Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thought I would take the opportunity to recognize the two people interpreting from my riding, Mr. Tom Unka, who is interpreting in Denesoline and Chipweyan, and Maro Sundberg, who is interpreting in Dogrib language, Wiilideh. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In cases where the government considers unauthorized occupants are going through the stages and are then taken to court and the occupant uses Aboriginal and treaty rights as a defence, can the Minister advise us if those cases would be put on hold until the lands and resources negotiations are settled?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have questions for the Minister of Lands. Mr. Speaker, the Minister wrote to priorities and planning on managing unauthorized occupancy in the Northwest Territories. I have some questions for the Minister. Has the Minister rolled out the cabin-type lease at this point? Thank you.

I would like to ask the Minister if the department would consider supporting the launching of a territorial-wide Indigenous guardianship program. There are many reasons, positive reasons, to have guardianship programs in all regions across the territories, and maybe even a couple of guardianship programs in a particular region. So, again, would the Minister support the launching of a territorial-wide Indigenous guardianship program?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as per my Member's statement, I have questions for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. My first question is: other than Lutselk'e, are there other Indigenous communities in the NWT that have informed ENR of their interest to launch programs such as Ni Hat'ni Dene? Thank you.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'd like to talk about environmental conservation in the Northwest Territories and the need to include Indigenous governments in this effort. Earlier this year the federal government earmarked in its budget an unprecedented amount of money that is geared toward environmental conservation; $1.3 billion over five years, to be exact. This investment is reflective of the federal government's pledge to safeguard at least 17 per cent of Canada's lands and waterways by 2020.

Mr. Speaker, it is a very welcomed investment that our environment desperately needs...

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things that I have often advocated for is to have staff from the NWT Housing Corporation, program staff and technical staff, go into the homes of the various individuals who need housing, and especially seniors. I would like to ask the Minister if there is a new way of approaching at least the homeownership seniors, seniors who own their own homes, and go into the houses with the program officers and technical officers at the application review time so that the seniors do not have to then go to a central location where the officers are waiting to...

I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister would be willing to move the community housing plans up, to maybe address the community housing plans for the communities in Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh as soon as possible?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. It's time for the NWT Housing Corporation to start funding community governments directly in order to put people to work and help seniors stay in their own homes in their own communities as long as possible. Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker.