Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Madam Chair. That being said, the contribution agreement, if they're not spending the money, the money is sent back. What happens to that money once it's sent back? Thanks, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regards to the Take a Kid Trapping program, the uptake in that in my riding. It's really helpful with the community. Is there any plan for increases if people are not taking, like other communities are not taking advantage of that program? Are there opportunities for other communities to get more funding to do more with the communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Would the Minister be willing to direct her department to undertake an assessment to determine the cost of living for the people in the older units versus the newer units?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Rocky. She's coming to Tuktoyaktuk first.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister responsible for NWT housing. When the current rent scale was developed years back, was there any consideration given or any thought given to rent scaling on a newer unit to an older unit? Some of the units, like I said, were built in 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s in the communities that I represent. Is there any possibility for the department to look at a rent scale in regard to monthly rent? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I heard that good news again, about the T4s and the month-by-month, from the housing Minister. I just want to make sure that, across the territory, people know that they are going to be able to go. On what date are we going to start using that system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Last week, I had a commitment from this Minister. I am not looking for assessments. I am looking for a start date, like what time we could start being able to start choosing a T4 system or a month-by-month and a start date. Thank you from the people of the Northwest Territories who are going to really like our Minister of housing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can you feel the excitement? I can feel the excitement from the 32nd annual hockey tournament for the IRC Cup in Inuvik, Mr. Speaker. A little bit louder than that.

---Applause

I feel like I'm in an arena now. It's good. Today, Mr. Speaker, hockey games start. We have 14 teams total. We have four A Division teams, 10 B Division teams, and they are vying for the IRC Cup, which is the Stanley Cup in our region. Everybody wants to take that cup home. I took it home quite a few times. It's a pretty good feeling. I spoke to the mayor of Tuktoyaktuk today. They have kids who...

I am in shock. Thank you. Thank you, Madam Minister. Note, just in regard to that, I think that people across the territory are going to be able to do a little bit more with what they get and what they have. I thank the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The people of the Northwest Territories voted for change in our last election. People are struggling, especially in our small communities. They have no jobs, no hope, no future. They feel that their territorial government is not listening and not responding to their concerns.

Across the NWT, including my riding of Nunakput, we heard the status quo is not working. The government is not doing enough. Our people are counting on them to help. They told us, as MLAs, we should be starting to direct the government, and not a handful of bureaucrats in Yellowknife.

We have heard...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Education is very important across the North. Our education rates, our inclusive schooling needs across the territory, but over the course of this government's term, we will spend over $70 million in forced growth for our UNW collective bargaining compared to our $25 million that we have set aside for all of the 22 priorities that we put as 19 Members. It's only a third of what we're spending in the salaries of increases that are going to happen. You know, some of that money would have been much better and needed in early childhood and school services. Mr. Chair, it's...