Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer, and I would still like to see some numbers. I don't want it to the penny. I just want a general number. The reason why is that we do have people who come up from the South to support what this government is doing with respect to Aboriginal people. At the same time, they bring family members down, and they're taking beds away, possibly, from Aboriginal residents, say in extended care, or whatever. I guess I just want to know what's going on. In saying that, it seems that we just continue on, and I want to know from the Premier or the...

Thank you, Madam Chair. That takes into account lower water levels? Because my understanding is that, with double-hulled barges, you're going to have maybe two feet, maybe a little bit more, drawn. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes, the total amount is good. Can the Minister confirm the total estimated expenditures for all departments for the year 2020-2021? She can either break them down by department, or she can give me the total.

Thank you, Madam Chair. With respect to these double-hulled barges, are they going to be used on the Mackenzie River, or are they only for ocean-going? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Northwest Territories is home to approximately 45,000 people, with just over half of the population being Indigenous. The other half of the population consists of people who come from elsewhere.

For thousands of years, the Indigenous people of what is now the NWT governed themselves. Indigenous people possessed governmental jurisdiction over lands, including property rights. European settlement, colonization, and commercial interests resulted in the erosion of those rights. Fortunately, those rights were never extinguished, and yet today the Indigenous people are...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Talking about other items, what do the other items entail? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. My understanding, as well, with dementia, we have facilities here in Yellowknife to place people, but we don't really have any facilities outside Yellowknife with the proper care, and we send people to Alberta. Can you give me an indication if this government's looking to expand that type of care outside Yellowknife? An example would be Hay River. We have a building that's going to be available, and I just want to get an indication if that is something that this government would be looking at. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It sounds like it's about $200,000 per person. It just seems to be a fairly hefty number. It would be nice to see, start to look at ways to bring people back here. In saying that, you mentioned a variety of issues that people have, and I am not sure if there is kind of a theme to that, if there are more in one area or not. What is it that we are short of here in the NWT that we have to send these people South? What are we short on the ground? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to continue on with that, then, if we can't provide the services here, I'm just wondering: we keep sending people down there. How many people have we brought back because we actually implemented something here in the territories to allow them to come back? How much of that work has been done? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. This may have been answered yesterday; I had to leave a little bit early. I just want to know: how many people do we have in the South under residential care right now? Thank you, Madam Chair.