This is page numbers 13 - 38 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 1st 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 assembly.

Topics

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

How can you discriminate on the grounds of marital status? That is against the human rights code to do that. How can you tell a couple you can have a free seat here, and then leave somebody alone, a

widow or a widower by themselves trying to support an independent housing unit?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, obviously the Minister that I assign the Housing portfolio to will be busy from day one trying to get a grasp of the issue again for the Northwest Territories.

---Laughter

Through the years, programs have been set up, adjusted, tinkered with, amended and changed. I think this is a prime example of where we, as a government, need to look at. The programs we have in place, how were they developed? Are they meeting the needs that they were intended to? Some programs were put in place from almost the inception of the Government of the Northwest Territories or when a program is transferred from the federal government. So we have a challenge before us, as Members, to re-evaluate the programs we deliver to the people of the Northwest Territories. Are they meeting the needs they were designed for? Are they still needed in this environment? I think, with the cooperation of Members of this House, that is something we need to do, is have a serious look at the programming that we have in place and how efficient and effective it is. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The programming for seniors is a very good program in the Northwest Territories; however, it needs to be fixed. I am not suggesting we take anything away from it. However, I am saying we create a level play field. At a high level, in terms of principle, will the Premier agree that we, as a government, should not discriminate against people on the basis of their income nor on the basis of their marital status? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first and foremost, I must apologize to the seniors of the Northwest Territories. I use the term old folks and that is one I grew up with in the community of Inuvik, so I must apologize. Properly, it is seniors of the Northwest Territories. So with that, the question about the discrimination or the balance, I believe we do have to look at where we are. Ultimately, throughout the Northwest Territories and, in fact, it is quite a coincidental question because the alignment of income support and Housing Program was trying to make a level playing field for everybody who accessed the government programs. That is the thing we need to look at. Are we creating a level playing field? At some point, income is going to play a role in the decision-making or a cut-off for the Northwest

Territories. We just can’t afford to have an open plate for anybody who came to the door in the Northwest Territories for any specific program, whether it be housing or so on. But we do have to recognize the importance that seniors play in the Northwest Territories. I think we have tried over the years. I think, if we compared ourselves to the rest of the jurisdictions across Canada, we have one of the better programs in the Northwest Territories. We need to make sure we maintain an appropriate level of care and a fair, level playing field. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Question 6-16(1): Status Of The Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

October 18th, 2007

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to get back to questions on the Deh Cho Bridge project. I wasn’t left with a really good feeling after hearing the Premier talk about how his government is going to operate differently than the last government on providing this House with assurances on how the project is moving along. I am talking about information and information sharing. How is his government going to be any different than the last one, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am looking at where we will go forward, not how we go backward. So I think as we put out there, I am one who will stand on the fact that we will be open and work with Members of this Assembly. It’s a two-way street here. We need to work together. If we provide information to Members that is confidential so that you can feel that we are doing the appropriate thing, then we need to be secure that we have that information to you in confidence. We are early days in this government. As a new Transportation Minister is assigned, one of their tasks will be to get up to speed with where the files are and be prepared to sit down with Members as they are ready to go, as well. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The only information we got during the life of the last government, we got high-level information on what was happening and really we were only consulted when the government wanted to go ahead and increase the loan guarantee. I certainly think we do need to work together. The information needs to come back and forth. The legislation the Premier in the last government and this government is relying on is only a vehicle to get a bridge built. It’s got no numbers in it. It’s very difficult for us when the government is making decisions, especially on spending, without coming back to Regular Members and asking our opinion. So again, I would like to ask the Premier how is his government going to operate differently? Are we going to be able to see the concession agreement? Are we

going to be able to see the contracts that have been signed? What has been signed? We don’t even know what has been signed yet. I would like to ask him that question, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. There were about two or three questions there. You can answer one or all three. Thank you. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the challenge will be -- and I fully expect we are going to be held accountable on the information we share with Members -- if it’s seen as only high level or it’s seen as a lot of information but really of no worth. So I am committing to work with Members and provide absolutely the best information we can. Of course, we have parameters around how we can operate. I am going to commit to you and Members of this Assembly to share the information that is necessary to make sure we make good decisions for residents of the Northwest Territories. The parameter, the act that was put in place, put parameters in place of what can be done and not be done. We have to live within those. Ultimately it is the will of the Assembly, the House, whether it changes a bill or not. Right now, that’s what we have to operate in and there are a number of factors that are still out there that need to come back for final consideration. That is the final costs, the financial arrangements, the agreement with the federal government on the permit that is necessary. Once a new Minister is put in place, he will have to come up to speed in that area and be prepared to meet with Members. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

David Ramsay

David Ramsay Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the commitment and the expenditure of public funds, I don’t think there is such a thing as confidential. Let’s be realistic about that. They are public funds. They are going to be expended in an area. I don’t believe that’s confidential, Mr. Speaker. Is the Government of the Northwest Territories past the point of no return on the Deh Cho Bridge? Are we proceeding with the Deh Cho Bridge when we don’t even know what it’s going to cost us? Are we past the point of no return, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are facts out there. I am not going into the previous work of the life of the 15th Assembly. We have to

move forward on what we have and the information we have. Let’s put the facts out there. The number that’s been talked about in the media, in the agreement and information, was $150 million. The Deh Cho Bridge Corporation is working on securing its final pieces of financing out there. The government’s responsibility will be what’s announced out there and been put out there for public record and that is the cost of operating the ferry today, plus approximately between $1.5 million and $2

million annually and then the rest of the cost. The reason they were getting this financing put in place is because it’s self-liquidating in the sense that the tolls that we establish will help pay for this bridge over a 35-year period. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Ramsay. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just following up on my previous questions, I would just like to ask the Premier for a commitment here today that he will come back to this House at the next sitting, which I believe is November, and seriously give us some options with regard to the problem with housing, the income reform program and also to make sure that the $30 million, clarify the $31 million that was transferred to ECE for 14 additional positions on top of the subsidy, is it being expended with regard to the way it was originally intended and why is it that there are so many people in arrears in housing now because of it?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. There’s a couple of questions there. Honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Premier

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have committed that once the assignment of portfolios is done, the appropriate Ministers will get up to speed on the particulars within their departments and be prepared to sit down with Members to come up with where things are and answer those questions. When we come back for our next sitting, we will have that information available as to where things are today. More importantly, we need to sit down together as 19 Members to come up with where we think we should be as the 16th Legislative Assembly and that

work needs to be done, as well. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’ve been sitting around for the last week talking about issues and priorities and I believe this is one of the top issues that has been on all our minds. As a Premier, I would suggest that one of the first things you do is clearly look at reforming this program back to the way it was when it was working. The subsidy was being implemented; every homeowner or income support person was able to access that program and we didn’t say sorry, you’re drinking, you’re late for your appointment, walk the streets for three months and…