This is page numbers 721 - 753 of the Hansard for the 13th 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 housing.

Topics

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Minister.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

I accept the compliment.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

We are dealing with Supplementary Appropriations Act, No. 2, executive operation and maintenance, total department, -$42,000. Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The proposal to

look at future allotments and a needs survey works for the future, but it does not consider the fact that there have been a small number of communities that have received a large amount of units. Thirty-nine units in total that the vast majority of the other communities in the North have not been able to receive. I would like to ask the appropriate Ministers if they would take that into consideration when they are looking at their new policy because effectively after this is done, Norman Wells, for instance, will have received eight extra units. Fort Simpson will have received 11, Fort Rae will have received 11, Edzo will have received six. Normally those allotments you do not get that many units except over the course of two to three years sometimes. These units have to be taken into consideration in future allotments. I would ask the Ministers to also consider that. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Minister.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have listened here with an intent as to the concerns raised by Members in regard to this and the reference of comparisons between EDAP or Independent Housing Program to the sale of staff housing units. I mentioned earlier that the Housing Corporation is doing a needs survey. Any of these units that go into a community will be taken in and that need will be seen to as being addressed, so it will lower their needs, so it will automatically change the forecasting that would come out of it.

As we have said earlier, there have been no new social housing units built since the federal government removed its funding from our hands. We have tried to focus on putting people into their own homes since then and since it was direction from this government, all Members, on trying to meet some of the social housing needs, this has been the approach adopted. As I said earlier, when we do the housing survey, it will be completed before the end of this calendar year, I believe, it will impact on the future forecast because as they go through those communities that have received these housing transfers into social housing units their need will have seemed to be met or at least decreased from the previous time it was out which was 1996. It will have that impact. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Roland. At this time I would like to recognize Mr. Gary Bohnet, President of the Metis Nation. Welcome, Mr. Bohnet. Total department, -$42,000. Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

July 29th, 1999

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think I still have about six minutes here. Mr. Chairman, I agree that the new housing survey will partially address this unequal allotment of units. However, because communities do not receive their total allotment of their needs, it is only based on a percentage, it does not totally address it because five units to Norman Wells or Fort Simpson this year, might be their total allotment. Their total allotment, but if you only take five units out of their total needs that is not the same thing because you are lowering their needs by five units but say if you only get ten percent of your total needs every year, by lowering your needs by five units it might not even knock one unit out of their allotment for next year. If you say if your receive ten units last year when you are only supposed to get five, next year you could have absolutely nothing. That is the way it should be addressed, or you lose a certain amount for a certain amount of years until you make up those five extra units that you have.

Communities, for instance like Dettah, they have absolutely no staff housing units. Are they going to get extra units allotted to them for that? Because they have had no opportunity to be given 11 social housing units like Fort Simpson or Fort Rae, or eight units like Norman Wells.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Minister of Finance.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Mr. Chairman, I stated earlier that giving staff housing to communities whether it is to provide housing to teachers or others in the community or if it is being turned into social housing is not a fair allocation. I agree there has not been fairness there. The alternative was to let them sit empty. I have made a commitment to discuss with the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. How our policies should be looked at and how they might work together. The Minister for the Housing Corporation has said that a housing needs survey is underway. We will take a look at our policies, take a look at the needs survey and then try and determine the best way to make sure that this government meets the housing needs of its citizens as best we can. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand what the Minister is saying, but looking at a housing survey and how things are done in the future should also include the fact that these communities have received these extra units. That is all I am asking for, that the allotments in the future take into consideration that these communities have these extra social housing units and somehow ensure that the rest of the communities in the Northwest Territories are able to either access similar amounts or to rectify it in some other way so that they do not receive an unfair amount of housing units. Thank you.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Dent.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Yellowknife Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think the Member is providing us with advice on how he thinks we should proceed. We will take that advice into account as we discuss our future policy directions.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department. -$42,000. Agreed? Mr. Erasmus.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Roy Erasmus Yellowknife North

Mr. Chairman, do we have a quorum?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Mr. Erasmus, are you asking us to recognize a quorum? The Chair recognizes a quorum. Total department, -$42,000. Agreed?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

We are on page 6 of Supplementary Appropriation, No. 2, Municipal and Community Affairs, operations and maintenance. Regional operations not previously authorized, $148,000. Agreed?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Emergency services, $152,600. Agreed?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Total department, $4,600. Agreed?

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters

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The Chair

The Chair David Krutko

Page 7, Public Works and Services, operations and maintenance, asset management not previously authorized, $148,000. Agreed?