Madam Speaker, on November 24th I rose before the House to announce a strategy for renewal of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation a strategy that is focused on taking action to address the housing crisis in the Northwest Territories. I am very pleased to rise again today to announce that, guided by the strategy, we are continuing to take action and set the stage for real, positive change.
Madam Speaker, in a motion on March 4, 2021, this Legislative Assembly told the Government of the Northwest Territories to update the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's mission statement to ensure it reflects the corporation's role in social wellness. I have heard the Members and I acknowledge and share their desire for change. That is why one of the first actions in the strategy is to review and update the corporation's mission statement.
During the fall, we collected input on the motion from the Legislative Assembly from the large volume of existing reports and directions, including the NWT ombud and from the corporation's own staff. We also asked the Council of Leaders Housing Working Group for input on the future and direction of the corporation. This input has resulted in its mandate for the Housing Corporation's composed of a new statement of mission, values, and a vision.
Madam Speaker, the corporation's new mission focuses on the wellbeing of individuals, on fairness, and on providing support to those most in need, recognizing the Housing Corporation is about more than building houses. We are part of an integrated support system composed of other government departments and partnerships. At the time, limited resources we needed to focus that supports on those who are most in need.
The new mandate also describes six values to guide the corporation. They are:
Client focused;
Accountability;
Reconciliation;
Collaboration;
Innovation; and
Sustainability.
Madam Speaker, these values reflect a more modern and clientfocused approach to the work of the Corporation.
Finally, Madam Speaker, the mandate includes a vision statement which, until now, was missing from the Housing Corporation's mandate. The vision recognizes that meeting the territory's housing need is bigger than any other single government or organization. It is critical that we work in partnership with the Indigenous groups, the Government of Canada, community governments, and other stakeholders to reach our housing goals.
Madam Speaker, I realize that some people might say that a new mission, values, and vision for the corporation is just a piece of paper. People may ask, "What real impact will the mandate have on the ground for residents and communities across the Northwest Territories?"
Our new mandate will serve as the measure of everything that the corporation does. It will serve as a lens through which we undertake the review of the Housing Corporation's policies and programs in the next steps of the renewal. It will also guide the corporation's relationship with the public, with the clients, and with its partners as it strives to address the housing gap in the Northwest Territories.
Madam Speaker, I would like to read the corporation's new mission into the records because I am very proud of the new direction it sets. The Northwest Territories Housing Corporation's new mission is to increase the wellbeing of individual and communities by providing fair access to quality housing support for people most in need.
I give my firm commitment to the Legislative Assembly that, as Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, my direction to the corporation will consist with our mission, values and vision, which I will be tabling later today.
Madam Speaker, I am excited about this new mandate and where the next steps in the renewal process will take us. I look forward to rising again in the House soon and providing Members with another update on the actions we are taking under our renewal strategy, helping the GNWT meet its mandate commitment to increase the number of affordable homes and reduce housing core need in the Northwest Territories. With this Madam Speaker, I would like to thank the staff of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, all stakeholders, and Indigenous groups that have taken part to make this document and for me to table it today..
Mahsi to the Northwest Territories. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.
Thank you, Minister. Ministers' Statements. Minister for Education, Culture and Employment.
Minister’s Statement 205-19(2):
Madam Speaker, "Let's Go Fishing." That's the theme of this year's Indigenous Languages Month, which we celebrate every February in partnership with Indigenous governments and the NWT Literacy Council. To help everyone embrace this year's celebration, we are sharing a delicious fish chowder recipe in all nine official Indigenous languages. Throughout February, we continue to encourage residents to engage in the exciting activities in communities and schools to promote Indigenous language use.
Madam Speaker, the Northwest Territories is a landscape of rich and vibrant cultures that are the foundation of our northern identity. Our nine official Indigenous languages capture the diversity of our territory and make it truly unique. As leaders and residents, we share the responsibility of revitalizing our Cree, Inuvialuit, Dene, and Metis cultures and languages through education and practice.
Our Indigenous Languages Action Plan has two main goals:
Revitalizing Indigenous languages; and
Enhancing access to government services in Indigenous languages.
And over the past year, we have continued to work diligently towards these goals. In 2021, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment hosted two virtual interpreter/translator gatherings that included 43 participants. At these gatherings, the department heard a range of needs for support and training,
Including the need for technology, linguistics, and specialized training;
The need for accreditation and certification opportunities; Resource development; and The need to recruit more Indigenous language speakers to join this profession.
Based on this feedback, the department is researching potential partnerships to offer training and supports to new and existing interpreters and translators.
In July 2021, the department launched the second delivery of the MentorApprentice Program, and it was bigger and better than ever. The amount of language learning hours was increased from 100 to 200, and the length of the program was increased from four to eight months.
Although the program runs until March 2022, 35 pairs of apprentices and mentors have already completed the required training for six language groups:
Dene Zhatye
Inuvialuktun
Gwich'in
Dene Kede
Tlicho
Dene Souyne.
A final gathering of mentors and apprentices is being planned for next month. It will include a program evaluation, training, and an evening gala that will showcase apprentices speaking in their languages.
Madam Speaker, 2022 marks the fourth year of the GNWT's Indigenous Languages Revitalization Scholarship Program. This year, ten $5,000 scholarships will be available to students who are registered in an accredited postsecondary program with a focus on Indigenous language revitalization. To date, there have been 31 scholarships that have been awarded to incentivize students to pursue studies focusing on Indigenous language revitalization.
In 2021, the department also updated the NWT JK12 Indigenous Languages and Education Handbook. The handbook provides educators with a userfriendly guide to implement the Indigenous Language Education Policy, ensuring quality, culturebased school programming, and a wholeschool approach to Indigenous language use. Contributions to the handbook were made by elders and knowledgekeepers, regional Indigenous language and education coordinators, Indigenous language instructors, other educators, community members, and students.
Rooted in the wisdom, traditions, and livedexperience of the elders and knowledgekeepers that guided the creation of the Dene Kede and Inuuqatigiit curricula, all educators can draw upon this resource to strengthen Indigenous language education and support language revitalization in the territory. The updated handbook will be distributed to school staff in the coming months.
Revitalizing Indigenous language takes ingenuity, commitment, and courage. I have heard it from the people in the MentorApprentice Program it takes courage to start and courage to make mistakes and courage to learn. Madam Speaker, I would like to test my own courage.
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Thank you, Madam Speaker.
