This is page numbers 4981 - 5026 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. View the webstream of the day's session.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Looking at the industry codes, the ferry industry pays $4.74. When the Department of Infrastructure is offering their own ferry services, they're paying 88 cents, as the Minister says. From the prospective of the private sector, that that seems to be an unfair rate to be charged. The Minister said he'll take a look at it, but can we get more than that? Can he actually commit to reaching out to the industry and having a real conversation with meaningful engagement with stakeholders who feel that the rate structure unfairly gives government a break when their costs keep going up?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

As I mentioned in answering a previous question, why the rates did go up in 2019, as a government and as one employer, we do and focus on taking care of our employees. We want to promote workplace health and safety right across the Northwest Territories, and people who we do work with. That means that we're taking care of the increased costs of treatment and care for any of our injured workers, and will continue to do that. As a result, we will have to make sure that industry and people who we work with do comply with WSCC codes and standards, as well, so that we know, when they're working for us, that they're complying by standards and legislation moving forward. We will continue to take care of the treatment and costs, but we have to make sure that anybody who works under us as an employer does follow legislation and our standards.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.

Kieron Testart

Kieron Testart Kam Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister seems to be answering questions that aren't being asked. Nobody is asking industry not to pay these rates. We're talking about the rates, and whether or not they can be rebalanced to be fairer, given the government's rate. Florists and yarn and fabric stores pay $2.50, again, compared to 88 cents. Will the Minister sit down with industry and have a meaningful conversation with them so that he can get a better understanding of what their concerns are? Quite clearly, he doesn't get it. Thank you.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

As I mentioned earlier, we do have a governance council that oversees the conduct of business and management of the WSCC. I am not sure if the Member heard me say that in a response to a question earlier. I can inform this governance council, and I am sure they are listening, about having these discussions. I also mentioned that I am at an arm's length in terms of my role as Minister responsible for the WSCC, and we will let the governance council know about these concerns that the Member has and that some of the partners in industry have, that we have had a couple of Members bring up today.

We do take it seriously, obviously. We want to make sure that everybody who does work in the Northwest Territories has the best interests of health and safety of our residents and our employees, and we want to make sure that they understand our legislation. I will make sure that the governance council does look into this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister of Housing on aging in place. I would like to ask the Minister if there is a plan to expand the program for aging in place beyond where it sits now, that is, $10,000. I would like to ask the Minister if there is a plan to expand that particular program? Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we just did a presentation to standing committee on the senior planning study. We did mention that seniors aging in place was probably one of our highest programs that has been applied to. On top of that, we are looking at doing a northern housing summit, where we are going to be able to get this kind of information out to all of our leaders, to all of our community members, so that that information can be presented to community members and/or seniors if they want to apply to the program.

In response to that public hearing that we had last week, I had mentioned that we do have to respect our seniors and make sure that they have every opportunity to live in their own independent units, and we will be making sure that we get that information out and sharing it with all residents of the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Currently the program has a maximum amount of $10,000. My question is more: can we increase that amount? Right now, the idea of aging in place is to age in place. Right? If you don't have the ability to go beyond $10,000, you are not going to allow the senior to age in his home, and that is the idea. Right now we have situations where the budget is maxed, and a person can't change their heating system, for example, to something more efficient. I would like to ask the Minister if there is a plan to increase the limit on the program, like the amount that an individual can ge?

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

I know that we have had a lot of successful applications with the seniors aging in place programs and whatever programs that they are able to apply for. I know that there are some cases that don't meet that criteria. For this Northern Housing Summit that we are going to have, we have invited the NWT Seniors' Society, NWT Disabilities Society, and we want to hear any other concerns that they might have had in that case. I can't speak to any case in particular, but I know that it has been a concern, and I think that those discussions we will have at the Northern Housing Summit and come out with some good recommendations and where we move from there. We try to be as flexible as we can when we are working with our residents and our most vulnerable residents.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

I wonder if the Minister would just make a decision on increasing that amount. Right now what is happening is individuals are trying to get some help, they are trying to age in place, but the program is very limited. It does very little to support that individual to remain in the home. Barrier-free, for example, would probably cost $60,000 to $100,000, if that was the extreme, but barrier-free could actually allow individuals to age in place. I wonder if the Minister could just open the program up, make a decision about increasing that number of $10,000 to $20,000, $25,000, whatever the placeholder number can be at this point, but something beyond $10,000. You cannot install a wood stove or a furnace in a house for a senior who has an aging, inefficient furnace or wood stove for $10,000.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

When we look at these applications for housing programs, whether it is for seniors or any of our residents, it is on a case-by-case basis. We do have a lot of programs that we can work with our seniors to apply for, and like I mentioned, if this is a big concern, we can take a look into it after the Northern Housing Summit. We want to hear from everybody. We want to hear from the communities. We want to hear from the seniors, disabilities, and make the decisions from them moving on. As I mentioned, we work with all of our residents on a case-by-case basis to address the need. At this time, I can't make that commitment to increase it, but we are pretty flexible in terms of how we deal with certain cases, and we will continue to do that.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is exactly my issue, the inflexibility of that program. The Minister is telling me that they would be flexible. Do the people on the ground, the officers, when an individual applies for a program, just change the program to make sure that the program that they do need is what they get? Do the people on the ground, officers, have that ability to make that change? Thank you.

Alfred Moses

Alfred Moses Inuvik Boot Lake

We do base it on criteria, and as I have said in this House and in meetings, moving material into certain parts of our territory, because some of them are remote, is a concern. Also, having contractors available to do the job is another concern. There are a lot of things to take into consideration. I will sit down and have a meeting with my staff to see how we can address this, and I am really glad the Member has brought this up and brought it to our attention. Obviously, we do want to have more seniors aging in place. It would be a benefit to them, the culture, traditions, and languages.

Moving forward, I think that we will get more feedback, probably, from the Northern Housing Summit. As I mentioned, we will be inviting Members to attend that. I want to hear from the NWT Seniors' Society as well as our leaders in the communities on what the priorities are and how we address this. I would like to thank the Member for bringing this to our attention. Mahsi.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

The time for oral questions has expired. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the Commissioner's opening address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Tom Beaulieu

Tom Beaulieu Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a letter here from the Council of Canadians, NWT Chapter. I would like to table it. It is on "Ensuring the NWT post devolution legislation recognizes UNDRIP." Thank you.

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Bill 40: Smoking Control and Reduction Act
Notices Of Motion For First Reading Of Bills

Page 4990

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, I will move that Bill 40, Smoking Control and Reduction Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 40: Smoking Control and Reduction Act
Notices Of Motion For First Reading Of Bills

Page 4990

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Minister of Health and Social Services.

Bill 41: Tobacco and Vapor Products Control Act
Notices Of Motion For First Reading Of Bills

Page 4990

Glen Abernethy

Glen Abernethy Great Slave

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that, on Wednesday, February 27, 2019, I will move that Bill 41, Tobacco and Vapor Products Control Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 41: Tobacco and Vapor Products Control Act
Notices Of Motion For First Reading Of Bills

Page 4990

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

Notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.

Bill 38: Protected Areas Act
First Reading Of Bills

Page 4990

Robert C. McLeod

Robert C. McLeod Inuvik Twin Lakes

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 38, Protected Areas Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill 38: Protected Areas Act
First Reading Of Bills

Page 4990

The Deputy Speaker

The Deputy Speaker R.J. Simpson

The motion is on the floor and non-debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 38 has had a first reading. First reading of bills. Minister of Environment and Natural Resources.