Shane Thompson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks, colleagues. As I said, LKFN will be operating a four-plex housing unit that will be housing four people who have been homeless for 180 days in the past year. The program is called Pathways to Housing, and it is a solid beginning to solve our homeless issue. The project will be fully under way by April 1st.

I would like to thank the various departments that help with these projects; Municipal and Community Affairs, Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, Housing, and Environment and Natural Resources. If I missed any other departments, I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for that answer. I think it's a very positive step. How will the youth from the smaller communities be able to address their concerns? How are we going to be able to address that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister for that answer. In this House today and during the budget, we have heard about the Departments of Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment are partnered together to create this new position called Child and Youth Career Counselling. Where are these positions going to be located during the school year and non-school year?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I greatly appreciate the Minister's ability to provide that information here to the House as we can share it with our residents. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide a brief summary of some of the things the department has been able to do in regard to the suicide prevention treatment and after-care as part of the mental health and addiction recovery in NWT Strategic Framework 2016-2021? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I thank the Minister and his department for the work that they were doing. Thanks for that information. As I said in my Member's statement today, there were a lot of departments that have been part of the support network. Can the Minister advise how the department has been working with other departments and organizations to ensure that everybody is aware of each other's services, including the mental health and addiction staff, Child and Family Services staff, Victims Services staff, and Education, Culture and Employment staff?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize my youngest grandson, Ezra James Whelly, first time in the Legislative Assembly, with his mother Jaqueline Whelly, and her father-in-law, Sean Whelly, who is a Council Member for the Village of Fort Simpson. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in May and June of 2017, a series of meetings were held to solidify feedback from age groups in Fort Simpson regarding community wellness. Information was gathered, compiled, and a community wellness plan was completed in July 2017 that addressed some of the concerns of the community Members. They were:

bullying and cyber bullying;

not enough activities for youth and families offered;

unresolved grief and trauma associated with residential schools;

not enough mental health services and counsellors available in the community, and information about these...

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to acknowledge an impressive young person of the Nahendeh region, Jonah Sanguez, a resident of Jean Marie River, who is in her second season of trapping. She was taught by her mother and continues striving to learn more about her family's background and living off the land.

Jonah is one of the five young trappers in the NWT awarded a Trapper Recognition Award from the territorial government. The NWT Trapper Recognition Award recognizes the hard work NWT trappers put into their craft and the contribution they make in the Genuine Mackenzie Valley fur Program.

Jonah...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I stand here to speak on the principle of this appropriation bill. I guess my biggest challenge was the big cut of another $250,000 in the multi-sport games. This is now $500,000 cut from multi-sport games and this is having a huge impact on our youth and our residents, especially our future.

When speaking with the Finance Minister, this was my struggle. This was my challenge. This is something I stand up on my principles. However, as we work forward and you got to look at the big picture and look at the number of the issues here. The big issue in my riding...

I find it hard to believe that the First Nations would not object to this, but I guess I'll go on to my next question. Has the government of the GNWT compensated the Yellowknives Dene First Nations for taking these pieces of land and for that happening?