Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Yes, thank you. That is the GNWT Health Status Report that was published in fall of 2019 which I tabled two days ago, and that's their own report that I am addressing. So that's why I'm asking what are they doing to fix the problem. Do they have any action plan? Do they have any what do they have? What are they doing to fix things in our region? Or not just in my region but in other regions as well, and which we heard from other Members addressing their issues.

So Madam Speaker, if the GNWT was to allocate their budget based on need, we should be seeing improvements in health outcomes over...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Okay, question for the Minister of Health and Social Services, that the department tracks the NWT health profile of its residents to understand public health issues that impact the whole population. The information gather is to provide decisionmakers the information they need to take actions. With that in mind, can the Minister provide an update on action taken in Tlicho region to address the poor health outcome in my region? Thank you.

With respect to this contaminated site, so how many communities are you guys working with at the moment?

Yeah, well, that's good if they're I think this is I'm hearing it from people, you know. I'm not hearing it from the leaders. So it's good that maybe they but it's just that I'm hearing from other people as well. So that's why I am addressing their concerns because they rely heavily. And some of them said, I mean if it wasn't for the traditional food, you know, like, it would be more difficult for them with the increase in groceries and gas. It prohibits them, a lot of them, from doing further from doing more for themselves, you know, to be selfreliant. So that's why I am addressing the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Okay, well, I would like to see the email again. But what I would like for the Minister to do is that to meet with me and the community leaders to discuss these important issues.

So another question is that, Mr. Speaker, I know that we are coming to a fiscal year end, okay. So there may be some operational budgets that have not been fully spent. Can the Minister commit to work with the Department of Finance to identify where there is any unused funding across the entire GNWT and redirect these unused funds for a onetime payment to the community, especially those just...

Thank you. Okay, before I begin, I would like to for the record, I would like to say that three of four Tlicho communities Behchoko, Whati and Wekweeti are underfunded. They are underfunded communities, so I just wanted to say that for the record.

So Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister referred to an agreement in 2007. It is now year 2022, and we have a community without access to clean water as identified in United Nation Declaration on Human Rights. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister focus on what can be done now, not on what was done in the past? Thank you.

Well, we just did the Finance budget today. So Mr. Speaker, with reference to the 2014 study that identified the shortfall in funding many community governments, will the Minister agree to update the 2014 study to identify the current shortfall in funding for NWT community government and commit to correct the inequalities in a timely manner? Thank you.

Thank you. Well, I don't think I did not receive the email that he is referring to. And I know that I keep checking my email. I didn't get anything from him. But I keep getting email from his assistant. So if he sent that email yesterday, I would like to see it today, if he can resend it.

Mr. Speaker, does the formula for funding received by the community government, especially in Behchoko into consideration that there are two distinct geographic communities? Each community has its own water plants, sewer facilities, water, and sewer distribution centre systems, fire halls, fire fighting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Okay, I'm going to be addressing on the lack of funding in the communities.

Mr. Speaker, the lack of funding for communities is well known. It is mandate priority for this Assembly to address the municipal funding gaps. The current state of water services in Behchoko is exactly what happens when government chronically underfunds communities. They end up in a state of crisis.

In 2014, the community of Behchoko was known to be underfunded by $1.9 million. Mr. Speaker, seven years ago, the community was shortfall nearly $2 million annually to provide basic services. How...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table three documents. The first is an article from the Housing Policy Debate Journal entitled Housing and Homelessness in Indigenous Communities in the Northwest Territories, in Canada's Nnorth.

The second document is the health status chart book transition and strategic planning dated fall 2019 prior to 19th Assembly elections. And the third one, email and estimates for a new sewer and water tank in Edzo. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.