Tom Beaulieu

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to working with myself and the community, specifically the Lutselk’e Indian Band, to explore options for actively engaging the community for delivery of effective community-based counselling services in Lutselk’e?

I thank the Minister for that answer. The higher-than-usual frequency of suicides in a small community: what has the department done to specifically address that issue?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister commit to a continued dialogue with the DEAs on housing teachers and report back to the House within six months so that we can get an update on any progress on housing for teachers?

Can the Minister advise the House if there is any dialogue that’s tied to developers as far as providing private market housing in non-market communities?

I’d like to recognize a long-term Housing employee, Mr. Jim White, of Yellowknife Housing Authority.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to talk about the serious issue that is affecting many of our communities: a lack of adequate housing for teachers.

This is not a new issue. As a matter of fact, it’s been making headlines for some time now — headlines like: Teachers’ Housing – Headache for Education Body; Frustrated Teachers Quitting Beaufort Jobs; High Rents, Housing Crunch Drives Teachers from NWT Communities; Five Beaufort-Delta Communities Losing School Principals.

Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious issue for many communities. Things are no different in my riding. The district...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This written question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister of Health and Social Services provide me with statistics on the number of people in Tu Nedhe, specifically Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e, who are suffering from asthma and other lung diseases that can be affected by dust?

Can the Minister advise the House of anything specific that he can mention in the House about what type of work has occurred between ECE and the Housing Corporation in this area?

Mr. Speaker, earlier in my Member’s statement I spoke of the serious issue of lack of housing for teachers, and I’d like to ask the Minister of ECE some questions.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister advise me if the department has any strategy for providing teachers’ housing in smaller non-market communities?

This is a territory-wide problem that demands immediate attention. Later on today I will follow up this statement with questions for the appropriate Minister. Mahsi cho.