Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
WHEREAS the hamlet of Enterprise has suffered catastrophic damage in the loss of 80 percent of all structures, including 35 residential homes;
AND WHEREAS the federal minister of Emergency Preparedness has identified the federal program Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements of which the Government of the Northwest Territories can access 90 percent of the cost of the installation of temporary housing within Enterprise;
AND WHEREAS the Government of the Northwest Territories has the key to unlock funding offered by the Government of Canada;
AND WHEREAS the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs has the power to authorize the spending of 10 percent of the cost of providing temporary housing within Enterprise;
NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, second by the Member for Range Lake, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide the 10 percent funding needed for the installation of temporary housing in Enterprise;
AND FURTHER, that the Government of the Northwest Territories align the territorial Disaster Financial Assistance Program to leverage the 90 percent contribution provided under Canada's Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories immediately communicate with the hamlet of Enterprise its intention to fully participate in the installation of temporary housing in Enterprise;
AND FURTHERMORE, that the Government of the Northwest Territories provide a response to this motion within 120 days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. To the motion. Member from the Deh Cho.
Mr. Speaker, I move this motion today because the Government of the Northwest Territories has an opportunity to support the community of Enterprise. The federal government has identified to the GNWT the support available through the Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement, through the DFAA, and the GNWT can access 90 percent of the cost to construct temporary housing units, modular housing units. Mr. Speaker, I see the community, I talk to the leaders, I listen to the residents. I can tell you Enterprise is in a time of need.
The way forward to rebuilding Enterprise is not clear. The community does not have the resources or the solution.
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT can help this community in their time of need, yet for some reason the GNWT is not doing this. This funding opportunity from the federal government may not be the most ideal solution because it only provides temporary housing, Mr. Speaker. It's better than nothing. There has to be a creative way that temporary housing can transform into long-term housing options. Why would the GNWT pass up an opportunity to build temporary housing when we are in a housing crisis that has been made worse from the devastation of wildfires?
Mr. Speaker, the GNWT has an opportunity on the table to secure federal money at the cost of 10 percent to the GNWT. The federal Minister has offered to support the GNWT and has committed to coordinate federal departments to identify any other funding sources. Why is the GNWT standing in the way of Enterprise? The community of Enterprise wants to ensure that all displaced residents have a home to return to this fall, and the GNWT should support them to make this happen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member for the Deh Cho.
Sorry, I ask for a recorded vote.
Thank you, Member for the Deh Cho. To the motion. Member from Range Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm very pleased to support this motion. It's important that we look at all communities when we're making decisions as a government. And I think this is -- well, I know this is something the Member's very passionate about, it's her riding, and it's the community that was hardest hit by the wildfire disasters of previous years. And I can't imagine what that must be like to lose your home, to lose your community, and to still be in this place where you're not sure where the help is going to help from and what it's going to look like. The people of Enterprise shouldn't be in a place where they don't know what their future holds. They should be very clear about how things will move forward.
I know our friend, the Minister, has been looking into this as well. I know he's got a big heart, and he does want to help. But often we hear this, that the federal government's the one standing in the way, they don't understand the application. The Member's done the leg work. The motion's very clear. The money, the support's there. So I don't know understand why we can't move forward with this, provide those matching dollars, and get this project moving forward. So I look forward to hearing more perhaps from the Minister proper but, even more so, I hope to see Members support this motion so we can get Enterprise the help that they need. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Range Lake. To the motion. Member from Monfwi.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, forest fire 2023 was a disaster for a lot of us, and it was a nightmare for many who lived through the ordeal. People from Behchoko and Edzo, even Hay River North and South, they experienced that as well. So, Mr. Speaker, I can tell you it could happen worse for Behchoko. By the grace of God, Behchoko was safe. You know, so we lost four housing and we lost 15 cabins on Highway 3. But Enterprise did not have the same experience. Forest fire almost wiped out the whole community. As a result, until this day, the residents are still suffering. They're affected by the whole process, and many of them are still homeless. They want to rebuild but they can't because they don't have the means. And many of them don't have the -- they don't have no houses, and they don't have a home. So many of these people made Enterprise their home community so we have to respect that. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I do support this motion. The community is still struggling, and people are displaced, and GNWT has the authority to rebuild the town of Enterprise. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Monfwi. To the motion. Member from the Sahtu.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too rise in support of the motion here. I can only imagine the devastation and the stressful environment. As we've always said, our home is our kingdom. And to lose that, I'm just totally lost for words on how the individuals having lost all that life's earnings gone up in smoke, and I really feel for the victims of last year's season. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from the Sahtu. To the motion. Member from Hay River North.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I won't say much about this; I've spoken extensively about the wildfires, and the Member for Hay River South has spoken about the accommodations being provided as well as other supports. So what the government will do is take this motion, use the 120 days to consider it, and provide a response. And we will be abstaining. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from Hay River North. To the motion. Member from the Deh Cho.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank my colleagues for supporting me with this motion. I do this in the spirit of helping the people in my riding at Enterprise. With that, I would like to, again, thanks everybody that's supporting it and also ask for a recorded vote. Thank you.
Thank you, Member from the Deh Cho. To the motion.
Question.
