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

Minister’s Statement 15-20(1): Tenant Handbook and Program Updates
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 7)

Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT offers a range of programs and services to meet different housing needs across the NWT. As Housing NWT engaged with stakeholders as part of their strategic renewal, Housing NWT recognized that it needs new tools to offer a clear understanding of the role of Housing NWT and the local housing organizations as landlords and the rights and responsibilities of tenants in our units.

Coming out of these conversations and the related recommendations, I am very pleased to announce that some of the initiatives that Housing NWT is implementing to support clients across all areas...

Question 39-20(1): Meeting Housing Needs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On my way up the Mackenzie Delta, I'll stop by the Sahtu and sit down and have this discussion. But absolutely, trades and training are really important throughout the North. We need more apprentices. We need more journey people. We need more people with capacity to maintain homes throughout the North so more than willing to have this discussion. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 39-20(1): Meeting Housing Needs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The Member was able to provide some of the information ahead of time so I was able to collect some information for the Member.

Since 2021, and based on publiclyavailable information, Housing NWT estimates that the Government of Canada has committed more than $400 million in direct funding to NWT Indigenous governments for their housing and infrastructure priorities over the timeframe for the next seven years. The details of these funding amounts are subject to bilateral agreements between the Government of Canada and the...

Question 38-20(1): Housing Needs in Mackenzie Delta Communities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. Through the housing renewal process over the last couple of years, Housing NWT has engaged with Indigenous governments and communities to talk about housing plans in developing community housing plans with the communities to get input on housing in their community over the next number of years. It could be decades. So this is an opportunity for the Mackenzie Delta riding to be engaged with community housing plans through your communities. I'd be happy to discuss that further. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 49-20(1): Yellowknife Aspen Apartments
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had an opportunity to visit the YWCA and to look at their new unit and new building, and it was amazing. At the end of the day, the service that they provide and the programs they provide, I'm so happy to see that type of facility here in Yellowknife.

Question 47-20(1): Yellowknife Wellness and Recovery Centre
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

I'm just going to put my earpiece thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, I would love the support of this House to increase the maintenance budget for housing units across the North. There is so much work to be done. I mean, throughout the campaign, everyone was knocking on doors. We all know the conditions of homes in the North, and we know that there's a lot of work to do. And if we can do that as a House in our priorities and planning session, absolutely, let's look at that and let's increase that budget. But, again, like the finance Minister says, we're in a fiscal restraint and we have to...

Question 47-20(1): Yellowknife Wellness and Recovery Centre
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

(audio) maintenance with housing units is not chronically underfunded. We do have a budget for maintenance. It's throughout the Northwest Territories. A lot of times what we're finding is with timelines and entry into housing units, it sometimes crosses wires where the maintenance doesn't get done and we have to follow up with the tenants. We do have a budget. It is in place year after year. Sometimes that maintenance issue is pushed forward, but we do try our best to get the unit maintained to a safe manner. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 39-20(1): Meeting Housing Needs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the housing renewal process, we've established a housing forum. So we meet with Indigenous governments. We talk about various subject matters, and housing is the key topic with this housing forum. So it gives us an opportunity to talk about partnerships and how we can do things better. Instead of working separately, we work in partnership.

So I've advanced, and I've talked to Housing NWT staff, saying we work in partnership, we support each other, we provide them what resources we can provide them. If it's architectural, if it's engineering, if it's land tenure, let...

Question 38-20(1): Housing Needs in Mackenzie Delta Communities
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Absolutely, I'd be happy to visit your riding and meet with constituents to talk about housing issues. And I know we discussed a visit in April, and I would look forward to that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 49-20(1): Yellowknife Aspen Apartments
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I could understand where the Member's coming from, pride in our home is very, very important and investing into that home is important as well. I don't know if there's a way but I can find out if there's a way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.