NDP leader Jagmeet Singh paid another visit to the NWT on Monday to meet with Premier Caroline Cochrane and to listen to the issues in the North.
Many of those concerns revolve around a lack of infrastructure and funding, causing Northerners to live in sub-standard situations.
SA国际影视传媒淟iving in a Third-World country is not appropriate. We are Canadian, and youSA国际影视传媒檝e got people in Canada living in such dire situations,SA国际影视传媒� said Cochrane.
The discussions included this yearSA国际影视传媒檚 wildfires and the territorySA国际影视传媒檚 housing shortage.
During the meeting, Singh acknowledged that there is a housing crisis in the North in terms of availability and affordability. The NDP leader said he was at Javaroma on Monday morning when a young man approached him and told him about his struggle to find a place to live in the North, which complicated his ability to find work.
Singh also mentioned that rents have been rising at an unsustainable rate.
SA国际影视传媒�(Income) is not matching the cost of rent, and the cost of rent is putting people in a really desperate position,SA国际影视传媒� he said. SA国际影视传媒淭he rate of loss of affordable homes versus what is being built is a losing battle.SA国际影视传媒�
He added that his party is proposing help for community members who are facing losing their affordable housing when rent increases.
SA国际影视传媒淭his is an acquisition fund which would allow for community groups and not-for-profit groups SA国际影视传媒� the territories have to deal with only one major company thatSA国际影视传媒檚 not doing its job to maintain properties, so this acquisition fund would allow other community groups to purchase those buildings to keep them affordable,SA国际影视传媒� Singh explained.
Premier frustrated
Cochrane expressed frustration over what she feels has been a lack of responsiveness from the federal government, with the NWTSA国际影视传媒檚 requests for help SA国际影视传媒渇alling on deaf earsSA国际影视传媒� over decades.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 disheartening when I fly all the way from Yellowknife and go to Ottawa,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檒l get half an hour if ISA国际影视传媒檓 lucky with the minister, and sometimes they have to cut that short into five or 10 minutes, so you get a very little bit of time.SA国际影视传媒�
Before the Monday afternoon press conference at the legislative assembly, Yellowknifer met Singh at Javaroma. He said he was in the NWT capital last year around the same time, and he wanted once again to meet with local people to hear about their experiences and struggles, such as fire and flooding in the North.
Commenting on the current federal government, he said, SA国际影视传媒淭he concern is that with the cost of living increasing, theySA国际影视传媒檙e not doing enough.SA国际影视传媒�
SA国际影视传媒淏asically, in this period of time when people are saying, SA国际影视传媒榃e canSA国际影视传媒檛 afford anything,SA国际影视传媒� (the Liberals) propose no solution,SA国际影视传媒� said Singh. SA国际影视传媒淲e forced them to double the GST rebate and put money in peopleSA国际影视传媒檚 pockets.SA国际影视传媒�
