AND I'LL CALL OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 2021 TO ORDER, AND I
[1. Councillor Silverio will read the Opening Statement.]
[00:00:06]
WILL ASK COUNCILLOR SILVERIO TO PLEASE READ THE OPENING MEDITATION.THE CITY OF YELLOWKNIFE ACKNOWLEDGES THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY FROM TIME IMMEMORIAL. IT HAS BEEN THE TRADITIONAL LAND OF THE YELLOWKNIFE DENE FIRST NATION RESPECT THE HISTORIES, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES OF ALL OTHER INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE NORTH SLAVE METIS AND ALL FIRST NATIONS MADE METIS AND INUIT, WHOSE PRESENCE CONTINUES TO ENRICH OUR VIBRANT COMMUNITY.
THANK YOU. NEXT, WE HAVE DISCLOSURE OF PECUNIARY INTEREST IN THE GENERAL NATURE THEREOF,
[2. Does any Member have a pecuniary interest in any matter before Council tonight?]
COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, IF YOU WANT TO KICK OFF.THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. YES, I'M GOING TO DECLARE FOR ITEM NUMBER FOUR AS I'M IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING THE BUILDING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT TO THE PROPERTY IN QUESTION AND THEN ITEM NUMBER SIX BECAUSE OF MY WIFE'S ROLE AT THE DEPARTMENT OF LANDS.
ANY OTHER PECUNIARY INTERESTS? SEEING NONE, SORRY, ACTUALLY, NEXT, WE HAVE SPEAKERS AND WE HAVE THREE INDIVIDUALS THAT HAVE REQUESTED TO SPEAK TONIGHT.
I'M NOT SEEING MARINA, BUT JULIE THRASHER AND PAULA BAUHAUS I AM NOT SEEING.
OK. SO I WILL BEGIN WITH MARINA, AND ALSO
[Items 3 - 5]
COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS, YOU CAN EXCUSE YOURSELF NOW.BUT MARINA, I'M SEEING THAT YOUR SOUND ISN'T WORKING.
DO YOU WANT TO GIVE IT A TEST? THERE IS A SYMBOL SHOWING THAT YOU'RE NOT CONNECTED VIA AUDIO.
AND I'M NOT SEEING THE OTHER TWO SPEAKERS.
OK, ONE OF THE OTHER SPEAKERS IS JUST TRYING TO CALL IN, SO WE WILL GIVE THAT ONE SECOND.
THANK YOU, PAULA MCKENZIE, FOR HELPING TO RESOLVE THAT ONE.
[00:05:13]
AND PAUL IS JUST DIALING.SHOULD BE CALLING IN. YOU KNOW, ONE MORE MINUTE.
I HAVE TO SAY HOW LONG? HE'S NOT ABLE TO GET ON.
UH, COUNCILLOR SILVERIO, IF YOU COULD PLEASE MOVE ITEM NUMBER FOUR.
I MOVE THAT COUNCIL APPROVE THE CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USE SPECIAL CARE FACILITY AT LOT 24, BLOCK 28165 AT 4709 50TH AVENUE FOR A DAY SHELTER TO BE OPERATED UNTIL OCTOBER 31ST, 2024 WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS.
NUMBER ONE, A REVIEW WITH THE CITY FOR ANY EXTENSION OF THE TEMPORARY USE TIME PERIOD MUST OCCUR NO LATER THAN 90 DAYS PRIOR TO THE EXPIRY OF THE PERMIT.
NUMBER TWO TIME PERIOD EXTENSION REQUESTS FOR THIS DEVELOPMENT PERMIT MUST BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY CITY COUNCIL THROUGH A PUBLIC PROCESS.
THREE, A WHEELCHAIR RAMP MUST BE INSTALLED BY NOVEMBER 15, 2021 BEFORE THE MUNICIPAL ENFORCEMENT DIVISION SHALL REMOVE THE EXISTING PARKING AND CONTROL SIGNAGE IN FRONT OF THE BUILDING ON FRANKLIN AVENUE AND ESTABLISH A LOADING ZONE FOR THE SPECIAL CARE FACILITY. NUMBER FIVE, THE JERSEY BARRIER AND LOADING ZONE MARKINGS MUST BE INSTALLED BY NOVEMBER 30TH 2021 AT THE EXPENSE OF THE [INAUDIBLE].
ALL OF THE ALTERATIONS ON CITY PROPERTY MUST BE APPROVED BY THE CITY AND NUMBER SIX PUBLIC SAFETY INVESTIGATION MUST BE ADDED ON THE EASTERN EASTERN CORNERS OF FRANKLIN AVENUE AND 48TH STREET AT THE EXPENSE OF THE DEPENDABILITY AGE AND BY APRIL 30TH, 2022 AND MUST BE REMOVED ANNUALLY FROM OCTOBER 30TH TO APRIL 30TH.
AS TO NOT IMPEDE SNOW CLEARING.
NUMBER SEVEN, BUILDING PERMITS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE PROPOSED ON SITE AND INTERIOR WORKS
[00:10:01]
AND ARE TO BE APPROVED PRIOR TO WORK BEGINNING.NUMBER EIGHT, AN APPLICATION FOR A LICENSE OF OCCUPATION MUST BE APPLIED FOR PRIOR TO THE WHEELCHAIR RAMP INSTALLATION.
THE NUMBER NINE THE [INAUDIBLE] IS TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY A CONFIRMATION DOCUMENT WHICH OUTLINES THEIR COMMITMENTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES RELATED TO THE TEMPORARY OPERATION OF THE SPECIAL CARE FACILITY AT THIS LOCATION.
THE DOCUMENT WILL INCLUDE, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING ITEMS. THAT THE APPLICANT INCLUDES A., WRITTEN COMPLAINT AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS FOR THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT, B., OUTLINED IN WRITING THE INTEGRATED INTEGRATED SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED AT THE FACILITY.
C., DESCRIPTION OF COMMUNICATION TOOLS TO BE USED BY FACILITY ADMINISTRATION.
D., OTHER ITEMS, TOOLS AND AGREEMENT TO FACILITATE COLLABORATION WITH THE SERVICE AGENCIES AND IMPORTANT COMMUNITY.
E., COMMITMENT TO INCREASE SURVEILLANCE OUTSIDE THE IMAGING FACILITY AND WITHIN THE COMMUNITY AREA.
F., COMMITMENT CONTRACT TO MAINTAIN THE PUBLIC AREAS AROUND THE SITE, INCLUDING GARBAGE AND WASTE COLLECTION, SNOW CLEARING, DAMAGE TO MUNICIPAL PROPERTY AND A COMMITMENT TO SAFE STAFFING LEVELS TO ENSURE THE ABOVE AGREEMENT TERMS ARE ADHERED TO.
HI. WHO DO WE HAVE AS THE CALLER? IS ALL ABOUT? OK, PERFECT, PAULA.
TWO SECONDS, WE WILL RENAME YOU.
OH. AND WE'RE JUST WE'LL JUST GET TO YOU IN ONE SECOND.
THANK YOU. DO WE HAVE A SECOND FOR THIS MOTION? THANK YOU, COUNCILLOR MORGAN, AND WE WILL JUST GO TO THE DELEGATIONS PERTAINING TO THIS ITEM, AND THEN ONCE THE DELEGATIONS ARE DONE, WE'LL OPEN IT UP TO COUNCIL FOR DISCUSSION.
SO PAULA, WE WILL BEGIN WITH YOU AND JUST TO LET YOU KNOW.
SO AS PER THE COUNCIL PROCEDURES BY LAW, ALL DELEGATIONS SUCH AS YOURSELF SHALL ADDRESS YOUR REMARKS DIRECTLY TO MYSELF, THE PRESIDING OFFICER, AND SHALL NOT POSE QUESTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OR ADMINISTRATION OR DEVIATE FROM THE TOPIC OF YOUR PRESENTATION.
EACH PRESENTER SHALL BE AFFORDED FIVE MINUTES TO MAKE THEIR PRESENTATION.
THE TIME ALOUD TO EACH PRESENTER MAY BE EXTENDED BY UP TO TWO MINUTES BY A SPECIAL RESOLUTION OF COUNCIL AFTER THE PERSON HAS SPOKEN.
ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL MAY THROUGH MYSELF ASK YOU OR THE CITY MANAGER RELEVANT QUESTIONS, AND NO DEBATE SHALL BE PERMITTED ON ANY DELEGATION TO COUNCIL, EITHER BETWEEN MEMBERS OR WITH AN INDIVIDUAL MAKING A DELEGATION AND WHEN PRESENTING NO PERSON SHALL SPEAK DISRESPECTFULLY OF THE CROWN, ANY MEMBER OF COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY AND SHALL NOT USE THE LANGUAGE.
THEY SHALL NOT MAKE PERSONAL REMARKS ABOUT ANY MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL, THE PUBLIC OR AN EMPLOYEE OF THE CITY.
YOU SHALL NOT REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF MEMBERS WHO HAVE VOTED A PARTICULAR OR PARTICULAR MOTION.
YOU SHALL NOT REFLECT UPON THE MOTIVES OF ADVICE GIVEN TO COUNCIL BY ADMINISTRATION.
YOU SHALL NOT REFUSE TO COMPLY WITH THE DECISION OF MYSELF REGARDING ANY INTERPRETATION OF THIS BYLAW. SO WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO YOU AND I'LL BEGIN THE CLOCK AT FIVE MINUTES. THEN AT THE END, I'LL JUST ASK YOU TO PAUSE IF NEED BE, AND THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE EXTRA TWO MINUTES, AS MENTIONED.
SO WITH THAT OVER TO YOU, PAULA? SURE, NO PROBLEM. SO I WANT TO START BY THANKING YOU GUYS FOR GIVING THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK THIS EVENING.
FIRST OF ALL, I JUST WANT TO START OFF BY SAYING THAT I'VE BEEN A RESIDENT OF YELLOWKNIFE FOR OVER 40 YEARS, AND I'VE LIVED DOWNTOWN FOR 25 YEARS OF THAT 40 YEARS, AND I'VE DEALT WITH THE HOMELESS AND THE SHELTERS AS BOTH A RESIDENCE AND A BUSINESS OWNER OVER THAT 40 YEARS. AND THIS IS REALLY CLOSE TO MY HEART BECAUSE I NOTICED THAT, I JUST RECENTLY, I'VE NOTICED.
I JUST FOUND OUT RECENTLY, ACTUALLY, THAT THIS TEMPORARY SHELTER WAS GOING TO BE PUT IN DOWN WHERE THE ON 48TH STREET ANYWAYS AND.
WELL, I WENT ON THIS, I WAS NOTIFIED BY TEXT FROM SOMEONE ELSE WONDERING IF I WAS A WELL AWARE OF WHERE I WAS GOING TO BE SITUATED.
SO I WENT ON FACEBOOK NEEDLESS TO SAY AND I WAS NOTIFIED TO ME BECAUSE YEARS BACK, I WAS INVOLVED WITH THE PLACE ACROSS THE STREET THAT WAS THE
[00:15:03]
ESCORT SERVICE.I HAD A ESCORT SERVICE ACROSS FROM MY PLACE OF BUSINESS AT THE TIME.
AND SOMEBODY HAD GOT A HOLD OF ME AND WAS WONDERING IF I WAS WELL AWARE OF THIS AS WELL.
SO ANYWAYS, I LOOKED INTO LITTLE FURTHER AND I NOTICED SOME PEOPLE ON FACEBOOK THAT WERE PART OF THIS GROUP THAT WAS BRINGING THIS PETITION UP FRONT TO YOU GUYS THIS EVENING.
ON THAT PARTICULAR FACEBOOK PAGE HAS BEEN, NOT BEEN SO NICE TO OTHER BUSINESS OWNERS HERE IN TOWN, NOT JUST AS BUSINESS OWNERS, BUT THEY'RE THEY'RE NOT BEING VERY NICE TO INDIVIDUALS AS WELL THAT ARE VOICING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT HOW THEY'RE GOING ABOUT GETTING PEOPLE TO BE ON THEIR SIDE, IF YOU WANT TO SAY IT THAT WAY.
UH, I'M ASKING YOU GUYS TO THROW THIS PETITION OUT.
I DON'T FEEL THAT EVERYBODY IS GETTING THEIR RIGHT TO SPEAK ON THE TOPIC.
I FEEL A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SCARED TO COME FORWARD BECAUSE THEY'RE BEING BULLIED, THEY'RE BEING HARASSED, THEY'RE BEING CALLED NAMES.
I JUST FOUND OUT THIS AFTERNOON BY GOING BACK TO FACEBOOK AND THE FACEBOOK WAS OFF ALL DAY TODAY. I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TONIGHT, SO I DON'T HAVE ALL THE INFORMATION REALLY AVAILABLE FOR YOU, BUT I DID DO SOME PRINTOUTS.
I ALSO FOUND OUT THAT THE INFORMATION I WANT TO GO BACK AND GET FOR YOU GUYS TONIGHT IS NO LONGER ON FACEBOOK.
SO SOMEBODY WENT IN THERE AND DELETED ALL THE INFORMATION THAT WAS, BUT I REALLY WANT TO SEE YOU GUYS TONIGHT AS WELL.
SO SOMEBODY IS OBVIOUSLY HIDING SOMETHING THEY DIDN'T WANT YOU GUYS TO SEE.
BUT I HAVE THE REST OF THE STUFF THAT I ACTUALLY SAVED AND I TOOK A PICTURE OF, YESTERDAY OR THE DAY BEFORE FOR THE INFORMATION, THEY'RE NOT PLAYING NICE.
UH, SO ANYWAY, SO I'M JUST, THESE BUSINESSES ARE CALLING PEOPLE HATERS OF THE HOMELESS, HAVE NO COMPASSION OF THE RESIDENTIAL SURVIVORS.
THEY CALL THEM UNEDUCATED, ENTITLED, WEALTHY, SO THEY CAN GET UP AND RELOCATE THEIR BUSINESS ELSEWHERE.
AND ONE WAS EVEN INSINUATED THAT PEOPLE THAT DON'T SUPPORT THE SHELTER GOING UP, THEY PUT A PICTURE OF A GRAVE SITE ON THE FACEBOOK PAGE.
THEY SAID THIS IS WHAT'S GOING TO RESULT IN WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO THEY'RE PLAYING WITH PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS AND SAYING, IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THIS HOMELESS SHELTER, YOU'RE ULTIMATELY KILLING, THEY'RE HOMELESS.
THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO END UP.
OH, I'M JUST SO, SO UPSET, AND I'M VERY UPSET THAT, YOU KNOW, BUT THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THESE PEOPLE ARE GETTING AWAY WITH THIS.
OH, I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD EVER COME DOWN TO THIS IN MY COMMUNITY AND THAT THIS IS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN.
I'M NOT RACIST, I'M NOT PREJUDICED, I'M NOT IGNORANT.
I'M NOT A HATER OF HOMELESS PEOPLE.
I LOVE A BUSINESS. I'VE SEEN A LOT OF BUSINESSES COLLAPSE IN THIS TOWN OVER THE YEARS, THE MALLS. UM, AND I CAN'T STRESS HOW MUCH THAT WE NEED TO COME TO THE OTHER END AND FIND A SOLUTION, WE'RE ALL HAPPY.
I'VE BEEN ON, I'VE BEEN TALKING TO SEVERAL PEOPLE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE GREAT IDEAS OUT THERE. AND I DON'T THINK BECAUSE I THINK BECAUSE OF THIS COVID, NOBODY'S ACTUALLY KNOW THAT WE ACTUALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK ABOUT THIS.
AND THERE'S LOT OF PEOPLE THAT WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT NOW.
THEY HAVE GREAT IDEAS OUT THERE AND IT'S GOING TO GET COLD, AND THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HEARING. BUT THAT'S WHY WE NEED TO PUT THEM TO TREAT THEM IN THE AREA DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE'RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
AND I THINK IT'S JUST A BAND-AID SOLUTION.
WE'VE GOT, LIKE I SAID, WE JUST HIT THE PAVEMENT.
WE JUST HIT THE FIVE MINUTE MARK.
DID YOU HAVE ANYTHING FURTHER YOU WANT TO ADD OR? I JUST WANT TO, I DO HAVE A LOT OF EVIDENCE THAT I PULLED IT OFF ON FACEBOOK OF ALL, ALL THE THINGS THAT WERE SAID TO THE BUSINESS OWNERS ON THAT.
AND I CAN SHOW IT TO YOU GUYS AND PRESENT THAT TO YOU IF YOU WANT IN PERSON, BECAUSE ALL THIS STUFF WAS DELETED OFF FACEBOOK.
BUT THEY WERE, YOU KNOW, DEMEANING PEOPLE AND THEIR CHARACTER AND EVERYTHING ELSE BECAUSE THEY WOULDN'T, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE AGAINST THEIR OPINION AND IT WAS REALLY BAD.
AND LIKE I SAID, I WENT BACK AND IT'S NOT THERE ANYMORE.
SO I WANT YOU GUYS TO SERIOUSLY CONSIDER WHAT THEY'RE DOING TO OUR COMMUNITY AND THIS IS JUST GOING TO COLLAPSE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY.
IF YOU GUYS GO AHEAD AND DO THIS BECAUSE IT'S THE VALUES, IT'S JUST TERRIBLE.
I'M SORRY. I JUST THIS IS A VERY PERSONAL TO ME AND MY, YELLOWKNIFE IS MY HOME, AND I
[00:20:02]
CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING.YEAH, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMING IN.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME TECHNICAL CHALLENGES AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THROUGH THEM AND TO CLARIFY, BECAUSE I KNOW EVEN OUTSIDE OF THIS ISSUE, SOMETIMES PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CREATING A PETITION TO COUNCIL AND PETITIONS ACTUALLY HAVE A LEGAL DEFINITION IN THE CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES ACT. SO PETITIONS ARE VALID IF IT HAS TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF THE VOTERS AND PETITIONS CAN ONLY BE MADE FOR, I THINK IT'S PETITIONING COUNCIL TO CREATE A BYLAW.
AND SO REALLY, MOST OF THE TIME, IT'S DEEMED CORRESPONDENCE AND IT'S A MULTI-SIGNATURE LETTER. SO THAT WOULD BE WHAT'S BEING WHAT WAS SENT IN.
SO SOMETIMES PEOPLE CHOOSE TO COPY AND PASTE AND EVERY INDIVIDUAL PERSON SEND SENDS AN EMAIL TO COUNCIL AND OTHER TIMES PEOPLE DO ONE JOINT LETTER AND EVERYBODY SIGNS AND SO IS REQUIRED UNDER THE ZONING BYLAW TO TAKE STUFF UNDER CONSIDERATION.
AND SO WE DEFINITELY HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT PEOPLE BRING FORWARD AS REASONS FOR AND AGAINST VOTING ON SOMETHING.
AND SO NOT EVERY REASON THAT SOMEBODY BRINGS FORWARD THAT'S FOR A SHELTER OR AGAINST A SHELTER IS ACTUALLY TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL WHEN WE VOTE ON IT.
SO WE DO NEED TO ALSO TALK TO OF THIS AFTERNOON BECAUSE I SAW THE LIST OF PEOPLE AND SHE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT SHE AGREED TO SOMETHING THAT WAS ACTUALLY SAID ON THE PETITION THAT WAS SENT TO THEM. SHE DIDN'T KNOW THAT THEY WERE USING THE WORDS OF RACIST PEOPLE WOULD BE RACIST AND THEY WERE GOING TO BE.
I'M TRAINING WITH THE LIST I HAVE HERE, BUT THIS IS HOW THEY PUT IT IN THE LETTER THAT PEOPLE WOULD BE IGNORANT, YOU KNOW, IT'S IGNORANT, PREJUDICED AND RACIST AND SPEAKING OUT WHEN THEY'RE AGAINST IT.
IF YOU'RE SIGNING UP AND YOU'RE AGAINST THE STIGMA AND SYSTEMIC RACISM THAT WOULD HARM THE STREET INVOLVED CITIZENS AND WANT TO GO BACK TO HER, SHE'S OFF TO GO BACK TO THAT BECAUSE I DON'T REMEMBER THAT AT ALL.
AND MAYBE I SHOULD RETRACT MY SIGNATURE ON THIS.
SO AND WHEN I WROTE THIS THIS AFTERNOON, AFTER GOING GONE ALL DAY TODAY, [INAUDIBLE] IS NOW UPDATED.
OUR PETITION THAT I'M GOING TO BE SUBMITTING THIS AFTERNOON.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? YOU'RE GOING TO UPDATE IT.
THAT'S WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH MY MIND.
LIKE, WHY? WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING? SO I JUST, YEAH, YEAH.
SO FOR RESIDENTS, THEY'LL DEFINITELY HAVE TO BE AWARE OF WHAT THEY'RE SIGNING BEFORE SUBMITTING. BUT I'LL JUST TAKE A PAUSE HERE AND ASK IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PRESENTER? SEEING NONE, THANK YOU AGAIN, PAULA, FOR COMING, AND WE WILL TRY.
MARINA, I STILL SEE THAT YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO CONNECT, AND THAT SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE NOT ABLE TO CALL IN.
JUST OPEN IT UP NOW TO DISCUSSION FROM COUNCIL.
COUNCILLOR MORGAN, DID YOU WANT TO MAKE AN AMENDMENT? YEAH, THANK YOU, WORSHIP.
SO I WOULD JUST LIKE TO MAKE A SMALL AMENDMENT TO THE MOTION, TO NUMBER NINE, SO.
NUMBER NINE SAYS THE [INAUDIBLE] IS TO SUBMIT TO THE CITY A CONFIRMATION DOCUMENT WHICH OUTLINES THEIR COMMITMENTS ET CETERA, ET CETERA.
SO JUST TO ADD BEFORE THAT BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS ISSUED.
AND THEN BEFORE THE ISSUE, THE [INAUDIBLE] IS TO SUBMIT THE CONFIRMATION DOCUMENT.
SO I'LL JUST TAKE A QUICK PAUSE BECAUSE IT SOUNDS LIKE WE'VE GOT MARINA ON THE LINE.
THIS IS A DAY OF TECHNOLOGY CHALLENGES WHILE WE'RE GETTING MARINA ON THE LINE, THOUGH, IF YOU COULD COPY AND PUT INTO THE CHAT SO THAT THE MARINA I DON'T KNOW IF I'M CONNECTED OR NOT. YES, YOU ARE, MARINA.
CAN YOU TRY SPEAKING? YEAH. CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME IN THE MEETING? YES, WE CAN. ARE YOU GUYS ABLE TO HEAR ME IN THE MEETING? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
SO GO AHEAD AND MAKE YOUR PRESENTATION.
I LIVED IN YELLOWKNIFE SINCE I WAS A BABY.
[INAUDIBLE] MY MOTHER AND MY AUNTS WERE ALL BORN HERE.
MY GRANDFATHER AND MY GRANDMOTHER USED TO LIVE ON [INAUDIBLE] HILL.
[00:25:04]
AND MY GRANDFATHER, JC, HELPED BUILD THE [INAUDIBLE].AND I WAS A GRADUATE OF A COLLEGE HERE.
HOWEVER, I CALLED ON BEHALF OF THE BUSINESS OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION, AND I MADE THAT DECISION TO CALL ON BEHALF OF THE HOMELESS POPULATION FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
AND THE MAIN REASON IS THAT MYSELF AND INDIGENOUS WOMEN IN YELLOWKNIFE EXPERIENCED HOMELESS IN THIS CITY THREE TIMES.
OF THOSE THREE TIMES AND THE WOMAN WAS EITHER PREGNANT OR WITH CHILDREN.
THE VERY FIRST TIME I WAS IN HOMELESS IN THIS CITY, I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY SON AS ONLY A TEENAGER BECAUSE I HAD AGED OUT OF FOSTER CARE.
SO I'VE BEEN HOMELESS IN THE WINTER IN THIS CITY.
I WAS PREGNANT, HAD TO SLEEP ON A NEW STAIRS IN MY FRIEND'S APARTMENT BUILDING.
AND WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY 30S, I HAD RETURNED FROM EDMONTON, ALBERTA, TO MY NEIGHBOR, HAD DIED OF A HOMICIDE AND FOUND MYSELF AGAIN HOMELESS AFTER I HAD BEEN IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP THERE.
I SAW MYSELF HOMELESS AT [INAUDIBLE] AND WE HAD TO DO OUR LAUNDRY SALVATION ARMY.
SO EVEN THOUGH I WAS LIVING IN THE BUSH, WE WOULD TRAVEL AT A TIME BECAUSE MY OLDEST CHILD THAT WAS BOTHERING ME AT THE TIME OF A SCHOOL AGE CHILD AND WE HAD TO COME INTO TOWN TO SIGN UP FOR THE SCHOOL.
AND THEN ME AND MY THREE YEAR OLD WAS CONSIDERED BEING HOMELESS, IN THE MIDDLE OF WINTER, WALKING ON THE ICE IN A DONATED SNOW GOOSE FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THEN WHAT USED TO BE ST PATRICK'S COLLEGE CHURCH.
AND THE THIRD TIME THAT I WAS HOMELESS IN THIS CITY WAS WHEN MY HOUSE WAS DESTROYED FROM BEING BROKEN INTO NOT MY CHOICE [INAUDIBLE] ME MOST OF THE TIME.
AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT ANYONE REALLY KNOWS, WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HOMELESS.
I KNOW AND I KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE HOMELESS IN THE CITY IN MINUS 40 AND MINUS 50 PREGNANT AND WITH CHILDREN IN TOW.
AND I KNOW THAT THERE'S VERY LITTLE FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS, THAT THE HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVE HOMELESS.
SO THE ONE YOU GUYS ALL SEE IS THE HOMELESS YOUTH CENTER, THE ONLY HOMELESS ACTUALLY NOT BEING HOME. THERE IS MANY, MANY TO THIS DAY INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT ARE HOMELESS. THEY'RE CALLED THE HOMELESS AT ANY POINT, AND I HEAR YOU HAVE A 3500 INDIGENOUS WOMEN AND CHILDREN THAT ARE HOMELESS IN THIS CITY IN THE WINTER.
AND EVEN THE WOMEN'S SHELTERS DO NOT HAVE THEM [INAUDIBLE] ALL THE TIME.
AND EVEN THOSE SHELTERS ONLY LET YOU STAY FOR A SMALL DURATION.
AND I KNOW A LOT OF WOMEN TODAY THAT ARE COUCH SURFING IN YELLOWKNIFE, AND WE TOOK AND THE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT NEED OUR HELP, THEY NEED THAT HELP BECAUSE THE SUPPORT IS NOT THERE FOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.
IT'S LACKING. THE TREATIES WERE NOT HONORED.
THERE WAS SOME ATTENTION IN HER LATE 90S.
MY GRANDPA IS STILL ALIVE, LIVING AT [INAUDIBLE] IN HIS 90S.
BOTH OF THEM ARE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVORS.
I HAVE A HARD TIME WHEN, EVEN ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS, BUT I NEED INDIVIDUAL INCLUSION TO COME INTO MY HOUSE ON A WEEKLY BASIS TO HELP ME BECAUSE I SUFFER FROM HEAD INJURIES FROM BEING ABUSED. I SUFFER WITH BIPOLAR AND PTSD AND ALL THAT WAS NOT SOMETHING I ANTICIPATED WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY 20S AND IN MY EARLY 20S, I GRADUATED WITH AN HONOR'S DEGREE [INAUDIBLE]. I NEVER ANTICIPATED THAT THAT'S HOW MY LIFE WOULD BE.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT AS A GRANDDAUGHTER OF CONSULTANTS OF PCL BORN IN ALBERTA, THAT I WOULD EVER HAVE TO LIVE IN THAT KIND OF POVERTY.
I NEVER THOUGHT THAT AS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE MINE RESCUE PRESIDENT AND [INAUDIBLE] AND THE CAPTAIN OF THE MINE RESCUE CREW THAT ONE YEAR, AND YEAR AFTER YEAR AND HIS NAME IS STILL ON THE TROPHY WITH THAT BUILDING UNDER REMEDIATION, WHATEVER HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS IN MY LIFE. I KNOW THAT WE ARE ON CHIEF DRYGEESE TERRITORY.
I KNOW THAT OUR TREATIES WERE NOT HONORED.
[INAUDIBLE] WHO'S AN INDIGENOUS LAWYER LIVING IN ALBERTA, THAT MEANS THESE PEOPLE, THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE THAT ARE BEING TREATED SO POORLY AND HOW MORSE
[00:30:04]
SPEAKING ON THEIR BEHALF.I KNOW THAT THEY HAVE WAY MORE RIGHTS THAN YOU GUYS WANT TO.
THESE PEOPLE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOMEBODY COULD COME FORWARD ON THEIR BEHALF AND BRING THIS TO A HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BECAUSE THIS IS ATROCIOUS, THAT THIS IS STILL HAPPENING. THESE PEOPLE ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN RAPED.
I KNOW THESE HOMELESS PEOPLE BY NAME.
ONE OF THEM, I WENT TO SCHOOL WITH HER.
HER TWIN BROTHER COMMITTED SUICIDE SO THAT HER SISTER, SHE'S SUFFERING BECAUSE OF THAT.
ANOTHER ONE, HER SISTER WAS A MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMAN AND WAS KILLED IN A TENT CONFECTIONERY BUILDING.
TODAY IS THE NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST EVER INCREASING VIOLENCE AND TO SCARE.
PEOPLE AREN'T HELPING THOSE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS AT RISK OF DYING AND BEING MURDERED.
WE ARE NOT EVEN APPROACHING THE INDIGENOUS WOMEN POPULATION THAT ARE EDUCATED.
ALL THEIR FRIENDS THAT HAVE GONE TO UNIVERSITY.
WE ARE ALWAYS IN COMPETITION WITH OTHER PEOPLE THAT COME HERE AND GET JOBS RIGHT AWAY.
AND TO THAT IN ITSELF, IT'S MUCH BIGGER THAN JUST ONE HOMELESS POPULATION.
YOU HAVE A LOT MORE HOMELESS POPULATION.
THIS IS THE PEOPLE THAT ARE HOMELESS NEED YOUR HELP.
THE [INAUDIBLE] THAT YES, THEY COULD FREEZE FOR THAT.
THEY COULD THEM, THEY COULD KILL THEMSELVES, THEY COULD DRINK THEMSELVES TO DEATH.
SO I KNOW THAT THERE ARE PEOPLE THAT DON'T WANT TO SHARE THAT SIDE OF IT, AND THEY SAY THAT WE ARE PLAYING ON PEOPLE'S EMOTIONS, BUT THAT IS VERY TRUE.
THAT IS A VERY TRUTH OF THE STATISTICS OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN CANADA.
WE ARE FILLING UP FOSTER CARES.
WE ARE FILLING UP INSTITUTIONS.
AND PEOPLE KEEP ASKING, WHY DON'T THEY JUST GET OVER, THAT'S BEEN IN A LONG TIME AGO.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN A LONG TIME AGO.
MY MOTHER AND MY AUNTIE, MY GRANDMA, MY GRANDMA, MY GREAT GRANDMA, ALL THOSE PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN MY LIFETIME.
THEY ALL EXPERIENCED THAT IN MY LIFETIME.
I WAS RAISED IN THE SOCIAL SERVICES, FOSTER CARE.
I EXPERIENCED THAT IN MY LIFETIME WHEN I WENT TO CALGARY AFTER.
THEY TRIED TO TAKE MY CHILDREN AWAY FROM ME, CALGARY.
I WENT THROUGH THAT WITH MY OWN CHILDREN.
THIS IS TIME AND TIME AND TIME AGAIN.
THIS IS A CHILD BACK EIGHT GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY DEALING WITH THIS.
WE'VE BEEN BROUGHT INTO COMMUNITIES AND WE NEED TO LIVE IN THESE HOUSES.
MY GRANDMOTHER WAS BORN IN THE BUSH, IN A HOUSE, AND SHE WAS DOING JUST FINE UNTIL PRESCHOOL, WHICH WAS TWO YEARS OLD, AND SHE LEFT THAT SCHOOL.
I KNEW THE POLICE CHILD, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO HEAR NO MORE PEOPLE TRY TO TELL ME THAT THEIR BUSINESS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAT THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN OSTRACIZED ALREADY. I AM READING A BOOK ON NELSON MANDELA, AND HE SAID THAT MAJORITY RULES IS NOT HOW THINGS GO IN THE AFRICAN COUNCIL.
AND HE WAS ABLE TO END [INAUDIBLE].
AND HE ALWAYS SAID THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE MAJORITY RULE BECAUSE IT CRUSHES THE MINORITY.
WE NEED TO BE DOING THIS FOR THAT MINORITY AND THE MINORITY ARE THE HOMELESS PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY SUFFERING AND BREATHING AND DYING EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND NOT HERE ALL ACROSS CANADA.
AND I HAVE TO SAY, OK, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING IN FOR SHARING WITH YOUR LIVED EXPERIENCE. I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HEAR FROM EVERYBODY AND APPRECIATE THAT YOU CAME TODAY OPENING IT UP TO QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL.
UM, I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE ABLE TO HEAR US, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS LEAVE THIS MEETING AND GO ON TO THE CITY'S WEB PAGE AND THERE'S A WEBCAST, SO YOU'LL BE ABLE TO WATCH AND HEAR US THERE. OKAY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SAY EXACTLY, BUT I'M GOING TO SIGN OFF AND I WILL FOLLOW UP THROUGH THE MEDIA.
THANK YOU. SO WITH THAT STORY, WE ARE OK, SO COUNCILLOR MORGAN IS MOVING JUST AN AMENDMENT TO NUMBER NINE, JUST ADDING BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS ISSUED.
SO IN THE MOTION RIGHT NOW IT SAYS THE GNWT HEALTH AND SOCIAL SERVICES IS TO SUBMIT.
[00:35:06]
AND SO THE AMENDMENT IS TO SAY BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS ISSUED.IS THERE A SECOND OR TO THE AMENDMENT? COUNCILLOR KONGE, COUNCILLOR MORGAN, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO IT? HMM. SURE.
I MEAN, I THINK THIS JUST CLARIFIES THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IS THERE.
CERTAINLY MY UNDERSTANDING THAT, YOU KNOW, THAT DHS HAS COMMITTED TO PROVIDE ALL THESE CONFIRMATIONS OF THEIR CONFLICT RESOLUTION MECHANISMS AND MITIGATION MEASURES, ET CETERA.
AND SO JUST TO MAKE IT CLEAR TO EVERYONE AND TO THE GNWT THAT WE EXPECT THOSE MEASURES TO BE LAID OUT CLEARLY BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS ISSUED JUST SO.
AND THAT IS LAID OUT BEFORE ANY OPERATIONS WOULD GET STARTED.
ANYBODY ELSE? WOULD YOU LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE AMENDMENT? I WILL SUPPORT THE AMENDMENT AS WELL, I THINK, YEAH, IT JUST PROVIDES A BIT OF CLARITY.
AND IT'S SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ADDED WHEN WE APPROVED THE CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USE AT AVON SO THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT WAS IN PLACE, THESE EXTRA CONDITIONS OR MEASURES WOULD BE TAKEN.
SO I AM SUPPORTIVE OF THE AMENDMENT.
SEEING NOTHING FURTHER ON THE AMENDMENTS, ALL IN FAVOR OF ADDING BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT AS ISSUED? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
SO OPENING IT UP, GENERAL DISCUSSION, COMMENTS AND DELIBERATION STORY ON THE MOTION AS AMENDED. COUNCILLOR KONGE? THANK YOU, WORSHIP. UM, YOU KNOW, THIS ONE CERTAINLY HAS PLAYED ON EMOTIONS, BUT WHEN WE'RE ASKED ABOUT THESE [INAUDIBLE] USES, WE ACTUALLY HAVE A SET OF THINGS THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT AS COUNCIL TO SEE WHETHER OR NOT IT COMPLIES.
YOU KNOW? WELL, IS THERE ENOUGH PARKING, WILL IT AFFECT THE NEIGHBORS? THERE'S A LIST OF THINGS THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO LOOK AT AND CONSIDER WHEN WE WHEN WE LOOK AT THESE CONDITIONS PERMITTED.
AND. YOU KNOW, FOR ME ON THIS ONE HERE, ONE OF THE BIGGEST ONES, AND I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT THIS. THE BIGGEST ONE FOR ME IS THAT WHEN YOU WHEN YOU LOOK AT HOW THE SHELTERS IN YELLOWKNIFE HAVE BEEN AND YOU EVEN THERE'S A REPORT IN 2019 THAT SAYS THAT SHELTERS, THEY SHOULD HAVE OUTDOOR SPACE.
THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION HAS NO OUTDOOR SPACE, AND THE SOLUTION THAT THE GNWT IS PROPOSING IS TO BASICALLY SHUT DOWN ONE LANE OF FRANKLIN AVENUE, AND USE THAT AS A SPOT TO PARK VANS, AMBULANCES AND FOR, I GUESS, THE SHELTER USER TO GO OUT AND DO WHATEVER THEY NEED TO DO IN THE OUTDOORS WHILE THEY'RE USING THE SHELTER.
AND I THINK THAT THAT'S I DON'T THINK THAT'S A.
MAYBE IT'S NOT A GOOD SOLUTION AT ALL.
AND PART OF THE REASON, YOU KNOW, LIKE, WE'RE IN A DIFFICULT SITUATION BECAUSE WE HAVE ANOTHER LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT THAT GOES OUT AND GETS PROPOSALS.
AND WE, AS COUNCIL, DON'T ACTUALLY GET TO SEE THOSE PROPOSALS TO DETERMINE WHICH ONE OF THE PROPOSALS WE THINK WOULD BE THE MOST, THE BEST PROPOSAL FOR YELLOWKNIFE.
WE DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CRITERIA WAS THAT WAS USED.
YOU KNOW, WE HEAR FROM THE GNWT THAT THIS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT WILL WORK.
BUT SINCE THAT HAS COME OUT, I'VE HAD SEVERAL BUSINESS OWNERS COME AND TELL ME THAT THERE ARE OTHER SOLUTIONS THAT ARE OUT THERE AND AVAILABLE.
THERE'S ONE THAT THE I THINK WE WERE ALL SENT AS COUNSEL AS WELL AS THE GNWT ON SOME CAMP SET UP THAT THEY'RE USING OUT AT THE OFF SEASON.
WINTER ROAD UP TO WATI, I THINK.
I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BETTER SOLUTION FOR EVERYBODY.
SO FOR THOSE REASONS, I'M NOT GOING TO SUPPORT IT, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO ADD THAT IF THIS FAILS TONIGHT, I WILL PUT IN ANOTHER MOTION THAT WE, AS THE CITY, WE EXTEND THE USE OF THE ARENA AS A TEMPORARY SHELTER UNTIL SUCH TIME THAT
[00:40:01]
ANOTHER SOLUTION CAN BE FOUND.IT'S CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING THAT.
LOOK, I MEAN, THAT'S. I'LL MOVE THAT, AND IF IT COMES BACK, THEN WE CAN HAVE THAT DISCUSSION. I MEAN, THERE'S IMPLICATIONS WITH EVERYTHING THAT WE SEE BEFORE US.
BUT I YEAH, ANYWAY, SO I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THIS.
AND IF IT FAILS, I WILL BE PROPOSING SOMETHING ELSE.
I DON'T THINK HE'LL BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE WE'RE AT SPECIAL COUNCIL, SO YOU CAN'T SERVE NOTICE OF MOTIONS, BUT IF IT DOES FAIL, PERHAPS ADMINISTRATION CAN.
ANY FURTHER? COUNCILLOR SMITH? THANK YOU, MADAM MAYOR. THIS IS A DIFFICULT ONE, ESPECIALLY WITH THE INFORMATION BROUGHT FORWARD BY OUR PRESENTERS.
I DEFINITELY TAKE TO HEART WITH BOTH PAULA AND MARINA HAD TO SHARE.
I AM INDIGENOUS, I'M A THIRD GENERATION FROM RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL, SO I GREW UP IN A HOME.
ALCOHOL, DRUG PROBLEMS, I HAVE SEEN WHAT IT IS TO HAVE FAMILY ON THE STREETS, I'VE SEEN THE STRUGGLE. I'VE BEEN THERE TRYING TO HELP THE STRUGGLE AS A BUSINESS OWNER DOWNTOWN.
I CAN SEE RIGHT OUT MY WINDOW THE STRUGGLE THAT'S GOING ON.
I'VE SEEN IT MY ENTIRE LIFE HERE BECAUSE I WAS BORN AND RAISED HERE, THIS IS MY HOME.
SO TO HEAR THE STRESS AND DISTRESS THAT WAS COMING FROM PAULA.
IT BOGGLES THE MIND TO KNOW THAT THIS IS DIVIDING OUR COMMUNITY WHERE PEOPLE THINK IT IS NOW OK TO START BULLYING ONE ANOTHER AND SAYING SUCH HURTFUL THINGS BECAUSE AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE A COMMUNITY.
I KNOW FOR MYSELF, I WON'T BE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
AND IT'S NOT BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HELP OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION.
IT'S NOT BECAUSE I HATE ANYONE.
IT'S BECAUSE I FEEL IN MY BONES THAT THIS IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION.
I AM FIGHTING FOR MY PEOPLE, FOR OUR PEOPLE.
I DON'T WANT US TO TAKE THE FIRST HANDOUT AS WE HAVE FOR MANY YEARS THINKING THAT THIS WILL BE THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT WILL COME TOWARDS US.
THIS IS THE END OF THE ROAD, THE LAST CHANCE.
IT'S NOT. AS COUNCILLOR KONGE HAD INDICATED, THERE ARE SO MANY BUSINESSES OUT THERE THAT HAVE REACHED OUT.
THERE HAVE BEEN SOLUTIONS BROUGHT FORWARD, AND NOT EVERY STONE HAS BEEN TURNED, AS HAD BEEN INDICATED BY THE GNWT.
THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN VERY FEW.
AND THAT IN ITSELF IS VERY DISTRESSING TO KNOW THAT WE'VE BEEN GIVEN ONE PART OF THE STORY. AND SO HAS THE PUBLIC, BUT THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
SO I WON'T BE IN FAVOR OF THIS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE IS A BETTER SOLUTION OUT THERE FOR OUR VULNERABLE POPULATION, SOMETHING THAT WILL ALLOW THEM TO THRIVE.
FOR OUR DOWNTOWN TO THRIVE, BECAUSE WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE WORKING TOGETHER.
AND THAT'S WHAT I'M FIGHTING FOR.
SO IN ME NOT SUPPORTING THIS, IT'S BECAUSE I'M FIGHTING FOR SOMETHING BETTER FOR ALL OF US. THANK YOU.
THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? COUNCILLOR PAYNE AND THEN COUNCILLOR MORSE.
THIS HAS BEEN A TOUGH LAST COUPLE OF DAYS SEEING THE HAPPENINGS ON FACEBOOK AND SEE THE HAPPENINGS IN THE NEWS, AND IT'S NOT A GOOD FEELING TO FEEL LIKE THIS, AND, YOU KNOW, I WANT TO FIND A PLACE FOR THE UNDER HOUSED PEOPLE IN YELLOWKNIFE.
MY THOUGHT ON THIS IS THAT, HAVING THIS AS A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT IS A PRETTY LONG TIME FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES TO TRY TO WADE IN THAT WATER LIKE WE CAN'T WEATHER THE STORM FOR THAT LONG. THIS WAS AN EIGHT MONTH PERIOD.
LIKE THE LAST ONE, I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEM SUPPORTING IT AND GIVING THE GNWT LOTS OF TIME
[00:45:05]
TO START EARLY.LOOKING FOR THIS AND NOT NOT HAVE IT HAPPENING AT THE LAST MINUTE? YOU KNOW, IT'S A LIKE, NIELS HAS SAID.
THERE'S NO ROOM OUTSIDE FOR HANGING OUT.
THERE'S NO, THE OPTIONS THAT ARE BROUGHT FORWARD FOR THIS BUILDING, LIKE THE WHEELCHAIR RAMP IN THE BACK. IT JUST DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S A GREAT OPTION.
I MEAN, WE GOT TRAFFIC GOING ALL WAYS AND IT'S A DIRECT LINK TO THE HIGHWAY.
I THINK THAT'S GOING TO BE PROBLEMATIC.
I THINK THAT SOMEBODY WOULD EVENTUALLY GET VERY SERIOUSLY HURT.
WHETHER IT'S THE USERS OF THE CENTER OR PEDESTRIANS IN THAT AREA.
SO FOR THESE REASONS, I WON'T BE SUPPORTING THIS RECOMMENDATION, AND LIKE STACI, I THINK THAT THERE'S SOME BETTER OPTIONS OUT THERE AND I'M HOPING THAT WE'LL LOOK AT THE OPTION OF THE MODULAR UNITS.
BECAUSE I THINK I THINK IT WOULD BE A LOT BETTER, AND I KNOW WE'RE GOING TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING, I KNOW THAT WE'LL FIND SOMETHING, BUT RIGHT NOW AT THIS POINT, I WON'T BE ABLE TO SUPPORT THIS.
I HAVE COUNCILLOR MORGAN AND COUNCILLOR MORSE.
THANK YOU, WORSHIP. AND SO I THINK WE NEED TO JUST STEP BACK HERE AND REMEMBER HOW WE GOT HERE.
AND REMEMBER OUR ROLE IN THAT.
BUILDING THIS SHELTER, WE'RE NOT PROPOSING IT.
IT'S NOT OUR STAFF EVEN, AND IT'S NOT OUR COUNCIL THAT IS OUT, YOU KNOW, LOOKING AT VARIOUS OPTIONS.
YOU KNOW, TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THE LOGISTICAL DETAILS AND IMPLICATIONS AND WEIGH COSTS, THAT'S THAT'S ACTUALLY NOT THAT'S NOT OUR JOB, AND EVEN IF WE WANTED TO HELP AND DO THOSE THINGS, WE'RE NOT LIKE THE THE GINA BEAUTY FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE ARE THE ONES THAT ARE GOING TO RUN THE STATE SHELTER.
THERE'S NO ONE ELSE. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ESSENTIAL SERVICE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
IT'S AN URGENT SERVICE THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN SOON, AND THE GENE BEAUTY IS THE ONLY ONE THAT CAN GET THIS UP AND RUNNING.
THAT'S THE SITUATION WE'RE IN.
AND SO I KNOW THAT THERE'S, SOMETIMES THERE CAN BE DISTRUST AND, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE FACED WITH, YOU KNOW, DIFFICULT OPTIONS OR OPTIONS THAT ARE NOT IDEAL, WE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN IDEAL OPTION OUT THERE.
WE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT THERE'S AN OPTION THAT WILL MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY.
WE WANT TO BELIEVE THAT, YOU KNOW, IF IT WAS US DOING IT OR IF YOU KNOW THE GNWT COULD DO BETTER, THAT WE COULD DO BETTER, BUT THAT'S NOT THE POSITION WE'RE IN.
WE, YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STAFF UP THERE IN [INAUDIBLE] WHO ARE SPENDING SIGNIFICANT PORTIONS OF EVERY DAY DURING THEIR WORKING HOURS THAT HAVE EXPERTISE IN THIS WHO HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR PLACES.
AND AS WE ALL KNOW, THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON OVER SEVERAL YEARS TO FIND TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS UNTIL THEY GET THEIR PERMANENT WELLNESS AND RECOVERY CENTER UP AND RUNNING, WHICH, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TOLD THAT HOPEFULLY IN A MAXIMUM OF THREE YEARS FROM NOW, THAT WOULD BE UP AND RUNNING. SO WE DON'T ACTUALLY NEED TO FIND THE PERFECT SOLUTION RIGHT NOW.
WE NEED TO FIND A GOOD ENOUGH SOLUTION TO GET US THROUGH THE NEXT THREE YEARS.
AND YOU KNOW, WE KNOW THIS SUMMER, THE GNWT PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION BUSINESSES WERE INVITED TO PRESENT OPTIONS.
SO. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR A LONG TIME OVER THE PAST YEAR, AT LEAST, I KNOW THAT THERE HAS BEEN, THEY'VE BEEN EXAMINING THE MODULAR OPTIONS, TEMPORARY SHELTER SOLUTIONS.
THIS IS NOT A NEW IDEA THAT'S JUST COME FORWARD THAT COULD BE THE PERFECT THING, BUT NO ONE'S THOUGHT OF IT. THIS HAS BEEN EXAMINED OVER THE YEARS.
OBVIOUSLY, WE'RE NOT THE ONES WHO ARE THE EXPERTS IN CHARGE OF DECIDING, BUT IT'S WHAT IS BEFORE US, IS THAT? THIS IS. WHAT COULD GET UP AND RUNNING THE QUICKEST AND EASIEST?
[00:50:04]
AND IN MY MIND, IT IS THE BEST, MOST REASONABLE SOLUTION THAT COULD HELP US ENSURE THAT THIS URGENT SERVICE, THIS ESSENTIAL SERVICE JUST GETS UP AND RUNNING FOR THE NEXT LITTLE WHILE. AND, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S A COMPLEX PROBLEM.THIS ISN'T GOING TO SOLVE THE ENTIRE PROBLEM THAT FACES PEOPLE WHO ARE HANGING OUT ON THE STREETS DOWNTOWN.
MARINA DESCRIBE TO US SOME OF THE, YOU KNOW, HUGE RANGE OF CAUSES THAT HAVE LED US TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND THE HUGE RANGE OF ISSUES THAT PEOPLE FACE IN THEIR LIVES.
YOU JUST GAVE A FEW EXAMPLES FROM HER OWN LIFE AND HER FAMILY'S LIVES.
SO OBVIOUSLY IT'S A VERY COMPLEX PROBLEM.
BUT WE CAN HELP JUST EASE PEOPLE'S SUFFERING, GET PEOPLE THROUGH ANOTHER DAY.
WITH A SAFE PLACE TO GO THAT CAN GET THEM MOVING FORWARD A BIT IN THEIR LIVES.
AND MEANWHILE, OBVIOUSLY OTHER SUPPORTS NEED TO BE IN PLACE, AND MOST OF THOSE SUPPORTS LIE WITH THE GNWT.
SO, DEFINITELY, WE HAVE TO SORT OF LOOK AT THE BIGGER PICTURE, WEIGH THE RISKS INVOLVED.
AND WE HAVE HEARD FROM BUSINESS OWNERS RESIDENTS THAT THEY'RE CONCERNED ABOUT SOME OF THE RISKS. YOU KNOW, YOU GUYS ARE TALKING ABOUT OTHER RISKS LIKE TRAFFIC.
ARE PEOPLE CONGREGATING OUT IN FRONT? CERTAINLY THOSE ARE RISKS, BUT I THINK WE ALSO HAVE TO LOOK AT, OK, WHAT IS THE RISK OF DELAYING THIS IF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE SOMEWHERE TO GO, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE THE RISKS OF BEING HARMED OUT ON THE STREET, FREEZING ALL THE THINGS? AND I THINK, AND LOOK AT WHAT WE COULD DO TO MAKE THOSE RISKS LOWER AND WHAT THE GNWT HAS PROPOSED, AND WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR MOTION, IS A LIST OF THINGS THAT CAN REDUCE THE RISKS AND CONCERNS THAT BUSINESSES DOWNTOWN HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
I THINK THERE'S ACTUALLY A GOOD CHANCE THAT HAVING THIS.
SECOND SHELTER OPERATING DOWNTOWN IN THIS LOCATION COULD ACTUALLY MAKE THE SITUATION BETTER DOWNTOWN BECAUSE WE ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE HANGING OUT IN THIS PARTICULAR AREA.
THERE'S ALREADY EXISTING PROBLEMS FOR THE BUSINESSES IN THAT AREA AND THIS MEANS THAT THEY'LL BE STAFF THERE DOING PATROLS.
ACTIVELY DOING CONFLICT RESOLUTION, BRINGING PEOPLE INSIDE, BRINGING PEOPLE INTO PROGRAMING, HAVING THE SECOND SHELTER HELPS SPREAD PEOPLE OUT WHERE SOME PEOPLE MIGHT GO TO THE MAIN DAY SHELTER, SOBERING CENTER.
OTHERS COULD GO HERE. THIS SPREADS PEOPLE OUT IF PEOPLE ARE HAVING CONFLICT WITH EACH OTHER, GIVES THEM AN ALTERNATE PLACE TO GO.
I THINK THERE'S LOTS OF REASONS TO HOPE THAT THIS COULD MAKE DOWNTOWN BETTER FOR EVERYONE. SO WE HAVE SOMETHING IN FRONT OF US.
WE HAVE AN OPTION THAT IS TANGIBLE, THAT IS REAL, THAT CAN GET UP AND RUNNING SOON.
INSTEAD OF HOPING FOR SOMETHING BETTER THAT WE HAVEN'T SEEN OUTLINED YET, WE HAVEN'T YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S POSSIBLE WE HAVEN'T COSTED OUT.
I THINK WE JUST NEED TO GRAB ON TO THE SOLUTION THAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US, WHICH I BELIEVE IS IS GOOD ENOUGH AND WHEN WHEN ALL THE DIFFERENT ASPECTS ARE WEIGHED.
THE RISK OF NOT DOING IT IS MUCH GREATER THAN THAN THE RISKS OF GOING AHEAD WITH A SHELTER IN THIS LOCATION, SO I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
THANK YOU. I HAVE COUNCILLOR MORSE AND COUNCILLOR SILVERIO.
[INAUDIBLE] PRETTY EXTENSIVELY TO THIS DURING OUR GPC MEETING WHERE WE CONSIDERED IT.
AND I DON'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT NEW TO SAY, I WISH I HAD PREPARED A STATEMENT I WASN'T WASN'T SURE WHERE THIS WAS GOING TO GO IN TERMS OF WHERE PEOPLE WOULD LEAN ON THEIR VOTES. UM, I DID WANT TO SAY, PAULA, STILL LISTENING.
I'M SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE ABUSE YOU RECEIVED ONLINE FROM A SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY. IT IS REALLY UNFORTUNATE TO SEE CONVERSATIONS GET HEATED AND ALWAYS SEEMS TO HAPPEN ONLINE. THERE'S ONE THING I CAN SOMEWHAT REASSURE YOU ABOUT AS A SEASONED POLITICIAN IS THAT IT'S ALWAYS AN EXTREME MINORITY OF PEOPLE WHO TURN THAT WAY AND MAKE
[00:55:02]
COMMENTS LIKE THAT. AND I THINK MOST PEOPLE IN THIS COMMUNITY CARE ABOUT EACH OTHER.MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT PEOPLE TAKE POSITIONS ON THINGS, AND I THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE ARE REASONABLE AND CONSIDERATE IN THE COMMENTS.
I'M SORRY THAT YOU'VE HAD TO SEE THAT, BUT I CAN REASSURE YOU THAT IT'S A MINORITY OF PEOPLE THAT ARE DOING IT. BUT OF COURSE, I DON'T SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF EITHER.
I SAID IN THE GPC MEETING, AND I THINK IT IS WORTH REPEATING THAT THIS HAS NEVER BEEN A DIFFICULT DECISION FOR ME.
IT'S VERY EASY FOR ME TO DETERMINE WHAT THE RIGHT DECISION IS HERE.
WE HAVE A VULNERABLE POPULATION.
I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO A WHOLE SPEECH ABOUT IT, BUT I AM A PERSON IN THIS COMMUNITY WHO LIVES WITH A LOT OF PRIVILEGE.
AND I THINK THAT IT IS MY MORAL OBLIGATION BEING IN THE POSITION THAT I HAVE GOTTEN MYSELF INTO ON COUNCIL TO MAKE DECISIONS TO PROTECT THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, PEOPLE WHO ARE LEAST ABLE TO EXERCISE THEIR POWER.
I THINK THAT WE DO HAVE AN OBLIGATION TO MAKE DECISIONS ON THEIR BEHALF.
WHEN WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BUSINESSES AND SOME IMPACTS THAT COULD HAPPEN TO BUSINESSES, I JUST THINK THAT THAT IS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING THE SAME CATEGORY OF CONCERN AS RISK TO LIFE AND LIMB. FROM BEING LOCKED OUT IN THE COLD IN A CITY WHERE TEMPERATURES REGULARLY DIP BELOW MINUS 40.
FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND ADDICTIONS, IT'S, THEY'RE JUST NOT THE SAME CATEGORY OF CONCERNS.
SO FOR ME, I THINK I HAVE TO LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO ARE MOST AT RISK HERE, AND THAT'S THE POPULATION THAT'S BEING SERVED BY THIS SHELTER.
AND SO I WILL PRIORITIZE THEIR NEEDS OVER BUSINESSES EVERY SINGLE TIME.
THAT'S JUST I BELIEVE THAT THAT IS A MORAL IMPERATIVE FOR ME TO DO.
THE OTHER THING THAT I DO WANT TO SAY ABOUT THAT, THOUGH, ALL OF THAT SAID, IS THAT WE'VE HAD SUCCESSFUL BUSINESSES NEXT TO SHELTERS IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR A LONG TIME.
LIKE I REGULARLY PATRONIZE BIRCHWOOD COFFEE HOUSE, WHICH HAD A SHELTER NEXT TO IT FOR QUITE A LONG TIME WHEN IT OPENED UP.
I'VE ALWAYS ENJOYED GOING TO THAT BUSINESS.
THE FACT THAT THERE'S A SHELTER THERE DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING FOR ME.
AND I THINK IT'S ALSO WORTH NOTING THAT, YOU KNOW, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A POPULATION OF PEOPLE WHO ARE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY ARE FREE TO MOVE THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY, AND A SHELTER MAY BE A PLACE WHERE PEOPLE CONGREGATE, BUT PEOPLE CONGREGATE IN LOTS OF AREAS IN THE CITY. AND SO PEOPLE WHO LIVE HERE ARE GOING TO WITNESS PEOPLE EXPERIENCING ADDICTIONS. THEY'RE GOING TO WITNESS PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD SEVERE TRAUMA AND THE SYMPTOMS OF THAT ON A DAILY BASIS, WALKING AROUND IN DOWNTOWN YELLOWKNIFE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS FOR VERY MANY YEARS AND IT'S BEEN AN ISSUE IN YELLOWKNIFE AS LONG AS I'VE LIVED HERE SINCE I WAS A KID.
AND IT'S NOT A PROBLEM THAT IS GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON, AND IT'S CERTAINLY NOT GOING TO GO AWAY ANY FASTER.
AND WHEN I SAY A PROBLEM, I DON'T MEAN THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES, I MEAN THE THE PROBLEMS THAT THEY ARE SUFFERING WITH.
THESE PROBLEMS DON'T GO AWAY QUICKLY.
THIS IS AN INTERGENERATIONAL ISSUE, IT TAKES DECADES TO HEAL THESE KINDS OF WOUNDS AND IT TAKES A COMMUNITY SURROUNDING THEM WITH WITH LOVE AND SUPPORT AND DOING THINGS LIKE APPROVING SHELTERS IN A PLACE THAT MIGHT BE A LITTLE BIT UNCOMFORTABLE AND ENSURING THAT WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO HELP SUPPORT PEOPLE AND HELP HEAL TRAUMA AND HELP JUST PEOPLE SURVIVE, FOR GOODNESS SAKES.
AND SO, SORRY, THE POINT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE IS THAT THE ISSUE WILL NOT GET BETTER IF WE DON'T PUT THESE KINDS OF SOLUTIONS IN PLACE AND WE CAN SIT AROUND DEBATING.
I FEEL LIKE RIGHT NOW, WHAT I SEE HAPPENING IS A BIT OF A GOLDILOCKS SYNDROME WHERE WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE PERFECT SOLUTION.
MAYBE THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS SLIGHTLY BETTER THAT THE GNWT COULD DO, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE, EMBARRASSING, PROBLEMATIC AND JUST UNTENABLE FOR ME TO SEE COUNCIL STAND IN THE WAY OF A SOLUTION IF IT ENDS UP BEING THE ONLY SOLUTION THAT
[01:00:05]
DOES WORK OUT. AND THREE OR FOUR MONTHS FROM NOW, WE'RE LOOKING AT EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER AND A SOLUTION ISN'T IN PLACE.I CAN'T SIT HERE AND WATCH THAT HAPPEN AND CERTAINLY CAN'T BE THE DECISION MAKER THAT SETS THAT BALL IN MOTION.
I'D MUCH RATHER BE PERMISSIVE, COLLABORATIVE WITH OUR COLLEAGUES AT GNWT TO BE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COME TO US ASKING FOR HELP.
AND LIKE I SAID AT THE GPC MEETING, I THINK IF COUNCIL DOES REJECT THIS, IT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IN THE COMMUNITY.
IT'S GOING TO MEAN COUNCIL TRIED TO STAND IN THE WAY OF IT AND GNWT MAY JUST ENACT THE EMERGENCY MEASURES, WE'RE A LOWER ORDER OF GOVERNMENT, THEY HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT.
THEY MAY DECIDE THAT IT'S IMPERATIVE FOR THEM TO DO IT, AND SO BE IT IF THEY DO.
BUT. I JUST CAN'T, I CAN'T MAKE A DECISION THAT COULD POTENTIALLY STAND IN THE WAY OF A SHELTER LIKE THIS BEING PUT IN PLACE.
I DON'T THINK THAT THE SHELTER WOULD NECESSARILY BE A BUSINESS KILLER, I CAN TELL YOU THAT I PERSONALLY AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE SIGNED A PETITION SUPPORTING BUSINESSES THAT SUPPORT THESE KINDS OF THINGS.
I WILL PATRONIZE THOSE BUSINESSES THEMSELVES, MYSELF.
AND I WOULD PERSONALLY ACTUALLY MAKE A POINT OF PATRONIZING THE BUSINESSES NEAR THE SHELTER JUST TO PROVE MY OWN WORDS THAT IT DOESN'T STOP ME FROM WALKING IN THE DOOR OF YOUR BUSINESS, IF THERE'S A SHELTER NEXT NEXT DOOR.
LIKE, I CARE ABOUT LOCAL BUSINESSES IN THIS TOWN AND I MAKE A POINT OF PATRONIZING THEM, IT'S A LOT EASIER TO JUST BUY STUFF OUT OF AMAZON, AND I MAKE A POINT OF NOT DOING THAT.
I ALSO JUST THINK AS A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO NORMALIZE THINGS LIKE SHELTERS, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US AS A COMMUNITY TO COME TOGETHER AND SUPPORT IT AND SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AROUND IT, SUPPORT THE IDEA OF HELPING AGENCIES BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE SOLUTION COMES FROM.
IF WE TURN OUR BACKS ON THESE PEOPLE AND THESE ISSUES, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO GO AWAY.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE SLEEPING IN VESTIBULES OF BUSINESSES.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE EVERYWHERE IN THE COMMUNITY, AS THEY ALWAYS HAVE BEEN, AND SO WE CAN HELP OR WE CAN TRY AND TURN AROUND.
AND I THINK THAT THIS COUNCIL AND I THINK THAT MOST POLITICIANS IN THIS TOWN, I THINK THE COMMUNITY IN GENERAL, THE CONVERSATION HAS GONE TOWARDS HELPING.
PEOPLE, WHEN I FIRST RAN IN 2015, THE BIG TOPIC OF CONVERSATION WAS HOUSING FIRST.
THE CITY HAS DONE A LOT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH GNWT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH HOUSING FIRST.
I THINK PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN, GENERALLY SPEAKING, HAVE VOTED VERY MUCH IN FAVOR OF THE SOLUTIONS THAT HELP. AND SO I BELIEVE THAT A MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN THIS TOWN DO WANT TO SEE THE SHELTER APPROVED AND DO RECOGNIZE THAT IT MAY NOT BE PERFECT, BUT AT LEAST IT'S A SOLUTION. AND SO I REALLY DO THINK THAT THAT'S THE PERSPECTIVE THAT I WANT TO BRING TO THE TABLE. UM, I THINK THAT SHELTERS ARE ULTIMATELY GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY, AND I THINK THEY'RE GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY LONG TERM, AND I'M VERY EXCITED THAT IT IS MOVING FORWARD WITH A PURPOSE BUILT BUILDING, HOPEFULLY EARLIER THAN 2024.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE ATTENDED THE THE OPEN HOUSE THAT THEY HAD THE OTHER NIGHT, BUT THEY DID SAY THAT THEY ARE GOING TO TRY AND MEDIATE THAT PROCESS.
SO WE MAY ACTUALLY SEE A PERMANENT SOLUTION SOONER THAN 2024 AND I WOULD ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT THAT AND LOVE TO SEE IT.
AND EVEN IF WE APPROVE THIS, PERHAPS GNWT HAS A BETTER SOLUTION IN THEIR BACK POCKET.
BUT FOR ME, I DON'T WANT TO TAKE THAT GAMBLE AND VOTE AGAINST THIS NOW JUST IN CASE.
I'VE SEEN HOW THAT GOES AND WE SAW IT.
LAST YEAR, COUNCIL VOTED DOWN THE MINE RESCUE BUILDING CAME BACK WITH ANOTHER LAST MINUTE OPTION. AS IT TURNED OUT, THAT OPTION WAS EVEN LESS DESIRABLE FOR THE COMMUNITY.
SO WE ENDED UP AT THE END OF THE DAY BACK IN THE MINE RESCUE BUILDING.
AND SO I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND MY COLLEAGUES OF THAT TOO THAT WE, IN THE GOLDILOCKS THING, TRIED TO COME UP WITH A BETTER SOLUTION, AND AT THE END OF THE DAY ENDED UP WITH THE SOLUTION THAT WE HAD IN THE FIRST PLACE.
AND IN THE MEANTIME, PEOPLE WERE LEFT OUT IN THE COLD.
SO I REALLY WOULD ENCOURAGE COLLEAGUES TO VOTE IN FAVOR OF THIS.
I'M HAPPY TO STAND UP FOR THAT DECISION.
IF BUSINESS OWNERS HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT, I WOULD LOVE FOR THEM TO REACH OUT TO ME AND TALK TO ME ABOUT IT, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO PATRONIZING THEIR BUSINESS MYSELF.
I THINK THAT'S ABOUT ALL I CAN SAY ABOUT THE ISSUE, BUT I REALLY DO BELIEVE THAT THE RIGHT DECISION IS TO SUPPORT THIS AND TO SUPPORT THE CONCEPT OF SHELTERS IN GENERAL IN OUR COMMUNITY. I DO THINK THAT THEY ARE OVERALL A GOOD.
I THINK THAT WE HAVE MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS AS A COMMUNITY ON THESE KINDS OF ISSUES, AND I REALLY DON'T WANT TO SEE US TAKE ANY STEPS BACK.
[01:05:02]
I WANT US TO KEEP MOVING TOWARDS MORE HELP BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THAT WILL HELP.WE MAY NOT AND I THINK I WANTED TO POINT OUT TO THAT.
YOU KNOW, AS I SAID EARLIER IN MY COMMENTS.
THESE ARE INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA RELATED ISSUES, THESE ARE NOT ISSUES THAT GO AWAY.
THE DAY YOU BUILD A SHELTER, IT TAKES GENERATIONS SO PEOPLE MAY SEE SHELTERS GO UP AND SAY, HEY, WAIT A SECOND, I'M STILL SEEING PEOPLE WITH ADDICTIONS ON THE STREETS.
WELL, THAT WILL HAPPEN FOR MANY, MANY YEARS FOLLOWING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF SHELTERS.
WE'RE ONLY TAKING A FIRST FEW STEPS HERE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME GROWING PAINS WITH IT, BUT I DEEPLY BELIEVE THAT IF WE STAY ON THIS PATH AND COMMIT TO IT AND INVEST IN IT.
THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE WILL BE POSITIVE RESULTS.
I WOULD LOVE TO IN MY LIFETIME, I THINK IT WILL BE A BIT LATER IN MY LIFETIME, BUT I WOULD LOVE TO WALK DOWN THE STREETS OF YELLOWKNIFE AND SEE A NOTABLE IMPROVEMENT IN ADDICTIONS ISSUES, PEOPLE HAPPIER WORKING, HAVING HEALED TRAUMA.
AND THAT IS GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF TIME, AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF CARE FROM THE COMMUNITY AND IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF INVESTMENT.
I, FOR ONE, AM COMMITTED TO THAT INVESTMENT.
THANK YOU. THOSE ARE MY COMMENTS.
COUNCILLOR SILVERIO? THANK YOU, YOUR WORSHIP.
MAYBE THIS IS ONE OF THE HARDEST THINGS THAT I WILL BE DECIDING THROUGHOUT MY POLITICAL CAREER. YOU KNOW, AS A BUSINESS OWNER AND AN IMMIGRANT THAT CAME HERE THAT SUPPORTS FAMILY WAY BACK IN THE PHILIPPINES.
AND THEN, YOU KNOW, I SAY HEALTH CARE WORKER THAT DEALS WITH ALL THESE KIND OF PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL AND IN THE CLINIC.
I FELT LIKE I'M GOING TO THINK SOME ANALOGY HERE.
I FELT LIKE I'M GOING TO A FAMILY THAT'S HAVING A DIVORCE PROCESS WHERE, YOU KNOW, JUST ONE PARENT HERE AND ONE PARENT HERE, AND THEY DO HAVE GOOD REASONS WHY, BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, IT'S THE CHILDREN WHO WILL SUFFER.
AND TO ME, IN RETURN, IT WOULD BE THE PEOPLE OF YELLOWKNIFE WILL HAVE TO SUFFER THIS.
BUT AS A PARENT, I WOULD LIKE TO SEE MY CHILD TO BE CARED FOR WELL, ALTHOUGH THE SCHOOL SACRIFICES ALONG THE WAY.
TO ME, WHEN THEY PRESENTED THIS ISSUE IN THE TABLE, IT FELT LIKE IT'S THE SAME PRESENTATION THAT WAS PRESENTED IN THE PAST, LIKE LAST YEAR THAT THEY PRESENTED.
I HOPE THAT GNWT ACTUALLY DID THEIR BEST TO FIND A SOLUTION, AS SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ECHOED THAT THERE'S FEW MORE BUSINESS OWNERS THAT ARE ACTUALLY SAYING THAT THERE'S BE A BETTER WAY. I KNOW THAT FOR THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY, I THINK THEY DESERVE BETTER AND BEST.
I DON'T WANT TO HAVE ANY BAND-AID SOLUTION THIS YEAR IN YEAR, ELECTION AFTER ELECTION.
YOU KNOW, IT'S ALWAYS THIS ITEM IN THE DEBATE, LIKE HOMELESSNESS.
HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS? AND I ACTUALLY HOPE THAT WE CAN ACTUALLY FIND A SOLUTION.
THE ONLY THING THAT THE QUESTIONS IN MY MIND GNWT WERE SAYING THAT THEY WILL BE HOPING TO GET A PERMANENT WELLNESS AND RECOVERY CENTER IN 2024.
AND, YOU KNOW, TO THINK OF THE LIFE OF THIS ASSEMBLY IS ONLY UNTIL 2023.
SO I WAS JUST TRYING TO CONVINCE MYSELF THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT WOULD BE THE ASSURANCE THAT, YOU KNOW, THEY ACTUALLY GOING TO DO THIS AFTER 2023? YOU KNOW, WHEN WE HAVE NEW LEADERS, IT'S GOING TO BE A NEW PRIORITIES, AND I'M JUST AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE GOING TO A WAYSIDE AGAIN.
I KNOW A STATE BY ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES THAT, YOU KNOW, I MEAN, THEY CAN DECLARE A STATE OF EMERGENCY AGAIN IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS.
BUT TO ME, I JUST WANT TO SEND A MESSAGE THAT THE GNWT, I'M NOT REALLY HAPPY WHAT THEY PRESENTED. I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS MOTION, SO I WOULD LIKE TO SAY BETTER.
AND I JUST WANT TO ECHO MY PLACE, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE INSENSITIVE TO THE PEOPLE OF THE MOST VULNERABLE PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE ALWAYS DEAR TO MY HEART, BUT I THINK THEY DESERVE BETTER AND BEST.
AND AS I SAID, I'M NOT SUPPORTING THE MOTION.
THANK YOU. AND SO FOR MYSELF, DURING MY TIME ON COUNCIL TWO OF THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS
[01:10:05]
THAT COME IN FRONT OF COUNCIL ARE DECISION POINTS AROUND THE ZONING BYLAW AND THE ANNUAL BUDGET. AS I MENTIONED WHEN WE VOTED ON THE CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USE OF HAVENS OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS, COUNCIL'S HAD TO WEIGH IN ON 26 AND NOW GOING ON 27 APPLICATIONS FOR CONDITIONALLY PERMITTED USE.THEY'RE TRICKY DISCUSSIONS BECAUSE IT CAN DRIFT INTO ALL SORTS OF AREAS THAT MAY NOT BE RELEVANT TO THE ISSUE AT HAND.
FOR THIS ONE LOCATION HAS BEEN A CENTRAL DISCUSSION POINT.
ON ONE HAND, YES, WE'RE MEANT TO DETERMINE WHETHER A SPECIAL CARE FACILITY IS AN APPROPRIATE USE OF THIS LOCATION.
HOWEVER, WE TEND TO GET INTO A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHETHER THERE'S A BETTER LOCATION, AND THAT'S WHY I THINK WE STRAYED AND DON'T CONSIDER THIS APPLICATION LIKE OTHER APPLICATIONS. FOR EXAMPLE, IN JANUARY, WHEN WE WERE DECIDING WHETHER TO ALLOW FOOD AND DRINK ON THE. GAS TOWN LOT OR THE SUN DOG TRADING POST, WE DIDN'T STOP AND ASK IF THERE WAS A BETTER LOCATION ON OLD AIRPORT ROAD FOR GRILL OR WHETHER THERE WAS A BETTER LOCATION ON LEATHAM ISLAND FOR COFFEE AND DESSERT SHOP.
WE ISOLATED THE APPLICATIONS AND FOCUSED ON THE DECISION IN FRONT OF US, WHICH WAS WHETHER FOOD AND DRINK WOULD BE AN ACCEPTABLE USE ON THOSE LOTS.
SO ALTHOUGH I DO THINK THAT SETTING UP MODULAR ON THE OLD VISITOR CENTER LOT OR ON THE STANTON CAMPUS WOULD BE GOOD.
I DON'T THINK THAT SHOULD WEIGH INTO MY DECISION TODAY, SINCE I DIDN'T STOP UNTIL THE EVENTS THAT EIGHT X MIGHT BE BETTER FOR SENIORS OR AN INTEL GAS TOWN THAT MAYBE A LOT EX WOULD SELL MORE ICE CREAM CAKES.
AND I KNOW THAT'S TOUGH FOR FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND BECAUSE EVEN I WAS THINKING THAT WAY, SOMETIMES OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.
WELL, THIS LOT ISN'T THE GREATEST THAT YOU SHOULD REALLY CHANGE THEIR PROGRAM AND GO THERE. BUT MY DECISION TODAY HAS TO FOCUS ON THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IN FRONT OF US AT THIS CIVIC ADDRESS.
OTHER POINTS, PEOPLE HAVE RAISED CONCERNS AND REASONS FOR SUPPORT THAT ARE OUTSIDE OF WHAT COUNCIL SHOULD BE CONSIDERING AS MUCH AS I THOUGHT, IT WAS REALLY INTERESTING POINT ON WHETHER THE BUILDINGS HVAC SYSTEM WAS SUFFICIENT DURING THE PANDEMIC UNDER THE ZONING BYLAW. THAT'S REALLY NOT A POINT THAT I CAN APPROVE OR DENY A DEVELOPMENT PERMIT ON.
SO UNDER THE ZONING BYLAW, WHAT CONSIDERATIONS ARE COUNCIL SUPPOSED TO CONSIDER? SECTION 3.4-3A, OUTLINES THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT ON PROPERTIES IN THE VICINITY OF SUCH FACTORS, AS AIRBORNE EMISSIONS, ODORS, SMOKE TRAFFIC AND NOISE, AND SHADOWS AND WIND EFFECTS.
THE SECOND POINT IS THE DESIGN, CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE OF THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT AND IN PARTICULAR, WHETHER IT'S COMPATIBLE WITH AND COMPLEMENTARY TO THE SURROUNDING PROPERTIES. AND THREE IS THE TREATMENT PROVIDED TO SITE CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING LANDSCAPING, SCREENING, PARKING AND LOADING OPEN SPACE LIGHTING AND SIGNS.
SO FOR A LOT OF THOSE POINTS, AS IT'S AN EXISTING BUILDING, I BELIEVE THEY'RE NOT A CONCERN BECAUSE THE BUILDING REMAINS THE SAME.
THOSE POINTS ARE SUN SHADOWS, WIND EFFECTS, DESIGN, CHARACTER AND APPEARANCE OF THE BUILDING AND LANDSCAPING, SCREENING, LIGHTING AND SIGNS AND PARKING.
AIRBORNE EMISSIONS AND ODORS AND SMOKE, I ALSO DON'T THINK ARE RELEVANT TO THIS DEVELOPMENT PERMIT. I DID PUT SOME THOUGHT TO THE OPEN SPACES SINCE THIS LOT DOESN'T HAVE ANY OPEN SPACE.
THE ONLY DEVELOPMENT IN OUR ZONING BYLAW THAT MANDATES RECREATIONAL SPACE ON THE LOT IS MULTIFAMILY UNITS IF YOU HAVE 20 OR MORE UNITS.
I KNOW THE 2019 EVALUATION OF THE DAY SHELTER ON 50TH STREET RECOMMENDED THAT FOR FIRST SUCCESSFUL OPERATION, OUTDOOR SPACE SHOULD BE PROVIDED, BUT OUR ZONING BYLAW DOESN'T MANDATE RECREATIONAL SPACE FOR SPECIAL CARE FACILITIES.
SO I DON'T THINK IT'S A CLAUSE FOR DENYING THE PERMIT, BUT IN THE SAME REPORT IN THE GAPS IN PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE SECTION, THEY DO NOTE THAT OUTDOOR SPACE SHOULD BE A LONG TERM CONSIDERATION. AND IN THE INTERIM, THE DAY SHELTER SHOULD INCREASE SURVEILLANCE OUTSIDE OF THE CENTER. SO I THINK ADDING CONDITION 9E TO THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT WILL ADDRESS THIS POTENTIAL CONCERN.
FOR THE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS, INCLUDING TRAFFIC AND LOADING, I THINK CONDITIONS 4-6 ARE INCLUDED TO ADDRESS ANY ANY POTENTIAL ISSUES THAT MAY ARISE.
AND FINALLY, NOISE, IT'S AN INTERESTING ONE.
I CAN APPRECIATE IT AT TIMES THERE MAY BE SOME INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE YELLING OUTSIDE AND THE COMMENTS MAY NOT BE NICE.
BEHAVIOR LIKE THAT COULD OCCUR ANYWHERE IN THE CITY AND I'VE SEEN IT THROUGHOUT THE CITY, WHETHER IT'S OUTSIDE OF BUSINESSES OR OUTSIDE OF HOMES.
IS IT MORE LIKELY TO OCCUR OUTSIDE OF THE SHELTER OR BE MORE CONCENTRATED? YES, BUT FROM A NOISE BYLAW PERSPECTIVE, I DON'T SEE THE DAY SHELTER BEING BEING IN CONTRAVENTION SINCE QUIET TIME IS FROM 11 P.M.
TO 7 A.M. IN THE DAY, SHELTER WILL BE CLOSED THEN.
HOWEVER, TO REDUCE CONFLICTS BETWEEN NEIGHBORS ON THIS ISSUE, I THINK ADDING CONDITIONS 9A, B, C, D, E AND G TO THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT CAN HELP ADDRESS ANY FUTURE POTENTIAL CONFLICTS. AND I ALSO THINK THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AS COUNCIL MORGAN MADE THE AMENDMENTS THAT THAT'S GETTING DRAFTED AND BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT PERMIT IS ISSUED SO THAT IT'S IN PLACE WHEN IT OPENS.
[01:15:01]
SO FOR THESE REASONS, I WILL BE SUPPORTING THE MOTION AS AMENDED AND PRESENTED, INCLUDING ALL OF THE CONDITIONS.IS THERE ANYTHING FURTHER? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION AS AMENDED? OPPOSED? AND THAT'S DEFEATED WITH MAYOR ALTY, COUNCILLOR MORGAN AND COUNCILLOR MORSE IN FAVOR.
NEXT, COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS YOU CAN RETURN.
COUNCILLOR SILVERIO? I MOVE THAT COUNCIL ADOPT FOR INFORMATION, THE 2021 POINT IN TIME COUNT TECHNICAL REPORT AS PREPARED BY THE BUREAU OF STATISTICS.
THANK YOU. DO I HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR SMITH. ANY DISCUSSION? SEEING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? THAT'S IN FAVOR AS WELL. COUNCILLOR MORSE? YEAH. AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
NEXT, WE HAVE AN [INAUDIBLE] OF BYLAWS.
[Items 6 - 9]
BYLAW NUMBER 5042.SORRY, COUNCILLOR WILLIAM, YOU'LL EXCUSE YOURSELF FOR A SECOND.
A BYLAW TO REQUIRE FEE SIMPLE TITLE OF ALL SURVEYED ROAD AND LANE COMMISSIONER COMMISSIONERS LAND PARCELS IS PRESENTED FOR THIRD READING.
COUNCILLOR SILVERIO? I MOVE TO READING OF BYLAW NUMBER 5042.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR SMITH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS YOU CAN RETURN.
NEXT, WE HAVE BYLAW NUMBER 5043, A BYLAW TO REPEAL AND REPLACE ELECTIONS.
BYLAW NUMBER 4705 IS PRESENTED FOR THIRD READING COUNCILLOR SILVERIO? I MOVE THE THIRD READING OR OF BYLAW NUMBER 5043.
THANK YOU TO HAVE A SECONDER? COUNCILLOR SMITH. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR? AND THAT CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.
AND THAT CONCLUDES OUR SPECIAL COUNCIL MEETING.
WE WILL JUST BEFORE WE DO THE MOTION TO ADJOURN, WE WILL RETURN TO GPC, SO IF FOLKS CAN GO TO THE.
WELL, WE'LL DO THE MOTION TO ADJOURN AND THEN WE'LL RECONVENE OUR GPC.
SO, MOTION TO ADJOURN MOVED BY COUNCILLOR SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR SILVERIO.
ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE, WE CAN BE ADJOURNED AND WE WILL RECONVENE OUR GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIES COMMITTEE MEETING FOR MONDAY, OCTOBER 4TH, 2021, AND IF I CAN GET A MOTION TO MOVE IN CAMERA. MOVED BY COUNCILLOR SMITH, SECONDED BY COUNCILLOR WILLIAMS. ANYBODY OPPOSED? SEEING NONE. WE CAN SIGN OFF THIS LINK AND SIGN ON TO THE OTHER.
SEE YOU IN A SECOND!
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.