Mr. Speaker, thank you. During my Member’s statement today I talked about the concern from a public health point of view. I wanted to highlight the fact that public washrooms are needed because of health reasons and, most notably, infectious disease problems. Recently the City of Yellowknife received a briefing from a contractor through various sources. They talked about the need for public washrooms and the problems that are caused without them.
My questions will be directed to the Minister responsible for the homeless. Ironically, it’s the same Minister for Health and Social Services, so maybe she could blend her answers equally. My question for the Minister is: what is she doing in recognition of the homelessness problem in this city and trying to solve the problem of lack of public washrooms for that community that exists in the downtown of Yellowknife?
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for the homeless, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to say this must be a story of embarrassment of riches. I have to say that per square foot, or by any measure, this government — the Department of Health and Social Services, ECE, Housing, you name it — pours more money into downtown Yellowknife than anywhere else in the territory.
Mr. Speaker, we fund the Salvation Army. We poured millions of dollars into the Salvation Army, Bailey House, SideDoor youth centre, Centre for Northern Families. We fund the Yellowknife Association for Community Living. We fund the YWCA. I say a large portion of our capital funding for health and social services is going downtown, building $15 million — that is $500,000 per bed…. We are building 28 units for the dementia centre, and we are building a primary care clinic. We have three clinics in Yellowknife that we’re combining. Surely, out of all that money the city and the organizations could figure out how to build a public bathroom to serve our people.
Mr. Speaker, if we are missing something.… In my last question, I said I will meet with the city and I will talk to the mayor. The Member knows that I asked this morning that this issue be put on the agenda.
So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t believe it is about money. It is about coordination. I have to say to the Member, he must have everything satisfied if he is spending time talking about GNWT funding a public bathroom in downtown Yellowknife, the richest in all our territory. Thank you.
Thank you, Ms. Lee.
Interjections.
Order! Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Mr. Speaker, obviously the Minister had her coffee this morning.
You know, it’s kind of shocking to hear a Yellowknife MLA — the Minister, who happens also to be a Yellowknife MLA — complain about the investment in Yellowknife.
Mr. Speaker, I am sure the Minister misunderstood the point. My riding actually doesn’t cover the Bailey House. And by the way, the Bailey House and the Salvation Army? That’s not in downtown Yellowknife.
The question really comes down to what leadership role is she suggesting? She keeps telling the city to do this. This is not a mandate of the city. I have spoken to the mayor, and he does not want to be downloaded this crappy issue. The question is: what is the Ministry and the Minister responsible for the homeless going to do about establishing a public washroom in the downtown?
I have already indicated that this has got to be something that I have to resolve by working with the city council.
I just noticed that we are building a beautiful park in downtown Yellowknife, by the city. Surely, if we put our good minds together, eight councillors in the City of Yellowknife and Yellowknife MLAs…. We have regular meetings, Mr. Speaker; the Member knows that. We’re working on the agenda. I have asked to put this item on the agenda. Obviously, I’m missing something here, because we’re pouring hundreds of thousands and millions of dollars into address homelessness issues and other social issues. I’m sure we could come to a resolution without public investment from the GNWT to build a public bathroom in downtown Yellowknife.
This is a significant social problem that the Minister keeps wanting to point at the city to solve. This is a shameless approach to pass it on. Would the Minister responsible for the homeless step up and say that she will work to establish a public washroom, without trying to download it to a municipality?
Mr. Speaker, as I’ve already indicated, I could give him a table of all the dollars we spend for all of these facilities, which we are glad to do. I know that these organizations were saying that they could always use more money. Now, I state again that I’m willing to work with the NGOs and the city government to resolve this issue. I remain, unless I’m convinced otherwise, that this is a municipal issue. They have the capacity and wherewithal to address that.
Final short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quickly, the fact is that public health is run by the Department of Health, which is also led and supervised by the Minister of Health and Social Services. Is public health not an issue under her responsibility that also covers the area of infectious disease?
Obviously, public health is an important issue. I remain convinced that with the resources we have in downtown Yellowknife as well as the capability of the leadership of the city, we could resolve this issue. This is totally resolvable, and we just need to put our heads together and sort this out. I just cannot believe that we provide funding and bed spaces and program money to all of this public infrastructure programming in downtown Yellowknife and they cannot provide a public bathroom facility for people in need. That’s a shame, and it’s a shame for all of us. The city has to take some leadership.
Interjection.
Order! Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.
