Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you. I know that earlier in the year, too, Minister of Finance and Minister of housing have said it too that, you know -- they talked about Tlicho region, and even the stats says that we're -- based on the data that Tlicho has the worst overcrowding and homelessness. And we all know, so housing is a social determinant. It has an impact on health and education. Knowing that number, knowing the stats in Tlicho region, especially in Behchoko, we have ten houses, ten public housing replacement, and five units were major retrofit. And so I just want to ask the Minister how did they determine...

Thank you. Yeah, the Minister said monitor. You know, I mean, I guess what the department is doing is that they watch, you know, the fire burn, burn our land and animals that we survive and, you know, the animals that we rely on, because especially the woodland caribou in our area. And it's not just us. It's across the NWT. So the monitor, it doesn't sit well with me, you know, because like I said, it's all -- it's all related to the forest fire management policy. If the policy is changed to fight the fire as soon as it starts before it gets out of control, I know that we will not only save...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to a review, she said she is, but of the public housing program to explore rent-free option for seniors, especially in light of growing concerns about affordability and aging in place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, given that seniors currently receive a $1,000 monthly income deduction when calculating rent, what is preventing the GNWT from going further and eliminating rent entirely for seniors in public housing? Mr. Speaker, I am serious about this question; I don't want no chuckle. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee would like to report on its consideration of Bill 24, An Act to Amend the Family Law Act.

Bill 24 received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on March 13th, 2025 and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review.

The standing committee held a clause-by-clause review of the bill on October 20th, 2025, with the Minister of Justice. The committee moved to amend one clause in Bill 24 at the clause-by-clause review. The Minister of Justice concurred with this motion.

Mr. Speaker, the committee reports that Bill 24...

Thank you. I will have questions for the Minister of housing.

I guess based on the information provided, there's not much that Housing NWT is doing to help the region to catch up to the territorial average. We're always going to be at that number, or we're always going to be in the worst situation. Even in Whati alone, you know, there's that -- with the all-season road open, young families, young people are going home now. So we have -- I mentioned in the house here before that we have are families that are coming home, they are sleeping in the families -- family members' house, sleeping in the living room with their families. And I have family with...

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, Bill 28, An Act to Amend the Student Financial Assistance Act, No. 2, received second reading in the Legislative Assembly on May 29th, 2025, and was referred to the Standing Committee on Social Development for review on September 8th, 2025. The standing committee held a public hearing with the Minister of Justice and completed its clause-by-clause review of the bill.

I thank the committee in their efforts in reviewing this legislation. Individual Members may have additional comments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So my questions are to MACA, to MACA Minister.

So readiness and preparedness -- I'm going to say it again, readiness and preparedness are critical to wildfire management; however, the evacuations that occurred this summer suggest that the government's wildfire operation are still too reactive in nature. What specific step is the department taking to improve early detection and response measures, so communities are not forced to evacuate at the last minute? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I still had one more question for the ECC. But I do have three questions, two for MACA and one for ECC. So I can get it back on the list again for MACA.

One is for ECC, given the increasing frequency of evacuations and climate-driven wildfire threats, what is the GNWT timeline for implementing a fully proactive wildfire management strategies that prioritize prevention over response? Thank you.