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

Oral Question 306-20(1): Housing Repairs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the local housing authority in Inuvik is provided an annual budget allotment and much of that budget is for maintenance of public housing units in Inuvik. They have been doing minor repairs and trying to get many of the units up to par for public housing tenants. So that work is ongoing, Mr. Speaker. We're hoping to get more done over the fall/winter, so hoping to provide better news for the MLA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral Question 303-20(1): Local Housing Organizations Support
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, officially I can't intervene in strike action as Minister of Housing NWT. Unofficially, I can have a private conversation with anybody but, officially, I can't do that. And I can't impact strike negotiations, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral Question 303-20(1): Local Housing Organizations Support
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have dollars amounts this afternoon. I can provide the Member some information, but I don't have dollar amounts in terms of impacts. I have been pressing Housing NWT to provide me more updates, daily updates, on the impact of the strike in Fort Simpson. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral Question 306-20(1): Housing Repairs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will definitely look into it to see what -- the details for the question from the Member. I cannot commit to getting the completed -- the work completed. I have to look at the budget, see what we have allocated, especially for the riding. But I will follow up with the Member on the details. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral Question 306-20(1): Housing Repairs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. The information I have today on the status of repairs to Inuvik public housing units is that we have two units that are about 50 percent complete in the modernization and improvement of that public housing unit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral Question 303-20(1): Local Housing Organizations Support
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I asked Housing NWT yesterday for an update on how this works locally and territorially. And from what I understand, we as Housing NWT sign a community services agreement with the Fort Simpson Housing Authority to manage the houses, the public housing units at Fort Simpson. So we provide them a budget allotment every year, ask for audited financial statements every year, and that is what we do as Housing NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral Question 303-20(1): Local Housing Organizations Support
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 28)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recognize the important work that the local housing authority employees do every day in all of our communities. We have 24 local housing authorities operating throughout the Northwest Territories in 32 communities, so this is important work that they do. I recognize the impact and recognize what's happening today in one of our local housing authorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister’s Statement 57-20(1): Maintenance and Repairs
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 27)

Mr. Speaker, under the 1997 social housing agreement with the federal government, Housing NWT assumed responsibility for the ongoing operations and maintenance of the territory's public housing units. Many of these units remain in service and need significant renovation or replacement. Housing NWT continues to invest in maintenance and renovation on an annual basis to keep assets in good working condition. I would like to speak today on how Housing NWT manages its assets and the ways we are finding efficiencies and partnerships to improve the state of our units.

Housing NWT plans to invest over...

Question 293-20(1): Opportunities for Community-led Construction and Maintenance of Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is critical work that we have to do throughout the North. We have to gain capacity. We have to build capacity in our communities. And these need to be local people and local jobs. That's how we're going to do it. And this is how we're going to build, like, the North, and it's working locally and having that local capacity. So the work that Housing NWT does in partnership with Education, Culture and Employment is critical work that we have to do going forward. And over the last number of years, Housing NWT, with the local housing associations, has supported 64...

Question 293-20(1): Opportunities for Community-led Construction and Maintenance of Housing
Debates of , 20th Assembly, 1st Session (day 26)

I think this opportunity that has been driven by the local housing society is a really great opportunity that all communities should consider. And Housing NWT came forward as a partner in assisting them with the application for the funding allocation that they recently received. So this is a possibility in all ridings and all communities. It's just that the work has to be done in partnership with Housing NWT but also locally, they have to be driven by the work. So the possibility is there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.