Mr. Speaker, when my constituents, particularly in Fort Resolution, read this report on housing, they see their own struggles with their own local housing authority reflected in it. Now that their housing authority is under administration, can the Minister reinsure my constituents that positive change is coming to public housing in their community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh. Minister responsible for Housing NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, Mr. Speaker, I think the auditor general report, again, is a wake-up call, and I've committed to this call to action and moving forward, working with the local housing organizations and the district offices as well as headquarters to monitor and improve the housing conditions within community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Several of my constituents want to move from their public housing units in one community to a unit in another community. Currently, they must transfer out of the existing unit before they secure a new one, and this process is confusing and slow. Can the Minister commit to allowing public housing residents to secure a spot in another community first and then transfer them to that unit so they can access housing more quickly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's a tough one. First of all, the local housing organizations have a community housing services agreement with Housing NWT so local housing organizations are the ones that manage the stock, the housing stock, at the local level, and many times they have, and probably all times, they have a residency requirement. So transferring from community to community when there's no housing within community to transfer to is a tough one. So there's many barriers. We can have a conversation, but I would leave this at the local housing organization level because we're not there, I'm not living it, I don't see the -- you know, many times what's happening at the local level. So that's why housing organizations are so important to have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Final supplementary. Member from Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Many of my constituents, particularly from Yellowknives Dene First Nation or Lutselk'e Dene First Nation, live in public housing here in Yellowknife. They face numerous challenges and they're often confused with the housing authority regarding their residency when they need to travel for work, go on the land, or return to their communities to care for elders. Could the Minister establish an Indigenous advocacy within the Yellowknife Housing Authority to represent these residents and address their unique challenges? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is the Indigenous advocate or the housing advocate -- because we need to be an advocate for all people in the Northwest Territories -- is something that was identified in the Office of the Auditor General report, and I've asked Housing NWT to provide me a response and a plan moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Minister responsible for Housing NWT. Oral questions. Member from Great Slave.
