Debates of June 3rd, 2008

This is page numbers 799 to 856 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 2nd 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 health.

Topics

Oral Questions

Prayer

Minister’s Statement 48-16(2) Improving The GNWT Capital-Planning And Delivery Process

Minister’s Statement 49-16(2) Chief Albert Wright School Open

Minister’s Statement 50-16(2) Agreement For Utilization Of The Somba K’e Healing Lodge

Access To Housing Corporation Programs By Clients With Outstanding Arrears

Stanton Territorial Hospital Accumulated Deficit

Hay River Spring Breakup And Flooding

Folk On The Rocks Annual Music Festival

Provision Of Midwifery Services

Adherence To Negotiated Contracts Policy

Access To Education, Health And Social Services In Small Communities

Environment Week And Clean Air Day

Delays In Receiving Responses From Health And Social Services Minister

Capital-Planning And Delivery Process

Doctor Shortage In The Nunakput Constituency

Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery

Acknowledgement 5-16(2) Elaine Doctor — Tulita

Question 240-16(2) Stanton Territorial Hospital Deficit

Question 241-16(2) Delays In Receiving Responses From Ministers

Question 242-16(2) Adherence To Negotiated Contracts Policies

Question 243-16(2) Culturally-Sensitive Social Workers And Social Work Policies

Question 244-16(2) Yellowknife Association Of Concerned Citizens For Seniors

Question 245-16(2) Western Harvesters Assistance Program

Question 246-16(2) Doctor Shortage In Nunakput Constituency

Question 247-16(2) Reductions Of Energy Costs And Consumption

Question 248-16(2) Devolution And Resource Revenue Sharing

Question 249-16(2) Programming At North Slave Correctional Centre

Question 250-16(2) Provision Of Midwifery Services

Bill 10 An Act To Amend The Pharmacy Act

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Main Estimates 2008–2009 NWT Housing Corporation

Committee Motion 25-16(2) To Assess And Develop A Strategy For Accessible Living Opportunities For Families That Include Persons With Disabilities (Committee Motion As Amended Carried)

Committee Motion 26-16(2) To Reinstate Funding Levels Consistent With Fiscal Year 2007–2008 For The Contributing Assistance For Residential Enhancements Program (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 27-16(2) To Reinstate The Elders On The Land Program Under Programs And District Operations (Committee Motion Carried)

Committee Motion 28-16(2) To Defer Further Consideration Of The Corporate Summary Of The NWT Housing Corporation (Committee Motion Carried)

Main Estimates 2008–2009 Department Of Health And Social Services

Report of Committee of the Whole

Orders of the Day

Committee Motion 25-16(2) To Assess And Develop A Strategy For Accessible Living Opportunities For Families That Include Persons With Disabilities (Committee Motion As Amended Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Further, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Sorry, Mr. Chair. I have nothing further on this page.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Okay. Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Moving on, Mr. Menicoche.

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair. I am speaking, as well, with respect, to the CMHC. The CMHC repair programs, of course, is a big decrease, and I just wanted to find out more — if this was indeed the federal funding that was being reduced. I thought it was for housing and not just repair programs. Can the Minister elaborate on this item, Mr. Chair?

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Anderson.

Anderson

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The CMHC renovation programs that are currently set for the end of this fiscal year…. We received $460,000 from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation for their residential repair program. They pay 75 per cent of the cost, and we pay 25 per cent of the cost. That brings us up to the $640,000 that we have allocated to those programs. There has been significant take-up in previous years on this — through the Emergency Repair Program, for example. We are anticipating a lot of folks are going to be moving more to the

CARE program in the future, particularly for our seniors and disabled folks. Thank you.

June 2nd, 2008

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Thank you very much. The next item was community liaison personnel that we have in some of the communities. I know there was some uptake specifically in my riding. What is the uptake right now? I feel that it is drastically reduced. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Mr. Chairman, this was one of the areas we had targeted for reductions at the request of the committee. On the report, I was to put back $80,000, along with the money for seniors, so we put that back. We were of the opinion that staff in the regions and the LHOs could adjust to accommodate the demands that the community liaison position might have, but in this case we have put money back at the request of the committee.

Kevin A. Menicoche Nahendeh

Which communities are specifically utilizing the proposed amounts here?

The Chair Bob Bromley

Mr. Polakoff.

Polakoff

I thank the Member for that question. The communities aren’t specifically identified. However, we would target those communities with the highest needs and the communities would come forward with a proposal.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Polakoff, and thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Any further questions? Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Chair, I’d like to move a motion.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Go ahead, Mr. Krutko.

Committee Motion 26-16(2) To Reinstate Funding Levels Consistent With Fiscal Year 2007–2008 For The Contributing Assistance For Residential Enhancements Program (Committee Motion Carried)
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr.

Chair. Mr.

Chair,

I move that the committee strongly recommend that the government take immediate action to reinstate funding with levels consistent with fiscal years 2007–2008 for the Contributing Assistance For Residential Enhancements program delivered by the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation under the Programs and District Operations activities.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The motion is on the floor and is being distributed as we speak. The motion is in order. To the motion, Mr. Krutko.

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regard to the committee report and review of 2008–2009 Draft

Main Estimates, on page 8 of 13, in regard to reduction to home ownership repairs, at the bottom of the page, the Members recognize that the corporation is committed to maintain retirement programs for seniors and persons with disabilities and support their efforts, but it recommends that the corporation make the reinstatement of the program a priority.

This motion basically is sending direction to the government that they have to realize that these programs are important to communities. They are important to a lot of people who have gotten into home ownership, especially for seniors. If you have any major repair, it’s going to be more than just a seniors Emergency Repair Program. You’re talking some major investment. I think that with the amount of $700,000, we’re not going to be able to do much by way of assisting individuals in home ownership.

With the motion I believe we’re instructing the government to take immediate action to reinstate the previous levels, which were in the $3 million range, and make every effort to reinstate that program as soon as possible. So, Mr. Chair, I will be moving the motion. Thank you.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. To the motion, Mr. Beaulieu.

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I support the motion. I believe that there’s in excess of 1,000 seniors households — only looking at one group, again — that are in need. In order for the Housing Corporation to effectively take individuals out of core need, I think you’re going to have the budget to do it. I just don’t think this budget can do it.

If you’re looking at even a small renovation of $10,000, it only gives you 70 units across the entire territory. So we’re looking at probably a maximum of 15 units per region with this type of budget. I think that the need is probably a lot greater than that. The need is probably more in excess of 200 or 300 seniors alone that are in core need, as far as their home ownership units go. Thank you.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Any further comments to the motion? Mr. Miltenberger.

Michael Miltenberger Thebacha

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. While we appreciate the sentiment of the recommendations, we recognize, as do all Members, that in every program area that we operate in, we have more demand and needs than we have resources.

As the Housing Corporation we were tasked, as part of the government, to come up with some reductions to keep our fiscal house in order. We’ve done that. We’ve looked very carefully at areas to do that, and this was one of the areas. Clearly, if this motion passes, we will look at it.

If we’re going to try to comply, then we’re going to have to be looking elsewhere to try to find the money. That’ll be our challenge, and it won’t be that easy. We’ve been very careful, trying not to touch staff and a lot of the program areas. I just want to make those points for the record. We will always seriously consider recommendations that the committee makes, but there will be some significant challenges and movement from one funding area to another to comply.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Further to the motion?

An Honourable Member

Question.

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called. I will call upon Mr. Krutko to conclude the debate on the motion. Any comments, Mr. Krutko?

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

A request to record the vote.

Debates of June 3rd, 2008

Topics

Help us improve OpenNWT