Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while I can respect that changes to income assistance will help residents, I'm convinced that even more administrative barriers and burden can be reduced by implementing a basic income guarantee in the NWT. So, Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of ECE commit to undertaking a feasibility study to study guaranteed basic income for the NWT similar to one that is underway in Nunavut? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Great Slave. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for the question. This definitely would be quite a huge undertaking, and I'm excited to learn of Nunavut's undertaking of it and the study that they're currently doing. I know that the department has reached out to Nunavut to gain insights into the outcomes of their feasibility study so that we can learn from our sister territory as to what they're learning. But right now here in the territory, we've been doing, as the Member indicated, revisions to our income assistance program, and those revisions really well, they came with an extra $5 million that were put into the program. And what they've done is they've allowed us in the territory to set ourselves already apart from other Canadian jurisdictions in that our program looks at the actual cost of shelter and utilities, including fuel, to make sure that residents are being covered for what they need for their basic needs if they are on income assistance and they do need that additional support, whereas in other Canadian jurisdictions I know that these types of subsidies are capped at a certain level. And so I know that we're doing our part to try and acknowledge that life is different in the North and really make sure that we are supporting residents how we can in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister for that. So one other thing I was wondering if the Minister could do is commit to review and discuss with myself, and perhaps the social development committee, the findings from the forthcoming implementation options developed by Alternatives North, which should be available in at least a draft form in the spring. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And my colleague to the right just reminded me to slow down as well, so thank you for that. I am always happy to speak with social development. Social development will always have a warm place in my heart, and I'm always happy to be invited. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So this week so far we've heard a great deal on concerns for adequate funding for seniors. And I've asked a little bit about the income assistance program changes. I also want to recognize too that my colleague from Mackenzie Delta has a different perspective on this, and it's a conversation that really needs to be regionallybased and best fit. Yes, the question would be could the Minister speak to what pathfinding is available for residents who need ECE program supports, like income assistance and seniors home heating supports? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Member for acknowledging that not all communities are the same and not all expectations across the territory are the same. As far as pathfinding within the Government of the Northwest Territories, education, culture and employment has client navigators that help income assistance clients access the program and work through the program as well. These client navigators are found in most communities across the territory. And they're not only responsible for looking in just simply income assistance. These are people who know about programs in other NWT or GNWT departments, like, for example, housing, and can help their clients access those programs as well to be able to make sure that people are supported wholly as best they can from their position that they have.
The other piece that I wanted to bring up here, Mr. Speaker, is that there's also Pathfinders that are involved with integrated case management. That's now found under EIA. And also EIA has the government service officers who also act as Pathfinders within the system to make sure that people have access to the programs that they need and that they have the opportunity to learn about them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Great Slave.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you to the Minister for that information. My question is can the Minister confirm with her Cabinet colleagues and do a little bit more to promote these pathfinding pieces because often here on the other side of the House and I'm sure the Minister feels this way when she was a Regular Member as well we end up being those Pathfinders. So if folks on the Cabinet side could share those resources with us and maybe promote them a bit better in the public, I'm wondering if she can commit to that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly, as Members of the Legislative Assembly, we spend a tremendous amount of time supporting residents learn about different programs across the GNWT, and I know that this is work that is also part of the homelessness strategy that lives right now within EIA with the Premier's office. And I absolutely can commit to providing information and also seeing what I can do from my part to make sure that information is accessible. For sure, I'm absolutely open to working with Members and welcome any ideas they have any time to make sure that people have access to the programs that are available within government. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister for Education, Culture and Employment. Oral questions. Member from the Sahtu.
