry.
 
In his spare time, Mr. Nerysoo enjoys staying physically active by walking as well as exercising with other community members. He also enjoys quality time with his two children and granddaughter.
 

Committees

George Nerysoo
Mackenzie Delta
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320

Statements in Debates

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister commit to reporting on the outcomes of productive choices that clients take, how many clients on the productive choices move forward to school or finding work? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've made a few statements on income support, and I was shocked to hear that my riding of the Mackenzie Delta has two times higher than the Northwest Territories, which is 7 percent. And in my riding, it's up to 15 percent. My main goal is to try and get these clients off of income support and on to being productive members of their respective communities.

Mr. Speaker, the department used to provide annual reports on income assistance, but these reports are no longer not publicly available anymore. Can the Minister commit to provide income assistance annual reports...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to discuss the issue that income support clients in my riding, the Mackenzie Delta, are two times higher than the rest of the NWT. What is happening in my riding, Mr. Speaker, for so many people to be on income assistance and how is the government responding to this?

The purpose of income support, as stated in the policy manual, is to help people to become independent and selfreliant. Unfortunately, it does not appear that income assistance in the Mackenzie Delta is helping people become independent. What we see is that once people start, they do not...

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

Okay, thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the Minister for the response. This is just really more of a comment. Having the success of these clients that return from the treatment centres is a responsibility of not only the client, him or herself, but also the families. The family requires counselling because they have to adapt to these changes that this individual is trying to make, and also the community. It affects everybody. It affects us all here as MLAs and as Ministers, the Premier, and everybody. It affects all of us. One person that is struggling with alcohol has an impact on all of...

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister describe the wraparound supports provided to clients on income assistance with respect to productive choices? How is the department helping people make productive choices that will actually improve their independence and selfreliance? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you for the commitment from the Minister. The Minister acknowledged in the House on February 8th, 2024, the intended goal of productive choices is not being met. Can the Minister describe how the department tracks clients' productive choices? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

On March 25, 2024, committee received a public briefing from the Minister and his staff on Bill 2. The Minister's presentation is included in Appendix B.

Between March 2024 to April 2024, committee engaged the public. Committee hosted four public meetings in Inuuvik, Aklavik, and YellowknifeSombak'e. There were two public meetings held in YellowknifeSombak'e one of which was with the RCMP and the other was with the public. A total of 55 people attended committee's public meetings.

Committee also sought written submissions on Bill 2. We sent nine targeted engagement letters...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you to the Minister for providing that information. It's good to see that there is projects such as on-the-land-based programs. It'll be good to utilize some of these funds for that. So I will be informing members of my region that there is limited amount of money on a first-come-first-serve basis to help their community residents.

On another note, long term care and continuing care services. In the past in Aklavik, they had the Joe Greenland Centre, which was used very well by the whole region. There was people from Old Crow, people from Fort McPherson, Tsiigehtchic...

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for a little clarification, the spot I was referring is in between Inuvik and Tsiigehtchic.

Can the Minister look at maintaining the highways during closure of the ice crossings for when the ferries are out -- are shut down for the day for rough sections and dust control to avoid traffic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 19)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is important that the highway be inspected and reports go to the appropriate regional departments. Can the Minister identify if you have inspectors on all sections of the road during closure of the ice bridges? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.