Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you, colleagues.

WHEREAS section 4(1) of the Ombud Act provides that the Commissioner, on the recommendation of the Legislative Assembly, shall appoint an Ombud as an officer of the Legislative Assembly who is responsible for exercising the powers and performing the duties set out in this Act;

AND WHEREAS the Board of Management was tasked with recruiting the Ombud and has recommended an individual to the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Assembly is prepared to make a recommendation;

NOW THEREFORE I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 27th, 2024, I'll move the following motion:

Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Kam Lake, that Ms. Krista Carnogursky be appointed as Ombud for a term of five years in accordance with the Ombud Act by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Legislative Assembly.

And further, that the appointment become effective July 1, 2024.

Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time I will seek unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I anticipated the Minister to hide behind CMHC funding as the excuse. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister willing to do to help keep our seniors independently living with dignity? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a pleasure to be back here.

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, becoming a senior or elder is certainly a privilege and as I look around this Chamber, I see a lot of people heading in that direction. Some of us a little closer than others, obviously. But, you know, Mr. Speaker, respectfully, I certainly hope we all join that rank and privilege of being called a senior or elder.

That said, as an elder in training, Mr. Speaker, okay, I view my part here is to help support the seniors and the previous generations that have brought us to where we are today. I view this as a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today regarding the appointment of Ms. Krista Carnogursky as Ombud. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm well aware of the Canada-NWT Housing Benefit and, as a matter of fact, it would be cheaper if the government reinstated the hundred thousand dollars and applied for it directly. But that said, would the Minister be willing to send a team down to Avens and work with the seniors collectively and process and file applications, as individuals but in a group setting, so we get it done efficiently and we take this fearsome burden that has caused enormous anxiety to this community. And we need it now. Will the Minister step up and send a team down there...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I too wish to recognize both Rami and Fadil of Javaroma. They are great community partners. Their heart and soul is into the city of Yellowknife as well as its people, and I've seen them on so many occasions be so generous both with their time and money. They're wonderful people, and we're a richer community because we have the two of them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be willing to investigate and report back on how many people have to come to Yellowknife from our regions and smaller communities for these types of support services specific to diabetes? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I won't be singing my questions by the way.

So, Mr. Speaker, diabetes in the Northwest Territories are certainly, you know, well above the national average. As a matter of fact, groups like the Metis have some of the highest diabetes affected in the context of ethnicity. NWT Indigenous women are certainly well above the Canadian average. And, Mr. Speaker, our regional centres suffer enormously with the high levels of diabetes and the lack of care.

My question for the Minister of Health and Social Services is how is she planning to change this narrative by...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to acknowledge at the beginning this is a very difficult motion for some people out there. I feel very strongly in support of the current motion as now amended, and I too wish to lend my supports and the voice my voice to hopefully carry to a new phase.

Mr. Speaker, I deeply believe that one day, I wish it would be sooner than later, that we had a fully safe Palestine recognized by the world all around so the people can deserve and who have well long waited and earned their right to live happy, safe, and free.

Mr. Speaker, the conflict itself, I'm no expert in...