Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I cannot predict when and where the next pandemic will occur, but I believe we should have learned some lessons from the past pandemic to protect the vulnerable people. First, let me begin with the financial support.
We all heard stories, all of us heard stories, about people having to pay back emergency and recovery payments received from the federal government during the pandemic. We also heard stories about people who received federal COVID support dollars and became ineligible to receive territorial or provincial income assistance. Mr. Speaker, it does not seem right that we create hardship after we have come through a pandemic.
The federal COVID support was not meant to replace the territorial income assistance, yet it seems that both the federal and the territorial government want to claw money back and save ongoing assistance payments. Mr. Speaker, we can do better and create support programs focusing on those in need. We can avoid this boom and bust effect and allow for respectful pay schedules and accurate information. We cannot punish people with low incomes for having received assistance.
Mr. Speaker, I heard of confusion between a loan and income. I hear that if the federal COVID support, like CERB, has to be paid back, then it should be considered a loan. And if it is being paid back, it cannot be considered income and count towards territorial income support assessment. Mr. Speaker, doing both punishes our most vulnerable. The federal government requests the repayment of COVID support while the territorial government considers the received amount as income when determining income assistance eligibility. Mr. Speaker, I can have a unanimous consent to conclude my statement.
Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, we need to focus on how our income support program works and improve them to avoid people getting poorer and becoming homeless. Mr. Speaker, we need to help the clients. Mr. Speaker, good intention do not always lead to good results. We see people unable to pay their rent, falling behind in utility payments, and sliding into food insecurity because on the one hand the federal government requires repayment; on the other hand, the territorial government seems to consider past federal COVID support in assessing eligibility for income support. I will have question for the Minister of education at appropriate time. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Yellowknife North.
