Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe these main estimates represent one of the most consequential budgets in recent years. The GNWT spending limit has increased from $1.8 billion to $3.1 billion. These are significant decisions that will shape the future of our territory and require thoughtful reflection and careful justification.
Mr. Speaker, our programs, investments, and policies must empower people, especially young people, to build lives with dignity, purpose, and stability here in the Northwest Territories. In our small communities, we need our youth. We know our youth are brilliant, resilient, and talented. If our education system consistently delivered strong outcomes, many of them would already be thriving in careers they love.
One positive step, Mr. Speaker, has been the removal of the funding cap for northern Indigenous students under the student financial assistance program, an overdue change. For far too long, Mr. Speaker, that cap forced young people into impossible decisions - either start school immediately, even if unsure of their direction, or wait and risk life circumstances later closing the door. Many who waited are now moving from job to job, not out of passion, but to meet basic needs. There is a real difference between having a job and having a career. Yet, even without the cap, post-secondary education remains expensive. Tuition, books, equipment, food, transportation and especially rent add up quickly.
Mr. Speaker, a single student with no dependent receives just $800 per month. When rent for a one-bedroom apartment ranges from $900 to more than $1,500, that allowance does not come close to meeting basic living costs. Some students in residence face semester bills of $7,000 or more. Yet our supports do not reflect this reality.
Mr. Speaker, if we expect our youth to help themselves, our support must be sufficient, not symbolic.
The auditor general's report on housing in the Northwest Territories confirmed what communities have been saying for years. Too many homes are unsafe, overcrowded, or beyond repair. Mr. Speaker, in the Tlicho region the crisis is especially acute. Families are leaving their home communities for Yellowknife or elsewhere. It's not by choice, but out of necessities.
Mr. Speaker, if we want families to help themselves, we must give them the stability to do so. That means supporting homeownership and rethinking our rent scale so working families are not penalized for earning an income. A flat rental rate of approximately $800 for working tenants will give families room to save, repair, invest, and plan for their future.
Our wastewater data tell us the hard truth, Mr. Speaker. Opiates, sedatives, hallucinogens, and stimulants are affecting every region, every family, and every age group. We must acknowledge what is missing. We do not have enough treatment options, Mr. Speaker, extended care or aftercare. Without stable housing, the risks of relapse remain heartbreakingly high.
Mr. Speaker, research shows that maintaining sobriety for one year dramatically improves long-term success. But we cannot expect individuals to return from treatment to homelessness or the very environment that contributed to their addictions. On-the-land programs are vital and effective for many but others need western-based treatment, clinical support, and structured programming.
Addictions are also driving the rising number of children in care often because of unsafe housing or unsafe environment. Mr. Speaker, if it is not for the grandparent or grandparents, there would be more children in care due to the addictions. Mr. Speaker, if we want healthy communities and a strong economy, we must first support healthy people.
Mr. Speaker, our economic landscape is shifting. Mines are closing, and oil and gas activity has slowed. We need an economy that generates its own revenue, supports its own workforce, and builds its own future. We must prepare also for what the Premier has acknowledged. As land claims are finalized, the role of the territorial government will fundamentally change. The federal government will deal directly with the Indigenous governments, and the funding formula we rely on will not remain the same. We must prepare with clarity and long-term planning.
Mr. Speaker, the government must focus its investment on four priorities: Housing, education, health, and community governance.
Housing. Overcrowding harms both health and education. Diseases spread more easily, stress increases, and children struggle to study in overcrowded homes. I thank the Minister for the commitment to 300 new homes, and we must commit to 300 more built in the communities with the greatest need.
Education.
Education is a key social determinant of health and has long-term effects on our justice system, addiction rates, and economic outcomes.
Health.
Mr. Speaker, small communities rely on health services - nurses, ambulance staff, emergency responders - who are always on standby. These services never take a break, and they must be properly funded. Home care and long-term care services must support elders to remain in their homes and communities.
Community government.
Mr. Speaker, community governments are the fabric of our daily life. They maintain water, sewer, waste management, roads, and essential infrastructure. Mr. Speaker, many small communities have one water truck, one sewer truck, and one fuel truck. They may have one grader and one backhoe. There are no backup units. In remote communities, Mr. Speaker, a simple maintenance issue becomes a crisis. No replacement parts and no local mechanics. Everything needs to be brought in by air or truck. Minor costs become major costs.
In addition, Mr. Speaker, community governments need to meet certain accounting and reporting standards for capital and construction projects. If they don't report as per rigid accounting standards, they don't get the money. There are not many professional accountants working in the small remote communities.
Mr. Speaker, likewise, water and waste services funding is frozen at $22 million. A good supply of clean water is essential to the people's health. Yet the communities are being nickeled and dimed to poverty.
I recall a case where the City of Yellowknife was good enough to loan Behchoko an expensive water pump. However, we cannot depend on the kindness of strangers.
Mr. Speaker, well-funded community governments ensure strong, functioning communities. We must flow more infrastructure funding to them, Mr. Speaker, especially as many of our facilities age. Our 33 communities, especially small Indigenous ones, have many needs but few services. We must reduce restrictions and empower them with flexible funding.
Communities know best what their communities need. Mr. Speaker, if we are truly committed to helping those who help themselves, then we must make bold, practical investments that reflect the realities of our people. Housing is safe and available, education that opens doors, health services that support wellness and recovery, and community governments that are empowered to lead. These are not options. They are foundational.
Mr. Speaker, by strengthening these pillars, we give individuals and families the tools to build their own success. We create conditions where young people can pursue careers, where families can stay in their home communities, where those battling addiction can heal, and where our economy can stand on solid ground. Mr. Speaker, this is how we honour our responsibilities. This is how we build resilience. And this is how we secure a strong, sustainable future for the Northwest Territories.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, with reference to what my colleague from Frame Lake said in his budget address regarding working together and listening to our ideas, I would like for the Cabinet to listen to us and to work with Tlicho to create Tlicho administrative region. Thank you.
