Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too would like to recognize interpreters Tom Unka and Maro Sundberg. It would be my last opportunity this year. Then, again, to recognize Ashton Catholique and River Marlow, the two hardworking Pages from Lutselk'e. Thank you.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak on the issue of federal government funds for First Nations and the NWT and that not all the funding reaches community government or band councils for housing.

Mr. Speaker, this past year I met with many constituents in my riding, which includes community and Indigenous governments. They have expressed their concerns on the lack of programs and service funding that can help address all aspects of their community members. I will be attending an Akaitcho Territory Government's 25th annual assembly held in Fort Resolution October 31...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that the Housing Corporation is a vehicle for delivering social housing. I would like to ask the Minister when the Housing Corporation was formed. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, again, I'm referring back to that same elder. The same elder had indicated that the money had come from the federal government to the GNWT to house people, treaty people – treaty Indians, and that had evolved into something else. I'd like to ask the Minister: when were the first houses built by the federal government that became available to people other than treaty Indians?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.] Mr. Speaker, on September 13, 2017, many people, including myself, lost a good friend in Joe Norn. In his younger days, Joe was known as "Sonny." Joe was born on May 19, 1946, and was given the name Joseph Maurice Norn. Joe was born to Albert and Ernestine Norn. Ernestine was a Lafferty, and her mom was Catherine Beaulieu before she married Napolean Lafferty.

Mr. Speaker, Joe had many relatives from the Beaulieu, Lafferty, and Norn families and even has some relatives here in the House. Mr. Speaker, I met Joe Norn when I was a kid and...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I, too, am supportive of the recommendation, going to a Tuesday to vote. I have the very same concerns as our chair. In the communities that I represent, I have seen the community empty out on the weekend sometimes in the fall time, when there is a lot of hunting and things like that. A lot of the community members from the community I represent go out hunting. They are back during the week for when the kids are back in school and so on.

In another community, a highway community, a lot of the people would just go to the neighbouring, larger community for...

I am aware the state of the social housing and some of the program. I would like to ask the Minister the next evolution beyond the Indian and Eskimo housing. What was the next evolution of housing which eventually led to what we have today?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the other day I was listening to the Aboriginal radio channel, and I heard an elder speaking about social housing in the NWT. He asked a question and he was just contemplating with the reporter, and one of the questions he had asked was: I wonder why the government no longer builds a federal government that no longer builds houses for us directly. Federal governments used to build houses for us directly. I'd like to ask the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation when the federal government will start building homes in the NWT. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that upwards of 90 per cent of the inmates are Indigenous, but I think maybe the number has been going down. That that percentage has been going down over the years, but that is my understanding that it's very high. I'd like to ask the Minister if the department, and specifically corrections, follows some sort of affirmative action type of policy. Not necessarily the affirmative action that we have and that we're using for recruitment of public service people, but some sort of program which will give inmates the representation at...

Mr. Speaker, again, my understanding is that recidivism is still a big issue at North Slave, or all the correctional facilities in the NWT for that matter. I'd like to ask if the Department of Justice tracks the inmates to see if recidivism is still a big issue in those facilities. Thank you.