Frieda Martselos

Thank you, Madam Chair. 32 communities are not at this table to vote for this budget, though. Okay. It comes through us that and we represent the people out there. And, you know, I just want to make sure that those gaps are looked at seriously because when you go around the communities and regional centres, there's a lot of infrastructure that is lacking. The municipal funding gap is there in those 32 communities, and I want to know how you're going to address that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

So if you really want to think out of the box, Madam Chair, I think the Minister has to clarify what he just said because, you know, when you have a city of Yellowknife at a $58 million surplus and rising taxes for the residents, because I had a lot of people from Yellowknife tell me that the taxes were risen quite there was a big rise in taxes here, obviously the capital isn't suffering.

Whereas on the other hand, if you really want to address the municipal funding gap and the capital formula funding for communities and regional centres, we've got to reverse the way we think. And sometimes it...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just believe that a balanced approach to budgeting is important. You can't have it all one way, though. It has to be kind of balanced because your outputs when you're doing business with people within the territory and you're working for the members of the NWT, there's so much lack of infrastructure in the tiny communities and regional centres that those cannot be ignored. And if there is not enough staff that are qualified to make sure those deadlines and those projects are completed, then what is happening? You know, we have all this staff per capita, with...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it seems there's a lack of compassion and urgency to the suffering of vulnerable people experiencing homelessness. I would like to ask the Minister where is the compassion from this government and from her department? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on October 5th, 2022, I sent an email to two Ministers requesting for integrated case management services for two constituents. These constituents are a couple who are experiencing homelessness and barriers to obtaining income assistance. In talking with the housing Minister about this, she referenced a housing strategy that has not been tabled yet.

I'd like to ask the Minister is she okay with Norman Wells, Hay River, Inuvik, Yellowknife, and Behchoko having a homeless shelter and allowing Fort Smith to go without one? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I don't have any further questions; I don't get a direct answer anyways. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Well, 32 communities are waiting for a more to fill the gap, Madam Chair. And I want to know how the Minister is going to address that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess my first question is your community governments share a capital formula funding and your municipal funding gap, are they based on need or per capita?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as stated earlier, I sent an email to the housing Minister on October the 5th, which was 14 days ago. That's 11 business days. When will the Minister provide a response to that email? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

In favour.