Richard Edjericon

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Minister of Housing NWT has taken steps to review the department internal workings, but I'm speaking to the relationship between the GNWT and First Nations. Will the Premier direct the remaining $30 million to be allocated to First Nation governments and honour her government's obligation to Indigenous people as equal and sovereign government?

Mr. Speaker, as well, you know, when the Premier in her mandate letter had said that they were looking at building new relationships with Indigenous governments and but when they go ahead and make application to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to call the Guiness Book of Records because I heard too many yes’s today.

Mr. Speaker, in her capacity as the Minister in Executive and Intergovernmental Affairs, how has the Premier engaged with First Nations, and the Dene Nation in particular, on the $60 million into housing because what happens is that they're taking that money to deal with their own housing crisis, but they're fixing up public housing. But yet in our communities, we're suffering. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's no secret that the NWT is experiencing a housing crisis. Furthermore, it's nothing new. Our residents, particularly Indigenous people, have been struggling to find safe and affordable homes for decades with little progress made by this past government. Last year, the GNWT received $60 million to help solve the housing crisis. At the time, the Honourable Premier described this investment as a drop in the bucket. I agree entirely, considering the federal government has taken steps to double its total rate of new homes construction over the next ten years. In the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table two documents: One is the Dene Nation letter to the Premier dated December 19th, 2022, regarding Housing Crisis; and number two is, CBC Article, "NWT to see $60 million in federal housing dollars, allocation to be determined."

Mr. Speaker, I got a third document here that was just given to us today in regards to the budget. If I could, I'd like to add it as my third document. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, Deputy Premier, for your responses. Mr. Speaker, clearly the Dene leaders do not feel that any engagement on housing investment has been sufficient based on the resolution passed on December 13th and 15th here in Yellowknife. And has the Premier reviewed this resolution and taken steps to address the issues with her departments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I had mentioned that we're in a housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories. I'm not really sure whether or not the Indigenous governments here in the Northwest Territories know that the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Housing Corporation are making application to CIRNAC to apply for grant money, to take that money and then reinvest it in fixing up public housing, when they're supposed to be using that money to be dealing with the housing crisis here in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, as my statement earlier today, I rise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, and I'll reach out to the Cabinet by email and see if we could try to work together to come up with a day to go into those communities because I think it's very important that we do that. Mr. Speaker, earlier I had mentioned that, you know, there's and I heard the Minister of housing talk about the $30 million that they're looking at putting back into housing. But that $30 million over two years is it's coming from CIRNAC to deal with housing crisis. And in my riding, we have a housing crisis already, and we have housing issues. So I want to know if we are able...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the last year, I feel the Premier and Cabinet are not working together with the ordinary MLAs in the spirit and intent to resolve their respective community issues. In this consensus style government, this should be a top priority to work together with all Members so all communities have a voice to be heard in this government, and that needs to be respected. From what I could see, this is not happening with this government. There is no consultation or accommodation with MLAs in small communities, especially for my riding, their wants and needs for the respective...

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I'll have to ask these questions tomorrow then because they are important. The monies that we're talking about from CIRNAC are $30 million over two years, but that money was spent to fixing the public housing. We still have housing crisis in Northwest Territories. And the money that's been used to address these issues were never addressed. So what I'm saying, Mr. Speaker, is that tomorrow I'll bring this up and say, hey, look, we got to work with Indigenous government to talk about how we're going to we should actually do a contribution agreement with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you for your response. Again, Mr. Speaker, you know, I've been here a year, and there's no Minister no Cabinet Minister has approached me to say, what is it your needs are for your community in your riding. In 2019, all MLAs got together, and they are able to put everything on the table in what they want to see for their riding, and they came up with a mandate for this government. Again, you know, I was never given an opportunity to have a say what should be on that mandate as well. So, you know, we've been advocating for winter roads, dust control, additions...