Thank you, Minister. Oral questions. Member for Nunakput.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, the Premier brought up COVID19 lessons learned. Mr. Speaker, with the CERB payments that were all given out, all the with the CERB, the Canada Canada Recovery Caregiver monies that were given to the communities and to the people across the territory given by the federal government at that time, would the Minister would the Premier be will be able to talk, I guess, to the prime minister in regards to waiving those fees for the people in the Northwest Territories to see if we could give them a little give them a chance. People are suffering right now under our government. People are being penalized with no food.
Would the Premier commit to me on trying to work with the Government of Canada to see what she could do for the betterment of our people, all our people in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for Nunakput. Madam Premier.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When it comes to the CERB payments, I do know that the Member had asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment about what we could do here. I don't know if it's just looking at the CERB payments when I lobby the federal government. What I've been lobbying the federal government is, even before COVID, is that our costs are high. The Speaker really outlined that yesterday in the House. I've asked to get a copy of his notes, actually, so I could use some of the statistics when I go to Ottawa. It's important that the federal government realize that the Northwest Territories is not like the south. We have huge problems in the North. We don't have the transportation, access that people have, our cost of living, our food is expensive. I hear that. So I'm trying to lobby the federal government for more than just to alleviate the CERB payments. I'm trying to lobby the federal government so all residents of the Northwest Territories will benefit and that we will have a sustainable cost of living. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, Mr. Speaker, we're in a tough situation right now across our territory. We got people going without. Our government could make a difference today. Our Premier could make a difference today and stand up for our people and stop penalizing them with a stroke of a pen.
Would the Minister or the Premier of the Northwest Territories stop recovering for CERB, recovery from Canada Recovery Caregiving monies that was given. And the people that took it just called in. They weren't given a T4 or given a receipt upon, and they did not some of them people that did not know that they had to claim it in. They should have known, but they didn't.
Would the Minister or would the Premier do what's right for the people in the small communities that are being penalized, that are going without and going without food and having to make those tough choices, would the Premier stand up and make that change? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do know that the I was just talking to the Minister of housing, that the CERB payments aren't being deducted from the housing payments. We're trying to do what we can. I'll have a discussion with ECE to see what the issues are. However, I do want to say that the federal budget just came out yesterday and I spent my lunch hour this afternoon talking to Minister Vandal who is coming here tomorrow, and we'll have more conversations with Minister Vandal. We talked about what's in the budget. There's supposed to be increases for the Northwest Territories around health funding, around housing funding, and around food security. So, you know, these are the issues that I hear the Member speak of often from his communities and other Members as well. So I'm pressuring the federal government to find out what exactly the new budget allocations are for, how much we can get for the Northwest Territories. And things that around in the budget I will be pressing for, lobbying for, because like I said many times, it's important that the federal government realize that we struggle in the Northwest Territories. We're not the same as the south. And so it's important that they realize; it's important that they recognize the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework and that they support us as appropriate. We're Canadian citizens. I'm glad we have some leaders here today, not only as do we lobby from the Government of the Northwest Territories, the Council of Leaders has met with Minister Vandal as well and told him the priorities of the North. So all of us, as leaders across the territories, are lobbying to try to get the supports from the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd love to meet Minister Vandal.
Yeah, the Regular MLAs.
In regards to what's happening up here, in regards to letting him know how our liberal government's shortchanging our their own people. We're being penalized because where we live. High cost of living, all the stresses put on the family on trying to make ends meet, and it's not working anymore. Before they did. Income support gives enough for the first two weeks. It used to be three weeks now it's down to two, Mr. Speaker. You know it as well as I do. We all do in our small communities. People need help. I need my Premier to tell Minister Vandal, you know, to stop this recovery in regards to that. Stop it right across. It was two years ago. But yet that liberal government gives money to everywhere else but here. Minister's got to stand up and make a stand for the people of the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Any time I meet with any federal minister, including the prime minister, I stand up for the people of the Northwest Territories otherwise I have no reason to be there, Mr. Speaker. In honesty, though, I will bring it up to Minister Vandal again. I had spoken to him this afternoon at lunch time, spoke to him about our needs, and I will continue to speak to him about your needs. I'll talk to him about some of the problems that we have with CERB as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Premier consider in regards to stepping in on stop penalizing for those two for the CERB and the Canada recovery benefits, would the Premier step in and stop all penalizations in regards to people that are on income support and unable to help themselves because there's no employment in the Northwest Territories, and especially my riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I stated earlier I will follow up with the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and actually all of Cabinet will have the discussions and see what we can do. We're not trying to penalize people. We're trying to support people. And that's why the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment said, yes, there's issues but we've increased this Cabinet, the first time in many, many years that we've actually increased the payments for income support people because we recognize the high cost. So I will follow up and see what we can do. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Madam Premier. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.
