This is page numbers 143 - 180 of the Hansard for the 15th 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 communities.

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Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 158

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, if we need some more marine transportation legislation, fine, let's just forget about the toll on the ferry. Let's have a toll on our highway system. How about that? Why don't we put a toll fee right at the weigh scales in Enterprise where the trucks come in? Why can't they pay a toll fee right there? I don't see that charging them $10 extra is going to make any big difference. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 158

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 158

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have just been advised that a highway tax was severely defeated a term ago. I don't think we want to go there. I think the Member's intention is good in bringing forward that suggestion of creating the tolls and phase it in right now but, legislatively, we are just in no position to do that, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 158

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

Robert Villeneuve

Robert Villeneuve Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't see any legislation being a big roadblock to implementing any kind of toll fee on our highway system which really takes a lot of wear and tear over one year. We are just dishing out millions and millions of dollars to keep the highway open free of charge. I know that the mines charge companies roughly about $100,000 a year to use their ice roads. We don't charge anybody any toll fee to use our ice bridges or any bridges that we have up and down the Mackenzie Valley, so why don't we consider something like that? If we want to be smart businesspeople here, let's act like businesspeople here and treat our customers like everybody else treats them. If they have money to spend, why don't we get some of it? By that, I mean why can't we put in some kind of a bridge reserve fund starting soon so...

Supplementary To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Menicoche.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

Kevin A. Menicoche

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In many of the jurisdictions across Canada, that is what in effect they do for reconstruction, rebuilding the highways, their bridges. They do slow the traffic down and provide tolls. They then recover some costs for those repairs because it is the travelling public that use it. But here in the North, our traffic volume just cannot sustain something like that, especially the smaller vehicles. Once again, we have to introduce new legislation to collect tolls. If that is something the Member wants to put forward and that is something the public wants, they are going to have to let the government know and we can pursue that kind of legislation. But up to now, Mr. Speaker, we are not considering any tolls for the travelling public on ferries or highways at this time. Mahsi.

Further Return To Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Question 75-15(6): Deh Cho Bridge Project
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a single student going to school gets $700. If you go to school in Lethbridge, you get $700. If you go to school in Inuvik, you get $700. The cost of living, Mr. Speaker, between Lethbridge and Inuvik, I am sure is just a little bit different, slightly different. You would need at least $1,260 to offset the difference in the cost. And heaven forbid if you are a young mother from one of the communities with two kids, goes into Inuvik, wants to take nursing access so you can make a better life. Heaven forbid. It is difficult on these people that try to attend school. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if the department has any plans to review and adjust the SFA to reflect the high cost of living? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Student Financial Assistance Program is constantly under review. We have made revisions to the program in the past few years. We are planning further revisions to the program in time for this fall's semester. What the Member is talking about in terms of a difference in the cost of living based on the different costs in the Northwest Territories is another area that we are looking at. We probably are not going to get that one done this year, but we are taking a look at it because we have, Mr. Speaker, a significant investment in our Aurora College campuses. We want to make sure that we are encouraging northern students to attend college in the North. Thank you.

Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister makes a good point as we want to keep our students going to school in the North, but the high cost of living...It only makes sense that you may want to go to school south. Mr. Speaker, they are doing an income support redesign to reflect the high cost of living in some of the communities. Will they do the same thing with the Student Financial Assistance Program and have it implemented this fall? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Right now, the repayable loan limit for student financial assistance is $1,100 a month. By this fall, that will be increased to $1,400 a month. So there will be a change. There will be needs assessed. So depending on the need, if students need it, that money will be available. We are also going to be increasing the lifetime limit for loans to ensure that northern students don't run up against that limit. Mr. Speaker, the kind of change, that is the indexing, that the Member is asking about, we have just started the research on that right now. We know that, for instance, British Columbia does do some limited indexing. We are taking a look at how they do their program to try and see if we can find a way to make it work here in the North.

Further Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 159

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have done some researching, too. Students say it does cost less to go to school south than it does in Inuvik. That is all the research you need, is what they tell us and that is what we should be listening to. The $1,925 per semester, is that figure also going to be adjusted when they redo their rates? The cost of tuition in some of the institutions is going up but I don't know if our rates have increased at all, so I would like to ask the Minister if that cost will be increasing also. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 160

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 160

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The tuition and the book allowance were both increased within the last two years. Right now, the tuition costs easily cover the amount of tuition that is charged by the college at all the campuses here in the Northwest Territories based on the programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Question 76-15(6): Adjustments To Student Financial Assistance Rates
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 160

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Health and Social Services. It has to do with the health centres in the Sahtu, particularly the one in Tulita where it is lacking air conditioning. I understand from last year speaking to the community that it was unbearable for some of the patients, especially the elders to sit and visit the health centres and be treated at the same time, sit there while the centre is boiling, I guess, and not being safe to have the services in our community. Is the Minister aware of these health conditions and these working conditions in the Tulita Health Centre?

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre
Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 160

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are aware of issues in our health centres across the Territories. There are a number of facilities that do not have air conditioning in them for the summer months. Normally, this area would be looked at through our small capital program. We are hoping to have that improved throughout this year. Thank you.

Return To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre
Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 160

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre
Question 77-15(6): Air Conditioning For The Tulita Health Centre
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 160

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to shape the Minister's response to this issue, some of these areas are similar to other communities that do not have RCMP in their communities. They don't have air conditioners in some of these small health centres. In terms of this simple situation here to be resolved for people in the small communities, this is fixable. It is reasonable. It is also doable. It is a crying shame that, in this day and age, these health centres do not have air conditioners, Mr. Speaker. What does the Minister plan to do to improve the situation like this in the health centre in Tulita?