Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's a few things. Like I said, there's many survivors and people think that it's only the survivors that were impacted back in the day or people that went to residential school. But we see the effects in generation after generation, and I still see them in my own family even. And so, you know, I think that we do have to do what we can. That's why the GNWT, we have the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that was set up to guide the work aimed at this very issue. And we'll continue to advance that work as we go forward. We're working with the Calls for Justice, the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the Member for giving me a heads up that there will be questions, and I don't blame them. There should be questions. There was a lot of harm done. Again, I can't speak for the churches but what I can say is hopefully those days are done in the Northwest Territories. The United Nations Declaration for Indigenous People, the active past in this government, will make things different. No longer will the GNWT get to define what's best for people. It'll be working together with the Indigenous governments handinhand to actually define what our Acts look like...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to take a moment to recognize Mr. R.C. McLeod. He foolishly took on in the last Assembly trying to be my mentor, realized I was the wild child, and still kept trying. I have a lot of respect for the Member; couldn't have done it without him. But I also want to say, Mr. Speaker, behind every good man is a good partner. So I also want to recognize his wife Judy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that Bill 85, United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Implementation Act, be read for the second time.

This bill

Affirms the declaration as a universal human rights instrument with application to the Indigenous peoples of the Northwest Territories and the laws of the Northwest Territories;

Provides a framework for the implementation of the declaration by the Government of the Northwest Territories in collaboration and cooperation with Indigenous governments or organizations; and,

Affirms the...

That was a long wait, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I want to start by recognizing one of my favourite federal ministers. It's true. It is true. Minister Dan Vandal is the Minister of Northern Affairs. He's the Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency and the Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development in Canada. Minister Vandal is not from the Northwest Territories but he's an Indigenous man, and he, like grand chief once told me, he not only listens, he hears our needs. And so he's always welcome to the Northwest Territories, and we'd love for you to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For change of protocol a little bit, I would like to  I'd seek unanimous consent to return to item number 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Member kind of identified it. We're not I'm not going to wait. Indigenous people have been waiting way too long to get apologies from the Catholic Church, from federal governments, etcetera. I think that land claims is the way to go. I think that does give the land to Indigenous governments and so we're continuing with that process as well. I do know, Mr. Speaker, that the Dene Nation is all over this and working with them. We're there to support them. And contact me, I'm more than willing to support them.

But I guess, Mr. Speaker, I do know that the federal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A couple questions in there. What took so long, that I can't speak for. I can't speak for the Catholic Church and I can't speak for the federal government, although I'd like to sometimes. But I can say that the Northwest Territories, what we're doing is I think that in the Northwest Territories, we're one of the most progressive jurisdictions in working with Indigenous governments and, honestly, in all the whole of Canada. We were one of the first, I believe, to accept the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2016. We're very ahead of the game...

Mr. Speaker, homelessness is a reality that far too many people experience. The factors that contribute to homelessness are complex and unique to each individual who experiences it. The challenges and solutions vary by community and differ in the Northwest Territories compared to urban centres in the South. That is why we need an allofgovernment strategy to address homelessness in the Northwest Territories.

There is no onesizefitsall solution, or even a suite of approaches that work for every individual and family. Multifaceted, personcentered approaches, sustained effort, and collaboration...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think what I'll do is, again, I'm going to put it back, I'm going to say that the chair of AOC should write a letter to the any Minister that they want to invite in the spirit of consensus government. But I will make a commitment because I do want to give him a yes. And I will commit to bringing up the carbon tax concerns that we have to the Minister to the appropriate Minister. Although like I've said many times, my knowledge is that when we speak about the federal government, they are listening. So they're already hearing that. But I will raise the concerns of the...