N.W.T. Minister Paulie Chinna stripped of MACA portfolio again

Northwest Territories Minister Paulie Chinna has been stripped of the Municipal and Community Affairs (MACA)portfolio and the Youth portfolio.

Premier Caroline Cochrane announced a small cabinet shuffle "to support government priorities" in a government news release on Tuesday.

"As a cabinet we have been faced with a number of challenges, including a pandemic and more recently floods," said Cochrane in a written statement.

Chinna had recently been taken to task for her department's response to the flooding in Fort Simpson and Jean Marie River, bothby MLAsandby community leaders and people on the ground in Fort Simpson

It's the second time Chinna has been stripped from the MACAportfolio during a crisis. The first was in April 2020 when she was taken off the ministry during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She was put back on the portfolio the following July.

Chinna remainsthe Minister Responsible for the NWT Housing Corp.,Homelessness and the Public Utilities Board. She also adds responsibility for the Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission, previously held by Shane Thompson.

"Housing is our government's top priority, and these changes will help support our efforts to improve the quality of housing in the Northwest Territories, while ensuring other government priorities continue to move ahead," Cochrane said.

Minister Thompson will take on both the MACA and Youth portfolios.

Thompson will also remain minister of Environment and Natural Resources and minister of Lands.

The change took effect as of Mondayat 5 p.m. MT.