Forty-seven pages of promises. That was the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories 2016-2019. Then it is whittled down to to 36 pages and 22 priorities for this assembly. The good news is, housing tops the list. 

The next assembly, to be elected in October 2023, need no more than these three priorities: Healing and addictions, housing, education. We need the MLA candidates for the next election to cement these three priorities in their campaign platforms.

Why the Three Big Priorities?

There are 22,724 Dene, Metis, and Inuvialuit people in the NWT. Many of the Dene, Metis and Inuvialuit families were and continue to be affected by the acknowledged atrocities of residential school. Budgets should reflect 50 percent of the population when it comes to these critical quality-of-life matters.

Key to helping a population heal is housing

These two priorities – healing and housing –  set the stage for education and training. By not putting these two priorities in place, education falters, as does the opportunity to get a job and heal and find housing.

Regional centres and capital city will see benefits

The regional centres – Fort Smith, Hay River, Fort Simpson, Norman Wells and Inuvik – will see their economy grow along with successful NWT communities. Yellowknife will benefit from all territorial growth. It’s the only way forward for the territorial economy outside of multi-national financed resource development.