This is page numbers 4141 - 4178 of the Hansard for the 16th Assembly, 4th 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 housing.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

February 11th, 2010

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation identifies the necessary funds to reinstate the community liaison positions during the 2010-2011 fiscal year. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The motion is being distributed. The motion is in order. To the motion.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Question.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Question is being called.

---Carried

Committee, we’re on page 5-55. Agreed?

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Questions? Thank you. Returning to page 5-60, information item, local housing organizations, grants and contributions. Questions? Sorry, Mr. Yakeleya, are you on page 5-60? Mr. Yakeleya.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Norman Yakeleya

Norman Yakeleya Sahtu

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In terms of the LHOs’ ongoing operations, I made comments in the opening of this committee here with the transfer of the new program, the old new, whatever you call it from...(inaudible)… Is there somewhere in here that that’s going to be the transfer? So is housing now going to be assuming the control or the responsibility of the…(inaudible)…program?

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister McLeod.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. No, Mr. Chair, the numbers aren’t reflected in here. This was a decision that was made. This was already done before we made the decision. So that particular thing may come forward in the form of a supp. Thank you.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Minister McLeod. Committee, information item, local housing organizations, grants and contributions, page 5-60. Mr. Krutko.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Mr. Chair, there used to be an LHO in Tsiigehtchic, but for some reason they did away with the local housing organization. I’d just like to know what’s the chance of reinstating the local housing authority in Tsiigehtchic. They had it before and for some reason that got taken away. So I’d just like to know and also for other communities that do have housing organizations, I know that there have been issues raised about other communities. So especially in regard to Tsiigehtchic, what is it going to take to reinstate the local housing authority?

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Minister McLeod.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I may have to have a discussion with the Member, but my understanding is there is still an LHO in Tsiigehtchic with a manager and a maintenance foreman and an apprentice, I believe. So my understanding is there’s still an LHO in Tsiigehtchic, but I’d have to confirm that and I will follow it up with the Member. Thank you.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

Yes, I think the question is a board, a local housing authority board, there is no board in Tsiigehtchic and I believe Paulatuk is in the same boat. So I’m just wondering what would it take to reinstate a local housing authority board, because we do have that throughout the Territories, but for some reason the board was taken away. So I’d just

like to know what’s the chance of reinstating that in other communities that may have lost their boards, because we do have more units on the ground than we had before. I think, if anything, that that was the argument before. I think we do supply most communities where we do provide social housing. I think it’s important that we do have a board so that they are involved in the decision-making process, but, more importantly, dealing with the local disputes in regard to evictions and also dealing with allocation of units and stuff like that so that they have a say in how housing is run in the community. Thank you.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

I’ll commit to the Member that we’ll have some discussions with the community and see if there’s a desire to have a board and if there is, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t have a board. So I’ll follow up in discussions with the Member and with the community and see where the interest is. Thank you.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

David Krutko

David Krutko Mackenzie Delta

One of the problems we run into, especially with a lot of our local authorities, is having the ability to evict people if you know that they are carrying out illegal activities such as bootlegging, selling drugs out of public housing units. I think for a lot of our residents in our community they get frustrated saying that you know this is going on, you’re not doing anything about it, and I know we’ve been looking at changing the rules. I believe the way it reads right now, you are not allowed to carry out any illegal activities in public housing, but I think it’s a question of how far can you go in regard to removing people. I think it’s a frustrating situation where the community is trying to combat alcoholism and drug abuse in our communities, but when they see a government providing subsidized housing for these people to carry out that activity, I think it totally flows against the whole idea of controlling these problems we have in the community. So the Housing Corporation is seen as an agent that’s helping these people carry out that activity. So I’d just like to know what are we doing to either give more powers to the local housing authority or enhancing the agreements that we sign with tenants so that they are aware that you are accountable for your actions and we won’t tolerate it. Thank you.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

The Member raises a good point and it’s a concern that’s shared across the Northwest Territories, especially in some of the smaller communities. A lot of the LHOs have zero tolerance, where if they know that you’re carrying out illegal activities, then it’s within their power to do something about it. But part of the problem is getting people to come forward and identifying them, because there’s a process that you have to go through. I think that’s the toughest part, because you get calls and you know who’s doing illegal activities. Some of it could get tied up in the law’s

hands, and if you make assumptions then you have to make sure -- the way things work today -- you’ve got solid evidence to back it up. I think the LHOs are aware of a lot of the folks in the community that take part in illegal activities and they monitor them and if there’s an opportunity for them to terminate them, then I know a few of them that have done that. But getting people to come forward is one of the big things. There’s a bit of a fear factor there…(inaudible)...

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

…(inaudible)...item local housing organizations, grants and contributions. Questions?

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Page 5-61, information item, lease commitments, infrastructure.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Page 5-62, information item, infrastructure investment summary.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Bob Bromley

Page 5-62, information item, infrastructure investment summary.

Committee Motion 28-16(4): Reinstatement Of Community Liaison Officer, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Some Hon. Members

Agreed.