Thank you. Minister Allen.
Debates of July 5th, 2000
This is page numbers 467 - 532 of the Hansard for the 14th Assembly, 3rd 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
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 522
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Our priority is to meet with the federal Minister in September and try to secure further ongoing funding. The question of aboriginal housing and on-reserve housing presents a different problem that to us may be an ongoing effort. I think, in the meantime, just to try to shed some light on our efforts here in dealing with our housing situation in the Northwest Territories, that we are trying to work with the communities as an alternative to find more ways of dealing with it. Also, making some new initiatives and just developing some new ideas where we could work in partnership with the communities. Thank you.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Krutko.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
David Krutko Mackenzie Delta
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I was not part of the social committee, but I would like more information regarding the Northwest Territories Development Corporation and Raven Resource House Marketing Development Strategy. I know for a fact that the Minister and people within the department have gone to Alberta and northern Alberta to look at different sawmill operations. Is this in conjunction to see how we can access cheaper lumber in the Northwest Territories? Can the department elaborate on exactly what is in this market development strategy? How soon will this strategy be made available to us so we can have an opportunity to review it and debate it?
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Minister Allen.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I would like to speak to the first part of the Member's question, regarding to development of some sort of homeownership or home housing market in non-tax-based municipalities. That was sort of a joint effort between the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the Credit Corporation and the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, to see if we can develop a housing market in those housing market communities. That is an ongoing process.
Hopefully, there will be more work done on it and we can come to some sort of an idea later on in this year.
When we did go to northern Alberta, but it was just to give the Members of the Legislative Assembly and ourselves, an idea of how we could look at some efficiencies in improving the quality or even look at developing some methods of building homeownership in the Northwest Territories. That was the intent of that trip. It gave us a good idea of some of the things we should look at in terms of affordable housing and more suitable housing. I think we have found some new ideas. It is just a matter of time to try to put together a plan to implement it. Thank you.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
General comments? Mr. Nitah.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think we all know the importance of housing to all the people in the world. I think here, in the Northwest Territories, it is especially true in the smaller, predominantly aboriginal communities. The overcrowding issue is still a big concern. That was a concern ten, 20 years ago and it still is today. It leads to family breakups. It leads to people not completing their education. There is no comfort level and without comfort level, you cannot go beyond.
Knowing that it effects the education system, it effects all our social programs, social envelope programs, health and social services, income support, et cetera. It seems like it stems from the lack of housing. When you take the Business Incentive Policy and you have to apply the Business Incentive Policy, when you purchase materials to build houses, that takes away from those programs.
My understanding is if you buy packages in the North, it costs twice as much as when you buy in the south. Because of the Business Incentive Policy, you have to pay that much more. If you could just exclude the Business Incentive Policy from the Housing Corporation for the purchase of building material, my understanding is you could be building four or five more units per year in the Northwest Territories. I am just wondering if that is the case, according to the numbers that the Housing Corporation developed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Minister Allen.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Do we take that as a comment or is that a question? Mr. Chairman, we are not in a position to answer that at the moment. We are still trying to work within the context of the document Towards a Better Tomorrow and it comes with a whole range of issues outside of the Business Incentive Policy, outside of the partnerships arrangements. So it is premature for me to try to present an answer at this time. Thank you.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Nitah.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am a full supporter of northern purchases, using the Business Incentive Policy in other areas, but when it takes away from the people that I represent in the predominantly aboriginal communities of the Northwest Territories, I have to disagree with that policy. That is just for the record.
I would also like to ask, for the record, if the Minister would consider, in conjunction with the Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, to look at coming up with housing needs for people from the communities that have to stay near hospitals, near access to doctors that we do not have in the communities because of the doctor shortage not only in the Northwest Territories, but throughout North America. We need to develop plans like that.
To come up with plans depends on the numbers that they find to have homes in regional centers where there are hospitals for individuals that have to stay in a community to be housed there along with their family members. Most of the individuals would be elders and they would need somebody to take care of them. There are usually family members that are willing to do that. It does not have to be stand alone houses. It could be a program that could be applied to rental of apartments, whatever it takes. I would just like to get the commitment from the Minister on record that he will work with the Minister of Health and Social Services in creating a plan such as this. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Minister Allen.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, I can inform the Member that we will accommodate that request. Thank you.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 523
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Thank you. Mr. Nitah.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
Steven Nitah Tu Nedhe
Detail, Mr. Chairman.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
The Chair Leon Lafferty
What is the wish of the committee?
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
Some Hon. Members
Detail.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Page 8-9, Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, operations expense, total operations expense, $43,371,000.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Page 8-11, corporate summary, information item.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Information item, executive.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 19-14(3): Recommendation That The GNWT Not Make Any Further Reductions In Funding To The Northwest Territories Transportation System (carried)
Item 19: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters
Page 524
The Chair Leon Lafferty
Information item, policy, programs and informatics.