This is page numbers 1355 - 1396 of the Hansard for the 14th 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 tlicho.

Topics

Further Return To Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In Nwt Classrooms
Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 7: Oral Questions

October 8th, 2003

Page 1371

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't know the circumstance of the particular individual the Member is speaking about, so I would have to have the details of that before I could comment in return as to whether all of our requirements are being appropriately met. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In Nwt Classrooms
Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Supplementary To Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In Nwt Classrooms
Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister stated in a previous response to my questions that they've increased the support services area for district education councils. Can he inform us if that money does go to special needs or to support assistants in classrooms, or can district education councils and authorities use that funding for other things where they fall short of funding? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In Nwt Classrooms
Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In Nwt Classrooms
Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

My understanding, Mr. Speaker, is that it is to be dedicated in the area of student support needs. There are a variety of methodologies of using that money, but it is to be in the student support needs area, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In Nwt Classrooms
Question 415-14(6): Support For Special Needs In NWT Classrooms
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member or Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't dare try and ask the Minister of Health and Social Services any questions. I'll ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. The Minister said in June that he'd meet with operators of the three emergency shelters in Yellowknife. Can he advise the House whether or not that meeting has taken place?

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, throughout my three years in this office I've always tried to do my best to conduct meetings as requested with various agencies, and I think I've met it most of the time, Mr. Speaker. When this request came through -- and I remember the request from the honourable Member now that he brings it to our attention -- my executive assistant did coordinate with his C.A., I believe, Sahara, and they tried to find dates to hold this meeting. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, they were not able to, and then the holiday time came upon us and it fell by the wayside after that, Mr. Speaker. I should mention here, I checked with the department and we did not get a request or a reminder from any of the agencies, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would take a commitment in this House to mean that the Minister doesn't need to be hounded to follow up on it. So I'm disappointed that the meeting has not yet taken place. Will the Minister commit to meet with the emergency shelter operators in Yellowknife within the next seven days?

Supplementary To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it should be remembered that our particular responsibility of this program lies in the area of income support. When clients require accommodation for income support, then we do our best to refer them to the appropriate locations, like the Salvation Army. In the event they're full, then we try to make alternate arrangements. Other homeless people, Mr. Speaker, are the responsibility of the Housing Corporation, and there is a Minister responsible for homelessness. With respect to the request for the meeting, I would be pleased to meet with the organizations, providing we can coordinate together and include the Minister responsible for homelessness, because I think that's very important to ensure that he also is present. I can't answer a lot of these questions without that Minister being present, and that requires coordination, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1371

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is right that it requires the coordination of more than one Minister, it also requires the coordination of the Minister of Health and Social Services so we don't wind up with Health and Social Services paying for kids who may be in care because their parents can't find a place to stay. Will the Minister try and coordinate that meeting within the next seven days that includes the other two Ministers?

Supplementary To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Yes, Mr. Speaker, we'll certainly undertake to do that and we'll coordinate that together. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Supplementary To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it's important, too, to make sure that the Minister is prepared coming into this. Recognizing that we have a significant number of people who are homeless, most of whom would qualify for income support, that he's going to have to be prepared to look at this with an open mind. Will the Minister commit that when he holds this meeting, that he will bring his deputy and make sure that he has his business plan hat with him?

Supplementary To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Further Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

Jake Ootes

Jake Ootes Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we always are prepared to look at our availability to do things. Naturally we have to live within the policies and the mandate that we've been given. So I have to ensure that whatever we do is within the policies and not outside of that. As I said, we have responsibility for the income support program, and those are the clients that we can certainly look at, Mr. Speaker. I will bring my deputy minister, or certainly an appropriate representative that has true familiarity with all the issues in this. We also have a permanent member on the Yellowknife Homeless Coalition, Mr. Speaker, as a resource person on an ongoing basis when they meet. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Question 416-14(6): Need For Emergency Shelters In Yellowknife
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Leon Lafferty North Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the honourable Roger Allen, Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. In my Member's statement and in committee meetings we have held in the past, I have mentioned that there are many people who are earning a good income. They're able to maintain a home on their own, but they don't qualify for these programs because of the arrears they have. I would like to ask the Minister, would he be willing to make changes to the housing policies so that persons with arrears could be rolled into their mortgage and they would be able to take advantage of some of the programs that he is initiating? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Speaker

The Speaker Tony Whitford

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Return To Question 417-14(6): Nwt Housing Corporation Policies On Rental Arrears
Question 417-14(6): NWT Housing Corporation Policies On Rental Arrears
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 1372

Roger Allen

Roger Allen Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I replied yesterday to a similar question, I stated that we would look for new efficiencies in the service delivery of our programs. Obviously we want to implement some new progressive changes in the way we do address through the affordable housing strategy, and a number of them are under consideration at the time and I will continue to pursue new initiatives and new strategies to try to revise some of our existing policies that will address some of the key concerns the Member raised. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.