This is page numbers 365 - 396 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 6th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was chairman.

Topics

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Mike. It is regarding the firehall at Fort Providence. Madam Speaker, I believe the project was deferred last year. Has the issue of who is building it been resolved, so it can be built this year, or has it been deferred again to next summer?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Mike.

Rebecca Mike Baffin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will have to take his question as notice because...

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

October 18th, 1994

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a question for the Minister responsible for Housing. Madam Speaker, we were all happy to hear the Minister's announcement earlier this week about the $9 million in new capital funding for new social housing in the Northwest Territories this year. I would like to ask the Minister, is there any indication that the funding will continue for the coming fiscal year, 1995-96?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The $9 million is one-time funding only. Thank you.

Return To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Now, Madam Speaker, I understand this funding is being provided under a new remote housing program. I would like to ask the Minister, is this new remote housing program also going to terminate at the end of this fiscal year, or is the program of CMHC ongoing?

Supplementary To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. These new programs are developed through funding from cost-saving measures. This is money that CMHC as well as all of our jurisdictions saved through refinancing and things like that. That is the money being used for this program. So whether or not they will continue this program, I don't know. As far as I

understand right now, the funding is for one year and one year only. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Supplementary To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Well, I would like to ask the Minister, will he be making efforts to see that we apply for, and rigorously pursue a continuation of funding of this kind, or has he determined that this the end of our campaign to recover the shortfalls in the social housing program. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Madam Speaker, no I have not given up on that. I will continue to lobby and talk to the federal government to live up to its obligation of supplying housing to aboriginal northerners. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Question 186-12(6): Federal Funding For Social Housing For 1995-96
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I have a question I would like to direct to the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. It deals with his announcement last week of the improvements in the structuring of the Workers' Compensation Board. Some of the items in the announcement indicated that they had increased the number of staff who are working there now. If the Members will recall, one of the major problems that was expressed by injured workers was that it took forever to deal with their claims. Often this caused a lot of financial and social hardship on the individuals. I would like to ask the Minister whether the additional eight people who have been added to staff...Will this translate into a much speedier service now for clients?

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Return To Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I know the issue of workers' compensation and its performance for injured workers is an important one for the honourable Member. He has raised a number of issues over the last little while, and I applaud him for it. It's important that we remain vigilant with this board.

I think that in the corporate plan for the WCB, the acquisition of employees that they required was specifically for that. One, was for the board and the staff to be more compassionate and, two, for it to respond more quickly to those who need it most. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Return To Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, certainly in the new few months we'll put the department or the board to the test, if in fact they do have a much kinder, gentler way of dealing with clients.

The other area, Madam Speaker, that we learned about subsequent to the announcement, is there's a full legal division within the Workers' Compensation Board. I wonder why such a move would be required because I think the government does already have full legal services within the Department of Justice. Why now would the Workers' Compensation Board have a full legal division? Do they have a full legal division?

Supplementary To Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Further Return To Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Item 6: Oral Questions

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John Todd Keewatin Central

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good question. Prior to the Workers' Compensation Board recruiting their own legal employee, all the legal aspects of WCB was contracted out. It was a simple exercise, a cost saving, and they were able to demonstrate to me in their corporate plan that there would be significant savings based upon having in-house legal counsel, rather than purchasing services outside of the board. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Further Return To Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Question 187-12(6): Improvements In The Structuring Of Wcb
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Dennis Patterson Iqaluit

Madam Speaker, I, too, was delighted with the announcement from the Minister responsible for the WCB of the turnaround in the financial situation of the board. But I do recall earlier in this Assembly when Members were not so happy with the performance of the board, and questions were directed at a previous Minister responsible for the WCB, questioning whether the WCB should have exclusive jurisdiction over WCB matters.

Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the WCB, does he respect the exclusive jurisdiction of the WCB to handle matters within its authority? Thank you.