Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Well, same too, like with my colleague from Yellowknife North said. We have lots of surpluses, why do we have to purchase a vehicle for a lottery vehicles? There's lots of surplus vehicles. So $51,000 could have went somewhere else. Maybe for, you know, sports or recreations that small communities are lacking. And this is just for Yellowknife only, you know, and nothing for the regions, so. And GNWT has a lot of surplus vehicle here, so why are we purchasing this $51,000 vehicle? It's not a lot, but it's lots for us in small communities because we are always without, and we don't get enough...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the department track how many income support recipients successfully transition into employment or education and if so, what are the current outcomes? Thank you.

How can you say equitably? Because, you know, these small communities, we don't have a lot of infrastructures. You know, we provide services, but we don't have a lot of service -- infrastructures. Like Wekweeti, you know. So -- but it's good. It's good information, and I think I have an idea too of what Tlicho are doing, community government, our Tlicho government, so I'll leave it there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in July 2024 the government announced improvement to the income assistance program that resulted in increased benefit levels and income exemptions and reduced barriers to accessing the program. What step is the department taking to align income support with employment and training programs so that recipients are encouraged, not penalized, for pursuing work or education? Thank you.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chair. For regional operation, MACA, you know, for 2026-2027, it's $32 million and in Tlicho region, we're growing. With the all-season road community, Whati is going to be expanding. Behchoko is expanding. We're building a subdivision. And it means that we're building subdivision so our community, it's growing, and we're going to be needing more infrastructure, water, sewer, you know, and we're going to be getting a new school. So we are getting ready.

So with that in mind, like, I mean, community government is public. Public government. But we're within the land...

For page 74?

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.