Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up with a further question with the Minister of ECE.
So we've been told by elected officials outside of this House that the Minister has been offered 150 nominees if the GNWT demonstrates their utilization rates for asylum seekers, Mr. Speaker, through the program. Basically, take 150 refugees and get 150 -- and just to be clear, take 50 refugees and get 150 nominees. Can the Minister confirm this? Thank you.
Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have discussed this previously on the floor of the House. That was an offer from the previous Minister in the previous government. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, old government/new government, good offer/bad offer - I don't know. So why did the Minister refuse the 50 refugees so we couldn't get the opportunity for the 150 nominees? Thank you.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we just heard a number of rounds of questions about the strain on our healthcare system in this territory. One of the questions in my response to the federal government, and I think it's worth saying that I never refused it, but I did ask questions. I did say, can you give me information on those 50 asylum seekers and what type of services they would require in the Northwest Territories. Because we would be required to address them and provide them. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife Centre.
Mr. Speaker, is the Minister supportive of the program to get the nominees and what's wrong with getting 50 refugees? It will help solve our economic crisis here we're having in the Northwest Territories, in all our communities, Mr. Speaker. So, Mr. Speaker, would the Minister write the federal Minister responsible for this file and take the 50 refugees so we can get the 150 nominees?
Thank you so much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the offer was for 50 asylum seekers and, at times, asylum seekers can require additional services. And so what I needed to know for my colleagues who would be in departments that would be required to respond is what type of services would we be obliged to provide and what level of service would be expected. I never received a response to those questions. I never received a response asking what type of supports we would receive to be able to provide those services to asylum seekers. So I was definitely in the conversation but, as we all know, the federal government did go into an election period. Never received a response. And I intend to continue the conversation on immigration for the Northwest Territories next week in Ottawa. Thank you.
Thank you, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Final supplementary. Member from Yellowknife North.
