Calvin Pokiak

Legislative Assembly photo

Roles

In the Legislative Assembly

Elsewhere

Historical Information Calvin Pokiak is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2007, as MLA for Nunakput

Lost his last election, in 2007, with 12% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Safer Communities And Neighbourhoods Legislation February 20th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Justice advised the House in October 2006, he would consider introducing legislation to implement the bill on Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, SCAN, in the February/March 2007 session. In late November 2006, the Minister provided a consultation paper on SCAN to the Members and public for review and comment on the discussion paper. Mr. Speaker, subsequently, the Department of Justice held public hearings on the consultation paper on SCAN in the larger centres in late November and December of 2006. It should be noted that the communities outside of larger centres were invited to send two delegates to attend the public hearings, but given the time of this to travel, the Beaufort communities could not send any delegates to participate.

Mr. Speaker, this concern was raised by the leaders of the Beaufort-Delta at the annual Beaufort-Delta Regional Council meeting in Inuvik in mid-December 2006. I also received an invitation from the Hamlet of Tuk to attend the

regular council meeting on February 7, 2007, but because session was to begin, I committed to discuss the consultation paper with them at a later date.

Mr. Speaker, at first glance, the front-line workers and non-government workers in Tuk are in support of this proposed legislation on SCAN through the consultation document. So they should be, Mr. Speaker, for it does address concerns in the communities. I understand the Department of Justice has reviewed and compiled what they heard at the public hearings and may be preparing a legislative proposal during the February/March 2007 session. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to move forward on the legislative proposal on SCAN, but would like the Minister to ensure the Standing Committee on Social Programs has ample time to take the legislation on the road for full public review. We owe it to the residents of the Northwest Territories to further comment on the proposed legislation should it come before us.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Justice at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 20th, 2007

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to speak regarding income security. We all know it's a subject that I guess a lot of us hope we can get away from sometimes. But we have to go back to reality that the reason the program is there is for people who need support, not there to help people who can work. It's there as a last resort for people who really need the assistance to get by for the month. That's my understanding of the program.

Some of my colleagues, Mr. Chairman, touched on the transfer of the funds from the Housing Corporation to income support. Again, I agree with some of my colleagues here that it's still a problem, especially in small communities. I will give you an example, Mr. Chairman. I raised it the other day. With income support clients who are going to post-secondary education outside of the communities, I understand that we have a minimum of three months that they can leave the community. Who is going to finish a program in three months if you have to leave for a six-month program? It's very clear under the policy it's a minimum of three months and a maximum of two years.

In one case the Minister is saying the mistake was made by the local housing authority. I don't think so. It depends on how you interpret the policy. If you had a program for two years, granted, understanding that people might need housing but if they have enough units, I think they should hold onto that unit. That is where the problem was encountered, Mr. Chairman. After three months, the income support worker just said I'm sorry we can't pay the O and M of the housing unit. That's why they got into the situation where they ended up $5,000 plus in terms of payments. As the Minister indicated the other day, that's been rectified. I think it's important that these kinds of things should be looked at.

I just hope down the road that if we are gong to keep the system the way it is today, we hope the transition can run smoothly.

I want to talk a bit about productive choices. Sure, you can stay home and watch your child. You can go get ice and wood for the elders. You can go hunting for the elders. These are just some of the productive choices that are identified by the department. In reality, when you look at it, how does this help you out in the long term, so you get a productive choice so that you are able to do something with what you have learned and not out shovelling snow just to make up for the house so they can get income support. To me, that's not a productive

choice. That's just doing slave labour for $200 a month for a single person. You are not gaining any experience; you are just going out there to do something the department wants them to do. A productive choice is when you go out and work with an organization, sit in the office for eight hours or something like that. Learn something, let's have a productive choice. In the end, you learn something.

I don't know what we can do, Mr. Chairman. We've talked about it so many times. For the last three years, we've talked about it. We talked about it for the last year and a half after the transfer of money from the Housing Corporation to income support. I just hope that some day we will get it right and we don't have any more complaints about the Housing Corporation, LHOs and income support workers. These are just a few comments I want to make, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 20th, 2007

Thanks for that information, Mr. Minister. I'm just wondering if you can make sure the deputy minister can follow up with what has been decided. Thank you.

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 20th, 2007

Thank you. We're going to get both done. I heard that agreed. Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a quick comment. In my general comments yesterday with regard to Aurora College, I'm just going to pursue it a little further with the Minister. As I indicated yesterday that Tuk has two nice buildings in the community that can be utilized for outside training outside of Inuvik. As a region, I'm just wondering if the Minister had thought about that since yesterday. Thank you.

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 20th, 2007

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just have a quick question regarding the Ecole St. Joseph renovation. There is $8.63 million allocated for this year and $5.7 million the previous year. I understand the reason why, because of the fire. Is it covered under insurance or can we get it back through insurance?

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 20th, 2007

Page 8-22, that's where my question is.

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 20th, 2007

Thank you, Madam Chair. Can I wait until page 8-23?

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 19th, 2007

No, I'm done. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 19th, 2007

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just on another subject, under grants and contributions I'm just looking at the...I don't know if I'm going to jump ahead, but I'll let you decide that, Madam Chair. Under grants and contributions I'm looking at more specifically 8-22 and I'm just wondering, it's identified there that $8.63 million is identified for Ecole St. Joseph renovation. It has to do with the fire in August. I'm just wondering, aren't we covered under the fire insurance, or is the government covered under that so they can replace things like that? Thank you.

Item 16: Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters February 19th, 2007

Thank you, Madam Chair. I think a quick follow-up, I guess. The Minister indicated that the parents need to understand what their students are signing. I'm just wondering, let's assume, let's say that some of the parents actually didn't graduate, so they won't understand. I guess my question is how can we, as education partners, be able to assist these parents understand that their students can go one level higher than they did? Is there a way that we can work with it? Thank you.