Lesa Semmler

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So that brings me back to my initial thought, question, is what is going to happen to the homeless shelters in Inuvik if nobody bids on these RFPs? Like, I'm looking at the RFP. I've received an email from past board members about the RFP and how strict and how many things that they're asking for. We know that there's gonna be ongoing issues. So what is Housing Corporation going to do now that they've assumed operations? They have assumed. These boards are no longer there. They're dissolved. They've closed up their books. So what is Housing Corporation going to do? Or...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, are for the Minister responsible for Homelessness.

This past fall, or actually last spring, it was raised in the House when there was struggles with the board to keep the emergency shelter warm with my continuous talks with the Minister. What I would like to know now, since the Housing Corporation has taken over operations of the two shelters in Inuvik, can the Minister advise what is the plan on the future running of these two homeless shelters in Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this past winter, the homeless shelter and the emergency shelter have been operated by the Housing Corporation. Since being elected, I raised issues that have been brought forward to me impacting them and their operations. The emergency shelter was having difficulty and needed support; however, the homeless shelter, from my discussions with the past board, were running somewhat well by the board minus their concerns for minimal funding and ongoing search for funding.

Mr. Speaker, the past board had stated that they would assume to take over the emergency...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I hope I'm the last to speak because I want to close this up by thanking the committee again for the work that we have done as this is an interim report. We still have many Indigenous governments that we want to hear from. So hopefully this discussion in the Committee of the Whole today, and even some of the questions that are being asked in here, is going to stem up some of that conversation, especially with our Indigenous leaders, and we would love to hear from them on these topics.

And so I want to make sure that all of us know that this report has been tabled and it is...

In favour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I guess my final supplementary question to this Minister is where's our homeless strategy? It was promised in the 18th Assembly. The Minister has said on repeated occasions, when asked by Members of this side of the House, when are we going to see it, it'll be the oh, it'll be ready the next session, next session. We haven't seen it. Where is this homelessness strategy and when can we expect to see this strategy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The cost of running the shelter over the winter has, I think if the last numbers that I received from the Minister, have almost quadrupled from what their funding is normally is. So I'm just wondering if the RFP is put out now and the Indigenous groups are going to run it and they come back with an amount that doesn't meet what the budget used to be, because this is the issue that I raised with the Minister even when we met with in our community in my community, what are we going are we going to continue to is Housing Corporation going to continue to run these...

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Hailey Kudlak and Zandria BlakeAndreBernhardt. They are two pages from the riding of Inuvik Twin Lakes. And they'll be with us all week. Thank you.

What is the wish of committee? Member for Frame Lake.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I fully understand that there's different needs. I've read the policies. I understand the community. I know that there's corporations companies that are in the region that probably could have got the job done months ago when it was first, but that is it why I'm asking for this review to be done because this are things in place within Power Corp within the Power Corp, within the Housing Corporation, that we have locals that can do these jobs and we need to ensure, as a government, that we are putting those things in place, whether they're Crown corporations. These are...