Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in 1948, the right to adequate housing was made part of the United Nation Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The right to adequate housing is relevant to all nations, and all members of the international community have ratified at least one treaty, declaration, plans of action, or a conference committing themselves to the right of adequate housing.
The United Nation's committee on economic, social and cultural rights has underlined the right to adequate housing should not be interpreted narrowly. Instead, it should be seen as a right to live somewhere in security, peace, and dignity. Mr. Speaker, in case you're wondering why I'm citing international treaties in our territorial legislature, I'm doing my best to impress the importance of the rights to housing in this government. I spent the opening days of our legislative sitting bringing real and personal stories of my constituents' struggles with inadequate housing and in barriers put up by inflexible policies, decisions, that undermines their ability to live in secure, peace, and dignity.
Mr. Speaker, the mandate of this government has modest goals for housing that are entirely achievable. The mandate promised to increase the stock of quality, energy efficient, affordable housing, especially for vulnerable people, by 100 units over a fouryear period. In a transition, 100 individual families to income to homeownership has been three years since these commitments were made and, by the GNWT's own math, 75 percent of these targets should have been met.
It will be foolish not to acknowledge that unprecedented global pandemic and subsequent economic downturn has affected this work. But for the Minister, who I will remind stated not too long ago "housing is my passion", housing should be the first and foremost priority of existing resources, not to mention the federal government has been generous in affording billions of dollars towards national housing infrastructure programs. $30 million has been received by the GNWT to build homes and support local housing strategies for the first year and the next fiscal year. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's no shortage of resources that could make a difference in the lives of my communities. Instead, I see serious lack of political will to push harder than ever before to ensure our people have access to homes that allow them to live in secure, peace, and dignity. Mr. Speaker, this challenge would not be so great if there were more collaboration at the regional and community level. Of course, I'm speaking about partnership with Indigenous governments, both settled and unsettled, that are far better to equipped to determine their own housing needs and implement resources to build and repair homes. The current approach seems to be keeping this money and putting it through the policy rigor at Housing NWT where we know, for the last 50 years, there are red tape barriers to assisting homeowners even today. Instead, why does the Minister not consider reallocating these critical funds that are $30 million from Canada for the next two years with no strings attached through a contribution agreement with Indigenous governments and housing programs and strategies immediately? This way we have insurance that the resources are getting to the ground and being used effectively to promote and provide for adequate and affordable housing in Indigenous communities.
Mr. Speaker, I was elected to find solutions to problems, and what I have learned is that sometimes less government is better option when faced with poor track record of the learning results for the last 50 years of the Housing NWT. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for, at the appropriate time, mahsi, for the Minister.
Thank you, Member for Tu NedheWiilideh. Members' statements. Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes.
