Alfred Moses

I thought the Member had asked if I was going to be willing to work with PWS and I did answer that one, and of course, our staff will go into the community and work with the community and the school board. We’ll get our superintendent in there. I’m also willing to make a commitment to go into the community and see for myself and work with Public Works and Services moving forward. Unfortunately, as the Member had stated in his preamble to the questions, space is an issue. We will be doing a phased-in approach when we’re working, making the renovations and the work that needs to be done while...

Yes, thank you. As soon as the questions are brought up into the House from Member O'Reilly on the Yukon index. Through the business planning session when we went through the review made; the department was looking and seeing what's happening. The Yukon index… We really weren't too sure, but that was kind of new, so we want to take a look at that one as well because it is reflective of northern residents as well.

Yes. The work that we do with the Tlicho Government does decrease and they give us the amount of money that we will work with the Tlicho on implementing some of the programs. It varies from year to year, yes.

We're always working with other departments on how we can address some of the shortfalls in some of our communities, such as high cost of food. In 2014, we did develop a Northern Market Basket Measure. Every jurisdiction in the Northwest Territories does have a market basket measure, but it doesn't reflect what the costs are living in the Northwest Territories. We work with Yukon and we worked with Nunavut to create a Northern Market Basket Measure. We're using those statistics to reflect how we fund our income assistance. We’re also working with our other departments and with adjusting some...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and we do appreciate the work that College nordique and Dechinta have been doing over the number of years. One of the unique things and great things that I'm excited about is the Skills 4 Success Action Plan. As Members are aware, we did table a labour market information and needs assessment report on April 20th. That reflected the jobs that are going to be needed throughout the Northwest Territories over the next five, 10, 15 years. We have been getting some really good feedback from both College nordique and also with Dechinta and how they're going to be reflecting a...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I do want to state that the Income Assistance Program is probably one of the better programs we offer to those that do need it, and the changes that we are proposing are going to be reflective in increasing those changes. As mentioned earlier when I got asked in the House, we're going to see increases in some of this funding for low- to moderate-income families that are going to benefit. I mean, it's great. I've also talked about the Northern Market Basket Measure. Stats Canada has one for all jurisdictions across Canada; however they didn't reflect the costs and prices...

I'll go to my deputy minister for that one.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member's correct in her Member's statement, the last time we increased the income assistance was on April 1, 2015. We're always reviewing our programs and services that we offer to our most vulnerable people and the ones that really need some of the basic needs.

I did field questions on this topic last week. Just some extra information out there. On April 1st we did increase it by 20 per cent, 2015. We also mentioned that in the Yukon they're looking at indexing, so we've got the department looking at what they're doing in the Yukon to see if there's any way we can...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe it's under our labour and career development allocated funding.

I appreciate the support and we want to make sure that we work well with committee when that legislative proposal comes through to get the consultation that it needs and get it passed.