Frieda Martselos

I know I'm very emotional on this because I feel like, you know, how could the board we have an excellent board in place now. We've got the office straightened out at housing finally in this we're in our third year. You know, and I have a lot of respect for the people that are on the board and the people that are running the office right now. But we also have to have positive positive responses from this office with some of the problems that these people faced. Most of the people that I've come that I brought forward to the Minister about different issues and couch surfing and all these...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is March 1st and will mark a very special day for the people of the NWT. We have reached a point in our fight with COVID19 as we transition from dealing with this as a pandemic into an endemic illness.

It was announced last week that the public health emergency will be coming to an end very soon in the NWT and with the public health orders and, with that, public health orders will also be revised. Among the changes coming into effect tomorrow include no limits on large gatherings as well as a discontinuation of vaccine passports.

Mr. Speaker, after...

Mr. Speaker, this Minister is both ITI minister and finance minister. So she knows the memorandum of understanding with Indigenous groups and the construction of the Taltson Expansion is essential to the project's successful completion. Can the Minister tell us if she and the rest of Cabinet are prioritizing the MOU to move forward with the work on the Taltson Expansion?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the other day during question period, the ITI minister said that to attract greater economic opportunities and investment in the Northwest Territories, our territory will need greater access to clean and affordable energy. Does the Minister agree that the Taltson Hydro Expansion will be instrumental in strengthening and expanding our economy for future generations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just want to I'm going to ask the question again because I didn't really get a direct answer.

I would like to know the last time that the Housing Corporation has reviewed and renewed the threshold issue with regards to homeownership, rentals, all these things. And also because it's a major block for a lot of people that are just starting out in homeownership. It's a major block in the rental department. And it's a big concern to a lot of the people that I've talked to throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Chair.

You know, we're a regional centre. We're not I can consider Fort Smith still a small community. That is you know, the amount of homes that are going in there is not going to meet the requirement obviously.

I also want to talk about the homeownership program and the retrofits. I want to know how many retrofits are going in to the community of Thebacha.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In order to do that, I think that there has to be a process that has to be followed to ensure that the main proponent in this whole Taltson Expansion is consulted, and I think that it's our duty as a government to ensure that they are brought back to the table. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And I would like to see that. Would the Minister confer on that? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit, in her capacity as ITI and finance minister, to engage with all Indigenous groups near the Taltson Dam, whether in a bilateral or multilateral meeting, to move forward in a positive way to get this project underway? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, does the Minister agree that all sectors of the business community are unanimous in their support for the Taltson Expansion? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In relation to my statement on Monday and throughout most of this week about economic recovery in the NWT, I would once again like to discuss the importance of the Taltson Hydro Expansion.

Mr. Speaker, all major infrastructure projects both currently underway, along with those in the future which I spoke about this week, are all interrelated with this hydro expansion. The Minister of Finance even said so herself the other day during question period. She said that to attract greater economic opportunities and investments into the Northwest Territories, our territory will...