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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Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 504

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's still not clear to me what type of incentive is envisioned to hunters to make them spend the extra time and effort to skin the moose, make sure they do it properly so they don't damage the hide, and then pack the hide up along with the moose meat to drag it back out of the bush onto their boats. It's heavy and it takes up a lot of space. So does the Minister have any idea, at this point, of some of the detail of what kind of incentive is going to be there in the next number of weeks to hunters to encourage them to bring those hides back? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 504

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, our people are going to work with the hunters and with the HTAs to ensure that everybody is aware of the types of hides and the care that is required. We're also going to sit down and negotiate a guaranteed price. I don't have, at this point, what that guaranteed price will be, but the hunters will know, going out, the range of the price for the hide, know that it's dependent on condition and understand that there is an incentive to make sure that it's properly handled. So they will have this information before they go out, I'm sure. I don't know what the guaranteed price will be. We've discussed, this morning in discussion at Cabinet, the typical range for a moose hide in terms of pricing, but I don't have that information with me and I think it will be dependent on condition. I can assure the Member that our staff will work with those hunters before they go out and they will know the range of the guarantee in terms of price. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 504

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 504

Michael Miltenberger

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The final question is in regards to the chain of this production. So could the Minister indicate if there's going to be arrangements made with the hunter, there's going to be a middleman or if the hide is going to go to the producer who is going to tan it, and then from there it's going to be sold at cost to the people doing the arts and crafts that require this? Is that how this is envisioned? So there's going to be a number of steps along the way with the resource, some dollars changing hands, there's going to be some value added to the point where it finally hits as a tanned product onto the cutting tables of the artists and artisans that use this? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 504

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, that's exactly how we envision the program working so that there is some incentive for the hunter who can make sure that these hides are properly tanned and that we have access to raw materials. I know Members in the House have been talking for some time about the raw materials required for craft production, the fact that we don't have a consistent supply. That is the piece and the link in this chain that has been missing that we are trying to deal with here and I hope very much that this can be successful. I know there have been past attempts at doing this and for a number of reasons it's been difficult. It is difficult work; it's very heavy; many of the hides were left to rot. I think the problem has been the financial incentive and the training and those are the two issues that we are hoping to address here, make sure it's worth people's while to provide these hides for craft production. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Question 172-15(6): Traditionally-tanned Moosehide Program
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Oral questions. The honourable Member from the Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. I want to commend the Minister in terms of some of the hard work that his department, plus Members from this side, worked on the review of the Income Support Program review. The question I have for the Minister is in terms of supporting the goal of this government to provide meaningful tools to have our people be self-reliant. Is there sufficient flexibility within his department to have eventual assessments to look at the rent assessments to phase-in approach to people who are using these social housing units for their well-being? Is there a phase-in approach and is there flexibility? Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

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

Return To Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As rents are changed by local housing authorities, that should have no significant impact on the amount of money that it costs a family to live in that house if they are in financial need, because the amount of subsidy that is provided through the Income Support Program or through the public housing rental subsidy will change according to the family's assessment. So as rents change, the subsidies might change as well so that there's an offset. We would hope that that would allow the sort of phase-in that the Member is talking about.

Return To Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It should change, but it's not. So I want to ask the Minister, if a constituent of mine working a secure job wants to contribute to society and to family, the rent is $1,100 from nothing from last month. The rent is maximum right now $1,100. How can this program here help this constituent of mine in terms of being self-reliant, because nothing has changed? So again, is there some flexibility in looking at a phase-in approach to assessing the rent to allow them to come to a point where they feel that they could, with confidence, paying with confidence their rent at $1,100? Right now this person can't. Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

Charles Dent

Charles Dent Frame Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's hard to talk about a specific case without having all of the details. I will certainly commit to sit down with the Member this afternoon if possible to get the details and ensure that we have both the income support worker and, if necessary, the local housing authority work together to assess the situation this person might be in and see whether or not they're getting all of the benefits that they were entitled to from this government. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Question 173-15(6): Social Housing Rent Assessments
Item 7: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary. Oral questions. The honourable Member from Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member's statement with regard to the Ulukhaktok arts and crafts shop earlier today and I recall back in May when I requested information with regard to the renovations to the project, Mr. Speaker, I'm just wondering, if I recall, at that time the Minister of ITI indicated that he will get his department to do a complete study and do the report with regard to renovations in Ulukhaktok...(inaudible)...if that project has to be done. Thank you.

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 505

Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, thank you. We have been working with the community, with the co-op in Holman as a stopgap measure because the co-op has been shut down for some time. We found some money to go in and do some repairs to the building envelope and to the heating system I believe to ensure that the building wouldn't fall into further disrepair. Since that time, and with the goal, of course, of getting the co-op back up and running and producing the art that it is so famous for, since that time we've been working very hard with the BDIC to try to generate a business plan for the co-op. As a subsidiary, the government would make an investment here and it would be co-owned, joint-owned, and that's something that we've been working on. I think we're getting very close to being able to roll that concept out again and I think people across the North, and I know tourists, have been looking forward to seeing those arts and crafts, especially the prints, available as they go to Holman again. So I hope that we have a good announcement soon, but I can tell the Member that we are

working very diligently to try to revitalize the co-op. Thank you.

Return To Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 506

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 506

Calvin Pokiak

Calvin Pokiak Nunakput

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the response from the Minister in regard to that. I think one of the things that's important is that, as I mentioned in my Member's statement, to be self-reliant, this is one of the opportunities that Ulukhaktok will have. The Minister indicated that BDIC is preparing a business plan with the government investment. I'm just wondering how close is that plan in coming into place? Thank you.

Supplementary To Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 506

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Item 7: Oral Questions

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Brendan Bell

Brendan Bell Yellowknife South

Mr. Speaker, we think we're working out the final details. For instance, we think it can generate somewhere in the neighbourhood of 40 to 60 part-time jobs and a couple of permanent jobs in that community. It really can be an economic shot in the arm and I think it's going to reinstate a lot of the pride that that community had, and probably still has, in its craft production. But we know that we need to work with that community to make this happen. So I say we're close. I guess nothing is final until all the details are finalized, but I am optimistic that we will see this craft shop up and running. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Question 174-15(6): Renovations To Ulukhaktok Arts And Crafts Shop
Item 7: Oral Questions

Page 506

The Speaker

The Speaker Paul Delorey

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.