Debates of Feb. 21st, 2018

This is page numbers 3305 – 3346 of the Hansard for the 18th Assembly, 3rd 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.

Topics

Oral Questions
Prayer
Mental Health And In Home And Community Care
Strengthening Supports For Educators
Inuvik Satellite Facilities
Medical Travel Issues
Remote Sensing Satellite Licensing
Deh Cho / Mackenzie River Signage
Alternate Fuel Sources For Small Communities
Waste Resource Management Strategy
Arctic Policy Framework
Rental Office Wait Times
Early Childhood Development
Hazardous Conditions On Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway
Recognition of Visitors in the Gallery
Licensing Delays For Inuvik Satellite Facilities
Inuvik To Tuktoyaktuk Highway Maintenance And Signage
Inuvik Satellite Facilities
Question137-18(3): Medical Travel Services In Hay River
Rental Office Wait Times
Waste Resource Management Strategy
Alternate Fuel Sources For Small Communities
Arctic Policy Framework
Early Childhood Development Best Practices
Deh Cho / Mackenzie River Tourism Opportunities
Rental Office Wait Times
Petition 1-18(3): Using Lottery Money To Fund The Arts
Tabled Document 90-18(3): NWT Legislative Assembly Pension Administration Report – Retiring Allowances Act And Supplementary Retiring Allowances Act, At March 31, 2017
Bill 5: An Act To Amend The Summary Conviction Procedures Act
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Report of Committee of the Whole
Orders of the Day

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Can the Minister tell us when he is going to brief the Social Development Standing Committee on these changes? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. If my memory does serve me correctly, I do believe we sent a letter to standing committee on this one. We can follow up and see when there is time to have that meeting, but I can check with the chair of standing committee. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Moses. Ms. Green.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I happen to be sitting quite close to the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Development, and I am the vice chair. Neither of us have a recollection of receiving any information on this topic. We would appreciate receiving that information at the Minister's earliest convenience. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I will follow up on that one, and if it was not sent, then I will make sure that we do send something to standing committee to give them a briefing.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Moses. Ms. Green.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you. My final question is: if there is going to be money available in additional ways, such as seniors who are in rentals, does that mean that the threshold for income qualification is going to go up? Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. That is the expectation, yes.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Moses. Ms. Green.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

February 20th, 2018

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

I would appreciate any detail the Minister could give us at this time about how those thresholds are going to change. Thank you.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do not have that detail in front of me, but I can provide it to standing committee in a presentation sooner than later, I suppose. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Moses. Ms. Green.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Julie Green

Julie Green Yellowknife Centre

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Sooner is gooder. Those are all my questions.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Moses, did you want to reply?

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Yes. I suppose sooner is gooder. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister. You still have a few minutes left there, Ms. Green. Mr. O'Reilly.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. My questions are going to be kind of similar to my colleague's from Yellowknife Centre, but I am going to be asking about income assistance. It is on page 46. There is an increase from 2017-2018 to 2018-2019. It is maybe about $1.75 million. Can the Minister explain this change and what, if any, parts of income assistance have been increased and why? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister Moses.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We did have an uptake in income assistance clients. Sometimes the rent that we do pay for income assistance clients also pays into that, and then, also, there are utility increases that are covered under the department that sometimes do increase, as well, so those are all reflected in that increase on that line item. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

The Chair

The Chair Daniel McNeely

Thank you, Minister Moses. Mr. O'Reilly.

Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters
Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

Kevin O'Reilly

Kevin O'Reilly Frame Lake

Thanks, Mr. Chair. So, as I understand it, within income assistance there is some provision for cost of food, cost of clothing and so on. For any of those sorts of components, is there any provision in here for an increase in any of those parts of income assistance? Thanks, Mr. Chair.