Jane Weyallon Armstrong

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I'm going to be talking about drugs and crime.

Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about the increase of drugs and crimes in the NWT. It is disturbing to acknowledge there is a rise of homicide in the NWT right now related to drugs. There is more violent crimes, and the RCMP acknowledge the link between drugs and the unprecedented number of homicide that have occurred. I want to offer my condolences to all the families and friends who have been impacted by drug crime in our territory. There is one I do send my condolence to the families in Behchoko that...

Will the Minister ensure that families with disabilities are priority in the review of applications? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, changes to income assistance are on the way, but changes could happen now to improve the lives of NWT residents.

Will the Minister provide a ministerial directive that ensures ECE staff reduce the burden on clients by taking all measures to obtain the financial information that they have access to on behalf of clients? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've been waiting for that program since last spring. It's almost a year now.

But, Mr. Speaker, people with disability living with challenges in their lives are forgotten people of our society, especially by this government. Therefore, will the Minister guarantee that people living with disability in the NWT are guaranteed income support? Thank you.

Okay, well, I am surprised because I know that the income assistance program has access to clients' CRA notice of assessment. It's been in place for over ten years and they haven't been using it to lessen the burdens on clients to get all the necessary information. So will staff in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have the authority to locate a person's notice of assessment with CRA? Will the Minister ensure staff take the necessary steps to obtain this from the CRA on clients' behalf?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supporting families with disabilities.

Mr. Speaker, under the income assistance program, the GNWT requires applicants to provide proof of income which they can do through a notice of assessment provided by the Canada Revenue Agency. I have clients in my region who have filed their taxes with the federal government, and the GNWT has access to this information, but instead of the GNWT using the tools they have to access a client's CRA notice of assessment, they ask the client to provide the financial information.

Mr. Speaker, this unnecessary step is delaying the review of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister share with us how many permanent longterm health workers that are living in currently living in small communities across the NWT? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since that motion was brought forward, can the Minister assure this House that the health care provided in small communities has seen some improvements? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for my statement today I want to be a voice for Indigenous women. This is nothing new. I am hearing from women in my from women about their experiences with the police and want to raise it publicly.

Mr. Speaker, we know Indigenous women are far more likely to be violently victimized. According to a 2018 Statistics Canada survey, about 63 percent of Indigenous women have experienced physical or sexual assault in their lifetime compared to about 33 percent of nonIndigenous women. Indigenous women face sexism, racism, and discrimination. Many live in violent...

Thank you for that. Yes, Mr. Speaker, there have been dozens of stories, stories over the years of health centres prescribing Tylenol to very sick or even dying individuals seeking medical attention only to be dismissed or minimized and unheard. Does the Minister agree that Tylenol is being overprescribed to residents in our smaller communities? Thank you.