This is page numbers 377 - 404 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.

Topics

Further Return To Question 144-15(6): Outstanding Files Relating To Chronic Pain Policy
Question 144-15(6): Outstanding Files Relating To Chronic Pain Policy
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 389

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Before we go on, colleagues, I would like to draw your attention to the gallery to two distinguished gentlemen: the Ambassador of the Netherlands to Canada, Mr. Karel De Beer.

---Applause

With him is Consul General of the Netherlands, Mr. Hans Driesser.

---Applause

Also with them, protocol officer Carmen Moore and Jhillian Adams.

---Applause

Welcome to Yellowknife and welcome to the House. Oral questions. The honourable Member from the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I talked about the high cost of living in the Sahtu. I want to ask the Premier of the Northwest Territories, in his short time with the Legislative Assembly here, in terms of what types of targets is he looking at in terms of bringing down the percentage of the cost of living in our region, the communities that are most isolated and have no highway system and pay the higher costs of living. What are his targets, dollars, can he estimate in terms of bringing down the cost of living in our communities?

Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We don't have fixed targets that we can work towards, although we do want to work towards the cost of living. It is much too high in a lot of our communities. In the short term, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with the revisions we are making to the Income Support Program. That is going to help those who are most in need. Mr. Speaker, we have also done some revision on the housing program hopefully to help relieve some pressure there as well.

We have also committed to working with the people in Deline on a mini hydro project which will help to bring down the cost of energy, which is one of the biggest drivers of cost of living. So that will help.

Mr. Speaker, in the longer term, though, we are going to have to continue to lobby the federal government to carry out their responsibility to finance the building of a road up the Mackenzie Valley. That is the only way to lower costs.

---Applause

Return To Question145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the programs we have right now is the Food Mail Program the federal government offers. We are looking for some solutions in the Sahtu. A litre of milk, as I stated earlier in my Member's statement, is 40 cents more in Colville Lake than in Hay River. There are other costs that our members in the Sahtu region can tell this government how much more we pay. I would ask the Premier if he would work towards a fixed target within the government in terms of saying by the year in 2008-2009, we want to bring the cost of living down by this percentage. We want to give something for the people of the Sahtu to look forward to and also work with this government. Can the Minister make that commitment?

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 390

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is certainly a recommendation we can make to the 16th Assembly, that we work towards some targets. We have done a lot in this Assembly to try to get things moving to lower the cost of living and with some good success. But setting fixed targets may be possible. That's something we have to work on.

Regarding the Food Mail Program, I have had meetings with the Northern Store and also the co-op on the Food Mail Program to ensure that our communities are benefitting from that program as well. Hopefully, maybe we will lobby the federal government again to put more money into that program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 390

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the discussions I had with the people when they go to Yellowknife or Hay River and do their shopping for the winter season is when they get into the lineup or bring their food to the counter and cash out, they tend to bring a lot of money. The teller tells them it's only this much and they say it can't be. It's a common discussion we have around our region.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask you a question in terms of this type of thing with the Northern Store and the co-op, how can we look at something that would give incentive to people in the Sahtu to look at working with other communities in terms of bringing in some supplies? We do not have any roads or bridges. A long time ago, we used to have two barges that would sell products into our communities at a lower price.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 390

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are currently no programs that I am aware of that would organize a barge order system for communities, but it's something that possibly our economic development officers or people working for us in the regions could look at. How can we bring some products in on the barges? I know that is being done to some extent already, but there may be ways for improving on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government makes a mention of the Deh Cho Bridge as a cost-savings initiative. How much money will the Deh Cho Bridge save the Sahtu?

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 390

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Joe Handley

Joe Handley Weledeh

Since the Deh Cho Bridge is not on the route to the Sahtu, then I don't expect it will make a big difference there. But, Mr. Speaker, it will make a difference to those communities on the north side of the Mackenzie River. Now we are doing that much, but, Mr. Speaker, that doesn't mean we aren't going to pay attention to the other communities. As the Member knows, we are working on the Bear River Bridge; we have done a lot of work on the Mackenzie Valley highway and put some 20-odd bridges in there already. So we are taking steps to lengthen the season for the winter road to keep down the costs. I look forward to the day when the Government of the Northwest Territories can have a ribbon cutting for the Mackenzie Valley highway that will lower the cost for everybody. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 390

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I welcome our friends, the Ambassador and the Consul General from the Netherlands. You heard Mr. Speaker say "Mrs. Groenewegen," so there is one good name down here on the floor of the House.

---Laughter

---Applause

My questions today are for the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, in keeping with my Member's statement, Mr. Speaker. The Minister gave a good briefing on the BDIC business program and I thank him for that. One of the changes was to switch the focus to less developed communities and make no direct contributions available to level I communities. I would like to ask the

Minister why this was an action and decision that was taken by this program. Thank you.

Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Honourable Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a philosophical change and I have talked to my colleagues on this side of the House as well, Minister McLeod about his days as an economic development officer in Providence. We know that the amount of money we have available for business development funds and the amount of grants to go out to communities has been decimated over the last 10 to 15 years. We see much less money available in terms of grants, so we had a shrinking pool. Most of the money was being accessed by the larger communities and it became very apparent that the larger communities had easier access to capital, not enough access admittedly but easier access, and that many of our small communities weren't able to get much in the way of business development funding. So we've made a decision that we would target the grants to the smaller communities and try to improve loan access for the larger communities. Thank you.

Return To Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Supplementary To Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, speaking of loan access to the larger communities, I would like to ask the Minister about the Community Futures Program. The GNWT has talked about accessing an extra $2 million through the SINED funding. I would like to ask the Minister what is the status of that application for that extra money? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

I will have to get a formal update for the Member, from committee members, in terms of where the various different aspects of SINED funding sit today. There are very many schedules, targeted investment programs, application-based programming available. Individuals can apply through the Department of Indian and Northern Development to access funds. Government departments have been successful in accessing funds, whether it be for a road at Taltson, some runway work. There have been other pots of money that have been allocated across the territory. ITI has been involved in that. In terms of the specific $2 million that the Member is referring to, I will certainly have to get more information and I will provide an update as soon as I get that. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Question 146-15(6): Bdic Business Program Policy Changes
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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