Lucy Kuptana

Member Nunakput

Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Lucy Kuptana was elected to the 20th Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories in November 2023 to represent the constituency of Nunakput, which includes the communities of Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Tuktoyaktuk, and Ulukhaktok.

Immediately prior to her election, Mrs. Kuptana was the Senior Administrative Officer for the Hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. She was also a director with the Tuktoyaktuk District Education Authority.

For 22 years prior, Mrs. Kuptana was the Director of Operations, Communications, and Culture with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation (IRC). In a volunteer capacity, she has served as a director of the Inuvik Homeless Shelter Society, trustee of the Arctic Inspiration Prize, president of the Inuvialuit Communications Society, director of the Inuvialuit Investment Corporation, director of the Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik Community Corporations, and a committee member for the 2023 Northern Youth Games “Inuvialuit Piuyausiat” in Tuktoyaktuk.

Originally from Aklavik and raised at her family’s bush camp in the Mackenzie Delta, Mrs. Kuptana obtained a Level II and Level III Certificate in Community Administration from Aurora College in the early 1990s and returned to graduate with a Diploma in Business Administration and Management in 2013. Mrs. Kuptana is currently enrolled with Yukon University, where she is working towards accreditation in the school’s First Nations Governance and Public Administration program.

Despite a successful career spanning decades, Mrs. Kuptana credits her parents and extended family, her husband, her two sons, and her two grandchildren. She says she owes much of her success to her family, the Elders, and those who have fought – and continue to fight – for Indigenous and Inuvialuit rights.

Mrs. Kuptana’s guiding principle is to lead with respect, empathy, knowledge, and the willingness to work hard for the constituents she represents and all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Nunakput Electoral District

Committees

Public Accounts
Nunakput
Member's Office

Yellowknife NT X1A 2L9
Canada

P.O. Box
1320
Email
Email
Phone
(867) 767-9143
Minister
Email
Email
Minister Responsible for Housing Northwest Territories, Minister Responsible for the Status of Women

Statements in Debates

Tabled Document 228-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Annual Report 2023-2024
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.

Minister’s Statement 84-20(1): Illegal Activity and Evictions in Public Housing
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. 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.

Question 408-20(1): Housing Arrears Forgiveness and Repairs for Indigenous Communities
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.

Question 408-20(1): Housing Arrears Forgiveness and Repairs for Indigenous Communities
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...

Question 405-20(1): Winter Road Season Planning
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.

Question 405-20(1): Winter Road Season Planning
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.

Question 408-20(1): Housing Arrears Forgiveness and Repairs for Indigenous Communities
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.

Question 408-20(1): Housing Arrears Forgiveness and Repairs for Indigenous Communities
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...

Question 405-20(1): Winter Road Season Planning
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.