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Crucial Fact

Historical Information Tom Beaulieu is no longer a member of the Legislative Assembly.

Last in the Legislative Assembly September 2019, as MLA for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Won his last election, in 2015, with 70% of the vote.

Statements in the House

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that consideration of Tabled Document 444-18(3), Supplementary Estimates Operations Expenditures, No. 2, 2019-2020, be now concluded and that Tabled Document 444-18(3) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have no further questions on this. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wonder if the Minister through his department could start looking at carry-overs in two allotments, one of some of the projects that he just spoke of like the hospital. I am sure nobody wants to see the money taken away from the hospital when it's almost complete, but there are also projects that have not started at all. I was wondering if the Minister could identify how much of this $122 million is on projects that have not started at all. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Earlier during question period, an honourable Member of the House asked about what was referred to as red-flag projects, that the red-flag projects would be projects that would be ready to go out the door so that, if the departments are unable to get the projects completed and they are getting carried over, there is carry-over year after year, and just by inflation alone on a carry-over of this type we are losing a couple of million dollars, just on inflation alone. That is because we lose buying power every year. If inflation is 1.8 percent, like I think it was last time, this carry-over would cost us $2.1 million, so in order for the government to be more efficient. Of course, a key thing would be that these projects are desperately needed or other projects where money is actually being spent in the community instead of the money being carried over, I would like to ask the Minister if there is such a thing left as what used to be referred to as red-flag projects or projects that are ready to go when other projects are unable to get off the ground. I would like to ask the Minister if red-flag projects still exist. Thank you.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I, too, want to talk a bit about the carry-overs. I just would like to ask the Minister if there was a way to spend this money. If this is a small amount, like the deputy said, this $122 million is one of the smaller that was carried over, even based on this $122 million of a carry-over, had that been spent, it would have a lot more buying power than it would be next year. I would like to ask the Minister if there is, aside from directives, if there is some sort of a physical plan to address the carry-overs? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Consideration In Committee Of The Whole Of Bills And Other Matters June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I committee would like to consider Tabled Document 443-18(3), Supplementary Estimates (Infrastructure Expenditures) No. 2, 2019-2020; Tabled Document 444-18(3), Supplementary Estimates (Operations Expenditures) No. 2, 2019-2020; Committee Report 14-18(3), Special Committee to increase the Representation of Women in the Legislative Assembly Report; Bill 55, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 1. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Question 768-18(3): Aging in Place June 4th, 2019

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the whole concept of aging in place is to keep people out of long-term care and, in effect, save a lot of money. It is not all about saving money, but it is also about keeping people in their own communities. There are a lot of benefits. I talk a lot about the benefits of it.

I would like to ask the Minister of NWT Housing Corporation if he is prepared to start doing some work with the Department of Health and Social Services to see if there are some projects that can be done, real projects, like something where you go into a community and have four, good, viable clients that can have their houses modified. It doesn't have to be 60; you may be able to modify a house for $10,000, that is still possible, but some may take $100,000, to look for good, viable projects for people over 70 years old where their alternative would be to either be placed in another community in long-term care or in their own community, like here in Yellowknife; to see if this is viable; to prove that this is something that the apartment could do to and has tremendous economic spinoffs, including people who would be able to do the work on the units. There are small contractors, building suppliers. There is a lot of benefit to it. I would like to ask the Minister if he would consider looking at something like that with the Department of Health and Social Services before this 18th Assembly is complete. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Question 768-18(3): Aging in Place June 4th, 2019

The $10,000 program is being rolled out. It's being promoted. Seniors are taking advantage of it, but I don't think it's allowing people to age in place. Not that amount of money, anyway. If you need to widen a hallway or put a washroom with an ability for a wheelchair to circulate, to move the plugs down to where the seniors are able to access it from the wheelchair, to put ovens up so that the oven is where you're able to slide under, there are a whole bunch of things to make houses barrier-free, and that's the idea, is to make the units barrier-free. $10,000 cannot make any unit barrier-free. That's okay. I agree that it's a well-used program, but it's just not enough money.

I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister has the data or the information or the statistics to indicate how many homeowners there are in the Northwest Territories that are over the age of 70?

Question 768-18(3): Aging in Place June 4th, 2019

I guess the optimal method of allowing seniors to age in place would be to allow them to remain in their own homes. The aging in place program right now has a budget of $10,000. It's really difficult to keep seniors in their home long-term with $10,000 unless maybe it's $10,000 a year every year. What I see as something viable is $60 to $100,000 worth of renovations to keep the senior in their home; to extend the life of that senior's house for an additional 10 years would be ideal. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to looking at the budget and coming up with something more realistic than $10,000? $10,000 is not realistic to keep seniors in their own homes.

Question 768-18(3): Aging in Place June 4th, 2019

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today, I had a Member's statement on aging in place. I have questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation because, if the houses are ready, then we can get some homecare. It takes two departments, but today, I want to ask the Housing Corporation, I'd like to ask the Minister if the aging in place program, I guess we'll call it, is included in the housing development plans that the department or the corporation is doing across the territory? Thank you.