This is page numbers 495 - 544 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.

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Supplementary To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not spring right now, but in the spring when there is a boil water in place for almost a whole month, would that constitute an emergency for a population such as served by our water intake line? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the case of Hay River, there was no bacteria reported in the sampling. There was no reported illness from the situation. So I guess it is an inconvenience, but I wouldn't consider it an emergency.

Further Return To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Supplementary To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Jane Groenewegen

Jane Groenewegen Hay River South

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to confirm with the Minister then, if the Town of Hay River administration put together an application under the extraordinary funding program outlining the problem, the challenge and the imminent costs, would MACA at least sit down and consider that possibility or that avenue? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Michael McLeod

Michael McLeod Deh Cho

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we would sit down and evaluate the ask. Mr. Speaker, we have had some discussion on this. There are still a number of options out there. However, if there is infrastructure investment required and it is something that the community can't handle, we would certainly want to work with them. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Question 178-15(6): Hay River Water Quality And Supply
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

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, in my Member's statement, I spoke to the SFA benefits and some of the changes that I had hoped to see. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if there have been any changes made to the SFA assistance based on the cost of living where the students are going to school. 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 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is an issue that has been brought up a few times over the last year. It is something that I have promised that the department will have a look at and try to move forward on. At this point though, we have not been able to propose any changes to our system.

We have reviewed what other jurisdictions are doing. Notably, British Columbia does have a system that recognizes the higher costs of the northern part of the province. So our intent is to, after finishing that review, looking for other examples across Canada and looking at the cost of living differentials, come back over the course of the next year and propose some changes. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Supplementary To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. It is encouraging to hear that we are hoping to make some changes within the next year, but we have been hearing from the people across the Territories that are going to school here for a few years now, so we should base our decision on what they are saying and not what we are hearing from somewhere else. I would like to ask the Minister if this is a decision that has to be made through legislation or is it a policy decision that he can just sign off before his term is up? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 509

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I can sign off on it as long as I ignored the wrath of the Minister of Finance, clearly because there would be some financial costs for us to make changes to the program. It is an issue that will have to be proposed as an initiative that would be considered as part of the budget process. The Member talked about not necessarily looking at other examples. What we are doing is trying to look for examples of how this has been done in other jurisdictions rather than trying to reinvent the wheel. So

we agree that it is a good idea. We want to find ways to ensure that northern students are encouraged to attend the northern colleges that we have such an investment in. So we are very seriously looking at how we can accommodate this idea.

Further Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Supplementary To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's reply to the opening address yesterday, he said there are two outstanding issues that weren't resolved. I think he meant just his. It is a good thing he didn't count ours in there. It would have been a lot more than two. As far as the Minister of Finance goes, I share a community with him so I can possibly work on him for the Minister of Education. It just astounds me that something that has been asked to the Minister so many times and brought to their attention so many times, that they are not bringing this forward. It is something that people want. They are having to wait a long time. I would like to ask the Minister why is it taking so long to listen to the voice of the people, hear what they want? Why is it taking so long to act on it? It is just confusing. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, if the Department of Education, Culture and Employment had an independent source of revenue, it wouldn't take very long at all. But since we have to look at all of our initiatives across government and work together to try and find which ones are the ones that are going to be funded, it is one that has to be done through the budget process. So the earliest that that is going to happen is going to be the budget that is considered in the spring of 2008. I have no doubt that the next government will look at this as a very important initiative and that the Members who are here in 2008 will be able to approve it for the next year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Further Return To Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Question 179-15(6): Cost Of Living Component To Student Financial Assistance Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a couple of questions of the Minister responsible for FMBS, Mr. Roland. This regards the lease that our government supplies for the Rockhill Apartment building with the YWCA organization here in Yellowknife. The Y puts this building through very good use. It is part of a front-line social services infrastructure for families in need, emergency housing and transitional housing.

Mr. Speaker, the lease for this -- I believe it is a 10-year lease -- expires in May of 2008. The Y has been engaged for some time now in discussions with as many as five different departments of this government on the terms for renewing this lease. I brought it up in this House since June of 2005 with Ministers Dent and Roland and have, at various times, been assured that there is a process underway.

Mr. Speaker, with less than a year to go now before this lease does expire, could the Minister advise just what is happening in terms of the process to renegotiate this lease and give the Y the certainty that they and this community needs for the Rockhill Apartment? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 180-15(6): Rockhill Apartment Lease Renewal
Question 180-15(6): Rockhill Apartment Lease Renewal
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

Floyd Roland

Floyd Roland Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of the Rockhill Apartment lease has been discussed through a number of departments, through Public Works, Housing Corporation, Education, Culture and Employment and Health and Social Services, on what needs to be done there. The lease, right now, is held with Public Works and Services. Once the renewal is done, it will be moved to the Department of Health and Social Services. That is ongoing. The process will go. All departments agree that it is something that should be continued. Once we enter into that, there is still a year left in that lease, so work is ongoing. As to actual negotiations, I think that some discussions have happened. In the meantime, departments have been doing their piece to ensure that facility is kept up. Thank you.

Return To Question 180-15(6): Rockhill Apartment Lease Renewal
Question 180-15(6): Rockhill Apartment Lease Renewal
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 180-15(6): Rockhill Apartment Lease Renewal
Question 180-15(6): Rockhill Apartment Lease Renewal
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 510

Bill Braden

Bill Braden Great Slave

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the answer and the information. I must admit, I am not hearing anything that really substantively moves this along. I do appreciate that when a lot of departments get involved, things get a little less straightforward. Is the lead department the Department of Health and Social Services? Is that who is taking the reigns on this one on behalf of the rest of our government, Mr. Speaker?