Thank you, Madam. Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise here today to reply to the last tabled budget of this 19th Assembly. I have to ask myself, what in the three plus years have we accomplished for those people who are struggling with addictions, mental health, unemployment, high cost of living, education, and homelessness as it is support in these areas where a difference can be made in one's life.
At the start of, and during my time here, I was not naive in thinking this government would provide everyone with everything they ever wanted. It was my intent first and foremost to provide residents, not only from Hay River but throughout the NWT, with access to their public government. To accomplish that, it meant an open office, being accessible, listening to each issue, being responsive, following up, and at times taking the matter into one's own hands.
Madam Speaker, it is important to recognize that most of the budget covers the daytoday operations of this government. This budget has somewhat of a surplus and in this case approximately $178 million. This may seem to be a sizable sum, but we know all too well the need to have reserves to account for the unknowns, emergencies, and providing supports to residents that are facing hardships.
In the last three plus years, this government had to address the pandemic, major flooding, increased cost of living, rising interest rates, all of which had a financial cost for this government, businesses and residents, which we are still feeling today. Now I am expecting this government to make use of some of that surplus to help those residents who are facing daytoday hardships.
Madam Speaker, we must recognize that the Northwest Territories is made up of haves and havenots, with those in the regional and smaller communities having the least. Many are without housing, many are unemployed, many are living on less than a basic income, many are living with addictions, many are struggling with mental health, many are struggling with education, and the list goes on.
Madam Speaker, I want to talk about what is not offered up or what I believe is not sufficient in this budget. My comments will be directed at those supports and services needed by the many residents that are struggling day to day to make ends meet.
Madam Speaker, first and foremost, we see limited to no support for those facing the harsh reality of rising costs of goods and services. With an increase in the carbon tax coming and the talk of dropping the home heating fuel rebate, we know all too well that both will cause further hardship for many in the regional centers and smaller communities. This government and the federal government must come to grips with the severity of those issues resulting in an everincreasing cost of living in the Northwest Territories. It is only worsening. We must find and offer up solutions to either eliminate or offset those costofliving increases experienced by residents. Families need to keep food on the table and a roof over their head and not be placed in a situation where they have to choose between the two. Residents are finding the NWT too expensive and are looking for solutions to reduce that cost. For many, the solution is to move away from here. The question is how we can keep people here and how we can encourage more people to make the NWT their home.
Madam Speaker, I see little in this budget to address this problem and would recommend that we make additional supports available to offset higher utility and living costs through added financial supports and for the establishment of a pilot program for a living wage for seniors.
Madam Speaker, we have seen an uptake in the use of illicit drugs and alcohol in the NWT and an increase in health problems resulting from that use. This brings me the issue of lack of supports for addiction services and, more specifically, I am talking about detox and aftercare services. These two components are essentially missing in the NWT and, in part, is why we are failing those who are seeking treatment. When one decides they need help, they first need a safe place to detox. Currently, persons who are looking to overcome addiction cannot get past that first step which is access to the dedicated detox bed and detox medical services they need. If in an offchance they are successful with detox, they are then subjected to a long wait time to get into a treatment centre. This may result in one relapsing and having to start the process all over. When returning home from treatment, many are finding that they have limited to no aftercare support services. Many want structure upon their return with help and time to process what they just went through. They need wraparound supports that will help rebuild their life. Failing to address this issue will only result in more people dying.
Madam Speaker, with added healthcare funding committed by the federal government, I am looking for this government to correct the deficit we are facing with respect to detox and aftercare facilities in the NWT. These supports are an immediate priority for the residents of the NWT who are seeking addiction treatment. To reduce this detox and aftercare deficit, as a start I would ask that funding of no less than $3 million be added to this budget.
Madam Speaker, the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, through the department of health, receives funding to operate the facility which includes, with the exception of doctors, recruitment and hiring of healthcare personnel. Recruitment for Hay River doctors is done through the NTHSSA, which is somewhat of a problem for the community. It appears that when there is a shortage of doctors in Yellowknife, doctors in Hay River disappear to Yellowknife leaving Hay River without a doctor thus resulting in reduced healthcare services for extended periods of time. This reduction in services not only affects Hay River but affects the surrounding communities of K'atlodeeche, Enterprise, Fort Resolution, Kakisa, and Fort Providence.
Madam Speaker, I am asking the department of health to turn physician recruitment over to the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, along with the funding from this budget that goes with it.
Madam Speaker, our senior population is increasing and with the increased cost of living, along with a continued decrease in access to healthcare and healthcare services throughout the NWT, this is contributing to many of our seniors moving or considering moving to places outside the NWT that provide a lower cost of living and a stable and accessible healthcare system. Seniors who are looking to age in place are finding that homecare services are limited. And for those that can live independently, but do not own their own home, are faced with a severe shortage of seniors' housing. Many of these seniors have retired in the North and want to live out their life here but we are making that difficult, unaffordable, and unattainable.
Madam Speaker, I am looking for this budget to include added funding directed towards regional centers and small communities to increase the number of homecare staff and more paid hours under the caregiver program.
Madam Speaker, we say our youth are our future, and yet when it comes to supporting them, we fall short on support for sport and cultural programs in regional centers and small communities. If we expect our youth to succeed, if we expect our youth to avoid drugs and alcohol and the problems it creates, we then need to provide them with positive sport and cultural options. If one comes from an affluent family, one is still not guaranteed to succeed but it does provide those youth with advantages that many in the smaller communities do not have and that is funds to participate in various activities.
Madam Speaker, I have stood up in this House on several occasions and advocated for additional multiyear funding for the Hay River Ski Club and the Kole Crook Fiddle Association. And I know there are many organizations looking for the same however, although I've had some, but limited success in getting any substantive commitment from this government at a time when we talk about youth suicide, youth addictions, youth mental health, and youth justice issues. To encourage youth to grow, sports and cultural activities are but two areas where we can make a difference.
Madam Speaker, I am looking for this government to include additional funding of not less than $1 million in the budget to support opportunities for sports and cultural activities in the regional and smaller communities through multiyear agreements.
Madam Speaker, NGOs are the heart and soul of the NWT. We need to increase and support multiyear funding for services and supports they provide on behalf of this government. The services and supports I am alluding to include seniors’ programs, youth programs, education and training, addiction and mental health supports, shelters, work placement, justice services, sports and cultural activities, food hampers, meal programs, emergency funds, meeting space, and much more. There are many organizations throughout the NWT that, on a shoestring budget, not guaranteed from year to year, take on the outreach work of this government. This underfunding and lack of multiyear agreements not only places the NGO at risk, but it also affects those NWT families that rely heavily on the services and supports provided.
Madam Speaker, I ask this government include additional funding of not less than $1 million with multiyear agreements to support those NGOs that provide a multitude of programs and services throughout the NWT.
Madam Speaker, another area that seems forgotten is that of our small retail businesses. COVID, timely access to products, increased overhead costs, and labour shortages, all affect the viability of small retail businesses throughout the North. Many are struggling to keep their doors open which is not only apparent in Yellowknife when one looks at the downtown core but as well throughout the regional and smaller communities. It was not only the pandemic that struck a blow to small business. It is now easy access to online retailers. It is an access to big box stores not only in Yellowknife but in centres such as Grande Prairie, Edmonton, and Whitehorse. If we want to encourage people to move to the NWT, we need to have more than higher wages. We need them to have access to local retail services and other amenities found in southern communities.
Madam Speaker, we need to include additional funding of not less than $500,000 in this budget to support small retailers who are looking to survive. This funding will provide them with an opportunity to reinvent themselves so that they can then compete in a very competitive market.
Madam Speaker, there are many good initiatives in this budget already, but it is the gaps the need to be filled in. There is immediate need to place some of that surplus in programs and services where it will make the most difference, and that is to direct it to the people and organizations of the NWT who are struggling with the many issues I noted in this, my reply to the budget. Madam Speaker, thank you.
