Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want Members and the public to know the basic state of affairs in Deh Cho communities as we start our term in office.
Poor housing is a major problem. There are tremendous needs and they vary from community to community. Almost 42 percent of households in Fort Providence and on the Hay River Reserve are having serious problems with their homes. This is much worse than the Northwest Territories average. Many of these houses are under the control of our government, particularly in Fort Providence, so we should be able to do something about it.
It is worth noting that in Kakisa and Enterprise, where most residents own their own homes, housing problems are close to the territorial average of 32 percent. Even that is a higher number. We have to tackle our housing problems across the Northwest Territories.
The population is rising in most Deh Cho communities, particularly in Enterprise. The population has grown 44 percent since 2001. Only in Fort Providence has there been a slight decline.
So let’s move on to education and jobs. On the Hay River Reserve only 39 percent of residents have completed high school and the number isn’t much better in Fort Providence. Compare that to the Northwest Territories average of almost 70 percent.
In my riding, only Enterprise is close, and the employment rate there is above the Northwest Territories average.
We must educate all our young people, and provide upgrading and training for people who do not complete high school. Where education is failing, many people are without jobs. Only 36 percent of people aged 15 or older are working in Fort Providence. It is 41 percent in Kakisa and 44 percent on the reserve, still not very good. Compare that to 71 percent in the town of Hay River.
We have got to create more jobs in our smaller communities. All the issues I’ve mentioned, among others, are root causes of crime. In my riding, statistics are only available for Fort Providence. The crime rate in my community is double the Northwest Territories, which is itself seven times the national average. We can’t solve these problems overnight, but we have lots of capable people and lots of opportunities. The potential in the forestry industry is largely untapped. We could build log homes and manufacture wood pellets.
Tourism is another sector we should focus on in the entire Deh Cho region, which includes Nahanni National Park. Tourists spend about $1.7 million a year. There are only nine licensed tourism operators. By comparison, there are 16 in the Sahtu.
I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted.
In my riding we have Great Slave Lake. We have great rivers and spectacular waterfalls. We will have the new Deh Cho Bridge. Highway traffic is expected to increase over the next five years. We have people with strong skills in traditional crafts and art who can both produce goods and teach. I look forward to making progress in all these areas.
Thank you, Mr. Nadli. The Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
