Norman Yakeleya

Over the years the people in the Sahtu, specifically the Tulita District Corporation, have worked for a number of years on a proposal to look at building infrastructure. They have looked from Norman Wells south to Tulita. They actually put in the Canyon Creek proposal.

Where is that proposal within the federal government’s infrastructure, capital planning? Where is it in this government? What can the people expect from that proposal in the coming years from this government and our government? When can we start building our roads in the Sahtu?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to congratulate Ms. Vivian Edgi-Manuel for her prestigious award on the Minister’s Choice for Culture. She has done a wonderful job.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Tuesday, October 6, 2015, I will move the following motion: now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that this Legislative Assembly request the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories to dissolve the 17th Assembly of the Northwest Territories on October 25, 2015, to permit polling day for a general election to be held on November 23, 2015;

and further, that the Speaker transmit this resolution to the Commissioner.

Certainly, the Minister and I were speaking this morning on why it’s taking so long to dispose of these empty units, knowing that Fort Good Hope has a long list of potential tenants who want to go into these units and there’s overcrowding. It’s causing health issues; it’s causing social issues and people want to get into these units.

Is the Minister actively looking at an expedient process where these empty units can either be retrofitted by the local community organizations or be torn down? Like the Minister said, in the old days it was good because you could go in there, knock the houses down...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the question to the Minister of the Housing Corporation. Why are there so many empty houses in Fort Good Hope and how many empty houses are there in Fort Good Hope?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to know why there are so many houses just sitting empty in the Sahtu communities. This is a common conversation I have when I meet with my constituents in the Sahtu, especially in Fort Good Hope. In Fort Good Hope there are rows and rows of empty houses and a long list of young people who are waiting for a house. Unbelievable. Here we have a case where we’re not getting our act together fast enough to put these young people in these houses and fill these empty houses.

The latest NWT needs assessment paints a clear picture of the housing needs in Fort Good Hope and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a TV program called Clean House where they come in and they take all the junk out of the house and people sometimes have a hard time letting go of some of their junk in the house. It’s almost like this Housing Corporation is letting go of some of their junk in the House here. So, I know this can be done because in my hometown of Tulita the Housing actually did a very good job of turning over these empty units to the community corporation real estate. They actually bought these units, fixed them up and rented them out.

Can this happen in Fort Good Hope where the...

The Minister is correct on the eight-plex that is sitting empty and in the process of selling it in the community. I’m not too sure where it will be going to or which organization or person. It’s been there for a while.

Why is it taking so long to dispose of this empty unit while there are a lot of people on the waiting list? Why are the empty units still sitting there while there are a lot of people on the waiting list to get into these units? What can we do to expedite this situation so that we can put people into houses rather than have them in other houses where overcrowding is a major...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to recognize and thank all the visitors to the Assembly here. I want to name, of course, Hilda. She’s not here, but I also want to thank her. Hilda is family. She’s my first cousin. One of the things that I want to say is when I walk down the hallway into the office, Hilda always says, “No, no, this is how you do it. You’ve got to do this, this and that.” So she keeps me on the straight and narrow. I also wanted to congratulate her on her retirement.

Also, to Mr. Erasmus in the gallery, too, and all the other people from the Yukon for visiting us over...

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the elder from Deline First Nation government, Mr. Andrew John Kenny. Andrew John Kenny mentioned to me yesterday, he said he thoroughly enjoys the Assembly, listening to the people going back and forth. “It’s a real good meeting you guys are having,” he said. “Too bad I didn’t get in there.” But he’s watching, so I have to watch the election close. Thank you.