This is page numbers 405 - 450 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 going.

Topics

Supplementary To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 413

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I ask the Minister right now, at the present time has he talked with DFO and FJMC on the Tuk issue to see about this horrible problem? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 413

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 413

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've been contacted both by the federal government, the Fisheries and Oceans, and also we've had some discussions with the community members. It's still early, Mr. Speaker. The beluga whales might find their way back out to the Arctic Ocean. We'll continue to monitor. We'll certainly keep the Member and his community informed. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 413

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the worst-case scenario, will the Minister at least provide the...(inaudible)...funding if it has to come to that? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last year we provided support to the situation when we had the whales trapped in the Husky Lakes area. We'll certainly commit to providing the same level of support as we did last year. Hopefully it won't come to that, but we still expect the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to take the lead and provide the bulk of the funding required. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Question 153-15(6): Beluga Whales Entering Husky Lakes
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. 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, the subsidies that this government provides are very generous and some of the questions that we have on this side of the House I think is in the inconsistencies in some of the delivery of the programs. They like to promote self-reliance and so do we. We've been self-reliant before and I think the day will come when most of us, or most of the people across the NWT, will be self-reliant again. The question I have for the Minister of ECE is I'd like to ask him if land claim agreements are constitutionally protected when they're calculating income for the amount of benefit they may receive from income support. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that it's a matter of policy and not constitutional protection that has exempted some payments from consideration under the Income Support Program. So every government of Canada can make their own decisions about what is exempt and what isn't exempt for consideration when deciding whether or not to provide income support.

Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that. In this government, is it ECE's policy right now to exempt benefit agreements from calculating income support? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government's policy is not to exclude payments like IBAs. Treaty payments are exempt from consideration from family income.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear treaty payments are exempt but the IBAs aren't exempt. I'd like to ask the Minister why there's a difference in what's exempt, the IBAs or the treaty payments. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

August 19th, 2007

Page 414

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure what reason the previous governments had for deciding that some money should be exempt from consideration. Under the new policy with income support starting on September 1st, clients will be able to exempt $1,200 a year in unearned income, which means that going forward, whether it's an IBA payment or Inuvialuit Final Agreement payment, that sort of money the family can choose to exempt from consideration should they wish. But the limit will be $1,200 a year.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Inconsistency is something that we speak about often. We want it to be the same right across the board for everybody. I'd like to ask the Minister, come September 1st -- the date we've been hearing quite a bit about lately -- what's going to be done to protect this young man that's trying to earn some summer income and not have it deducted from the benefits that his family receives from being on income support? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, the policies between the public housing rental subsidy and the Income Support Program aren't the same. When ECE was given responsibility for public housing, the promise was that no changes would be made to those policies. If the intent of this policy is one to encourage attendance at school and continuation in education, there may be some grounds for us to take a look at whether or not we should adopt a similar policy under the Income Support Program. So that is something that, perhaps in this case, something that we can learn from the way the program was run in the Housing Corporation. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 414

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member's statement today, we are very pleased to have two nurse practitioners practising in Hay River. But in a recent meeting with our nurse practitioners, Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention, our attention, that there is a level of support that is provided to other nurse practitioners in the Northwest Territories. Granted, our nurse practitioners work for the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, which is under a different regime and under a different union than the rest of the NWT health care system. But having said that, it escapes me why the same support and interaction and networking would not be available to the nurse practitioners in Hay River as it is to every other nurse practitioner in the North. I'd like to ask the Minister firstly today, what is the support for professional development and resources that is ongoing currently available to nurse practitioners? Thank you.