Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the cost of living in the North has always been high. Mr. Speaker, it's becoming unbearable for many families in my riding and I'm sure everyone else's. My questions today will focus on what we as a government are doing to help our citizens cope with the rising costs that are occurring. And I'm going to direct my questions to the Premier because it seems like we tend to not have to direct our questions to her a lot. So Mr. Speaker, they end up always going over here and over there. Can this government look at freezing increases, as a government as a whole look at some of the things that are a rising cost for our everyday homeowners, like power, heat, and you know, because those are all getting passed on to the consumers, which went on our groceries and everything are expensive. So as a government and as the leader of our government, will she look into freezing some of these costs to make sure that our citizens, our residents of the Northwest Territories, can make it through the winter months? Thank you
Thank you, Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes. Honourable Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason I don't answer every question is because otherwise I wouldn't need to have so many Ministers, Mr. Speaker. But in seriousness, Mr. Speaker, this is a huge issue for the residents of the NWT. It's always been really expensive to live here and with what's going on postCOVID, I mean it's even more so. I have given direction to all Ministers to look within their programs and see what they can do. I didn't give specific direction that said "freeze increases." What my direction was is to look and to see if there's anything that they can do within their departments to help people with inflation. And, Mr. Speaker, I do have to clarify one of my directions, because I do believe that low income people are suffering will be suffering from inflation the hardest, so I did say specifically around people that are lower income. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of my colleagues alluded to this today, and I know if another Member was here he would have alluded to it today too, but, you know, we're coming up to the end of our term and in April, we're supposed to be, you know, possibly seeing an increase in carbon taxes to our residents. And so can this government commit that to the end of this government, at least, and go to Ottawa, making sure that we're not increasing any more taxes to our residents? We are seeing people leave the territory because they cannot afford it. We are seeing people born and raised and lived their life here leaving the territory because they can't afford it, and we don't want people to leave. We don't want our own people to leave. We want to bring everybody back home. We want more people to live here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The conversations with the federal government, I mention their name as well because I think the Member's right, every time we mention their name somebody pays attention and I do think that those conversations need to be ongoing, not only in this government here but carrying on. We've experience some of the most highest cost of living in Canada, and I have constantly told the federal Ministers that we deserve to have the same standard of living as every other Canadian. I'll continue that message as far as we go on.
As for specific on the carbon tax that Minister Wawzonek will be attending; we're actually planning on going back to Ottawa again, talking about the next budget, hoping that we get increases to the Northwest Territories. I can't say what we will be doing in the future. I do know that we've done increases to help people such as the home heating. I know that we haven't raised taxes in this government yet. And it's tough, because I hear every day, and I want to help too, saying increase programs, increase money to programs. And I want the same thing. But, Mr. Speaker, if we don't get money from the federal government and we don't increase taxes and we don't have any income, then we also have to say do we stay with what we have? Because I'm not happy with that either. I don't have the answers, Mr. Speaker, but I do hope that everybody's part of the solution. And like I said, my direction to Cabinet is to look at those most vulnerable to start with, look at those who are going to suffer the most to start with. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, you know, I wrote these questions, and then as I'm writing them and then knowing what's going on and some of the conversations that are happening in this room, with carbon tax I think the one thing that boggles my brain as somebody who sits in this legislature as the Northwest Territories. As my colleague from Nunakput can clearly show you pictures in front of his home, you know, that it's deteriorating. And, yes, carbon is very important. But, we are not the big emitters and we are having to pay our tax dollars to meet this federal government dream, you know. So maybe it's time when we go back, you know, that's the thing, is we are not the emitter. We should be compensated by them to be paying for all of these costs and not passing them on to our residents.
So will the Minister or will the Premier and the Minister, you know, commit to making sure that this message is passed on and don't leave the room until they commit to it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to say yes as much as I can, but I do have to say no on some things in here.
I agree. My understanding is that greenhouse gas emissions from the NWT are 0.02 percent, yet we're feeling the effects four times as the rest of the world. So that's not okay.
I do know that we brought up that discussion many times to the federal government. I will say that we will go again. We are going right after session, and we will bring it up again. Mr. Speaker, I don't like to say no, but I have to say no. I cannot promise to stay in the current prime, minister's office until I get a yes because I know he's got way more security than I do, and he will literally take me out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Honourable Premier. Final supplementary. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, this government, will they commit to some of these things that we're doing, like, you know, and I would have used the project like the wind project where we're supposed to save $4 million to pass on to residents but from my understanding that it's going to be delayed, over budget and delayed. So where there is savings found, how is this government going to make sure that I can get food, you can get food, our residents can get food, you know, like, and that's I think that is the part where people are really afraid, is they can't afford the heat, the power, and the food. And it's getting really scary, and some people do not want to you know, there's even within the levels of income are struggling. So that will be my question, and maybe it's more of a comment, but how is this government going to ensure to our residents that they can make it through this winter? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This isn't a joking matter; this is pretty serious. It is a concern that we want all residents to make sure that they make it through the winter. We're doing our part. I know that Cabinet is working on the government renewal that makes sure that we're looking at all of our programs, department by department, to make sure the programs we're providing are still applicable. That work may result in some change of programs. We know we're trying to address the issues as much as possible, like I said, with the home heating fuel is one thing.
Mr. Speaker, any resident who cannot afford a standard of living, if they can't afford to heat their homes, if they can't afford to put food on their tables and they're trying, then please visit the programs we have in place. That is the reason we have the seniors home heating subsidy; that's the reason we have income support, Mr. Speaker, is to help residents when they can't get by.
Recognizing it's all based on an income base but that's what the programs are there for. So, please, if you're suffering, please reach out to the supports we have in place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
