This is page numbers 489 - 520 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 7th 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 rent.

Topics

Return To Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Pudlat.

Supplementary To Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Kenoayoak Pudlat Baffin South

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We only have a small number of people who are trying to get their own homes. Do you expect those numbers to increase? Are you going to make it easier to access those programs? Are you seeing more applications through your new home ownership program? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the new home ownership programs that are available through the Housing Corporation, they have...In the past, low-income people as well as high- income people were not eligible for home ownership. They are all eligible now for a housing program of some sort. If they make enough money to pay for the operation and maintenance of the home ownership program, then they are eligible for that. We also have the forgivable loan program that's being received very well in the Baffin and that is making more homes available to people. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Question 263-12(7): Consideration Of Home Ownership Programs
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 500

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Jeannie Marie-Jewell Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the acting Premier. Mr. Speaker, there have been indications that the NWT Housing Corporation will be taking over the responsibility for staff housing effective April 1st. Is it the intention of the government to move the staff housing function to the Housing Corporation on that particular date? Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

John Pollard Hay River

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'll take the question as notice for the Premier. Thank you.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier on in my Member's statement I attributed a statement, about the cost of recycling to the Minister. In fact, it wasn't the Minister that made the statements about costs of communities having to fly things in and out. It was Mr. Handley, the deputy minister, who made that statement, and I apologize to the Minister for implicating him with that comment. However, the Minister did say and I quote, "In terms of beverage containers, I have indicated that they may be unsightly but not hazardous." While that's true, the figure that I quoted of some 70,000 in my Member's statement was far too low. The 70,000 was what that one person alone had collected. I think we're dealing in the millions of containers, aluminum cans.

I would like to ask the Minister why are we not charging a fee, such as five cents per beverage container, at the retail level, and applying the deposit fee to a sound recycling program that will make some positive improvements on this issue.

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

The Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the Department of Renewable Resources, the section of environmental protection, I had indicated yesterday during committee of the whole that the recycling of beverage containers was too costly to the government. A proposal had been made to the Financial Management Board and I believe this was before my time. The proposal was turned down. The proposal, I believe, was to address recycling of beverage containers all across the Northwest Territories.

The suggestions that are being made by the honourable Member would apply very well in the areas of the Northwest Territories that have lower transportation costs. The submission that was put before the Financial Management Board addressed all communities across the Northwest Territories and when you look at the costs of trying to collect beverage containers and then have them transported for recycling, it just became too costly to try to have beverage containers recycled.

I believe the recycling of beverage containers is a priority, but it's just not as high as those environmentally hazardous products that are disposed of in the Northwest Territories, such as PCBs and air quality in the Northwest Territories, where we have created guidelines for air quality. I believe the recycling of beverage containers would likely fall in third priority with this section of the department. However, it is not hazardous, it is a product that could be crushed and buried underground and not be environmentally disruptive. It was felt by the Financial Management Board that this would be more efficient if this was done across the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 501

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there's an old saying: "Where there's a will, there's a way." However, if there's no will, then we'll find a way not to do that. While I understand that there are places that don't have any means of getting in and out and I think my friend pointed out that Colville Lake was one of them, the majority of communities anywhere along the coast or the river...A large number of the communities in the territories do have some transportation mechanism in place: ships or a road or something. I only suggest that is one way of doing that. As far as it being a low priority, Mr. Speaker, in the old days when the explorers used to leave tin cans laying around -- they have become artifacts now and are very valuable -- they deteriorated, they rusted away to nothing. Aluminum doesn't do that. We're going to be carpeted with aluminum cans in the territories if this continues.

It can pay for itself. I want to ask the Minister why would the FMB turn down something like that when it could pay it's own way? Why would it be costly to the government?

Supplementary To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can understand where there is a transportation system which is cost-effective that the suggestion would work, but as far as the Government of the Northwest Territories is concerned, we deal with all of the Northwest Territories. I have lived in Rankin Inlet for a couple of years and the hamlet had made this effort to try and collect cans that are made of aluminum and have them sent by sea. However, they found that those who recycle the containers like to have the containers not crushed in any way, which would have made it cost-effective to have transported the cans. They found that those who do the recycling like to receive the cans not crushed or disrupted in any way because it makes it easier for them. However, when the cans are not crushed -- the transportation companies charge by space rather than weight -- it made it very expensive for the council to transport the beverage containers by sea.

For the government to do something like this in the east would be much too costly. So, the department has taken the direction of the Financial Management Board that it would be more cost-effective if we dispose of cans much the same way as we dispose of dry waste. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, if there's a will, there's a way. I think Ecology North could show the government a few things about compacting of aluminum cans. Small portable compactors are available and quite easy to operate. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to asking his department to revisit this issue again, given the interest, shall we say, in disposing of recyclables like aluminum which will never deteriorate. Will he commit to looking at this issue again?

Supplementary To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 501

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just recently, the Alberta Government has allowed the delivery of hazardous waste which has been the number one priority of environmental protection in the Northwest Territories. We have found a way that hazardous waste can now be disposed of. The second priority of this department's environmental protection section has been the disposal of used oil, as well as air quality guidelines which we are continuing to work on and monitor. This has been a concern of Yellowknife. Those three areas have been the priority of environmental protection, but I will commit that the department will re-examine the beverage container recycling project to see if there's a way to make it

cost-effective. I'm not able to guarantee anything at this point, but I will commit to having the department take a look again at the recycling program. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Tony Whitford

Tony Whitford Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for the answer. We're dealing with something that is perhaps not as hazardous as PCBs but perhaps I was approaching it from the wrong angle. I would like to know from the Minister whether or not his department is able to draft legislation that will put a deposit on the cans, so it may become self-financing because it will be worth something to someone to pick them up and return them. Is his department able to draft legislation that would put a deposit on an aluminum can?

Supplementary To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

Page 502

The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Further Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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Silas Arngna'naaq Kivallivik

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know that it would require legislation. If it becomes cost-effective for a private entrepreneur to collect beverage containers and send them out, then all it would require would be the will of the private entrepreneur to do that. It wouldn't require legislation. I have committed that the department will take a look again at a program that might be proposed to private businesses, which would include Ecology North and other environmental organizations that may have some information about how to make the recycling of beverage containers cost-effective. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Question 265-12(7): Deposit Fees On Beverage Containers
Item 6: Oral Questions

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The Speaker Samuel Gargan

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.