Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a mandate item of the Government of the Northwest Territories to increase affordable housing, especially for vulnerable people. I have said in this House many times how the communities in the Tlicho regions are in a housing crisis. Behchoko, the largest Dene community in the NWT, does not have enough homes to shelter its people.
Mr. Speaker, when youth need a safe place to live so they can go to school, the GNWT should remove all barriers in their way. There should be extra supports and services to assist youth. We should not be forcing youth to navigate government programs just to be sheltered in a safe space. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, this is not happening for constituents in my riding, for a young adult in my riding, and this applies to a lot of others who find themselves in these situations.
Mr. Speaker, a young adult that I am talking about, who was raised in the child welfare system, who is facing homelessness but has found safe housing in their home community, who is trying to complete high school education, who is struggling to navigate government system to access financial support to pay for housing and other expenses. Mr. Speaker, the GNWT says they are not eligible for housing assistance because they are not sleeping in a room.
This is exactly the problem, Mr. Speaker. Our communities are in a housing crisis. There is nowhere to house people. They are forced to sleep on couches and then they have to fight with government programs and services to give them the financial help they need to get out of this situation. This is unacceptable treatment of our vulnerable population. I will have questions for the Minister of education. Thank you.
Thank you, Member for Monfwi. Members' statements. Member for Kam Lake.
