Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The debt principal and interest payments are related to the debt that the corporation has borrowed, back from 1974, from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and it’s declining. It declines at the same pace that the agreements expire and the O and M money falls off the table to run public housing. At the end of this upcoming fiscal year, we will be down to $47.7 million at the debt level at that point. Of the payments that we make of $6.6 million, over $5 million is funded by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation and the NWT portion is $1.4 million. Thank you.
Debates of Feb. 20th, 2013
This is page numbers 1977 – 2026 of the Hansard for the 17th 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 chair.
Topics
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
February 19th, 2013
Anderson
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Thank you for that explanation. That clears it up. I think I probably ask that sort of thing every year. I appreciate the refresher.
I noticed in the narrative here, they talk about the incorporation of energy-efficient technologies and so on in the housing design retrofits, but I don’t believe the expenditures in that area are on this page. If I’m right, I will hold questions until later, but if they are somewhere on this page, I will ask questions there. Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
David Stewart
Thank you, Mr. Chair. The energy investments that we’re doing in the upcoming year are actually recorded as part of the infrastructure acquisition plan that is recorded on that page. So you are on the right page.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Bob Bromley Weledeh
Mr. Chair, I’m having problems finding the infrastructure acquisition. Is there a line item on that here? Sorry.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
David Stewart
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just to clarify with the Member, are you on 5-43 or 5-45?
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
David Stewart
Thank you, Mr. Chair, my apologies. The capital infrastructure was described in 5-43. So it will come up later as well.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daryl Dolynny
Thank you, Mr. Stewart. Committee, we are on page 5-45, NWT Housing Corporation, information item, corporate summary, operations expenditure summary. Any questions? Seeing none, 5-46, NWT Housing Corporation, information item, active positions by region. Any questions?
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Chair. I’m not sure if this question belongs here, but I think so because it talks about policy. I’ve discovered over my few years here that we, unfortunately, as a government, have way too many policies that contradict each other between one department and another, particularly with regard to Income Support, Health and Social Services, and Housing.
I just wondered whether or not the corporation does any review of their policies with a view to how they conflict with other policies in other departments, with a view to ensuring that housing, people applying for housing or people in housing, that we’re looking after their best interests and that we’re taking down the hurdles as opposed to putting the barriers up for them. So it’s kind of a general question. But is looking at policies with a view to how they interact with other policies within the government something that the corporation does on a regular basis? Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
David Stewart
Thank you, Mr. Chair. It is something we do on a regular basis. Certainly, when we developed the rent scale changes, for example, we spent a lot of time with ECE so that they would be able to make sure we’re aligning and adjust their policies as were necessary in terms of implementing that.
As part of the anti-poverty work, as well, we’ve spent a fair amount of time looking at the very issue that the Member raises, of how do all of these policies interact with one another and making sure there’s coherence there. Sometimes differences are there for a reason, but I think the Member is correct that it is a useful exercise to always take that look and see what’s the impact on the client of all the various policies from the various departments. So we do it on a regular basis.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thanks, Mr. Stewart. I have to ask the question – I think it’s implied and inherent in the answer – but when you find policies that are contradictory and that do make life difficult for our residents as opposed to making it easier, are those policies changed? Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daryl Dolynny
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. A bit of a hypothetical question, but I’ll allow an answer. Mr. Stewart.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
David Stewart
Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, they would be changed.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Wendy Bisaro Frame Lake
Thank you. That was the answer I was hoping I would hear. So my last question has to do with the amount of flexibility in these policies. I understand that policies are set in place to try and restrict certain things, but if it’s a unique circumstance or if extenuating circumstances crop up, does the corporation have any flexibility in how they apply their policies? Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes
Thank you, Mr. Chair. We do have policies, and we try to follow them as closely as possible. The Member asked if we were flexible. I think we’ve proven in the past that we can be fairly flexible. One of the things we don’t want to do is do a lot of one-off deals. We’ll look at each situation as it arises, but policy sometimes is to protect ourselves, to protect the clients out there and to make everything fair for everyone. But I think we’ve proven on a couple of occasions that we can be flexible looking at individual circumstances. Thank you.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
The Chair Daryl Dolynny
Thank you, Minister McLeod. Committee, we’re on 5-49, NWT Housing
Corporation, information item, executive, operations expenditure summary. Any questions?
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Some Hon. Members
Agreed.
Committee Motion 5-17(4): Deferral Of Department Summary For The Department Of Industry, Tourism And Investment, Carried
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters