Bob Bromley

This is a small number of people, and to those involved, it’s extremely important, as the Minister knows.

This week I had a communication with an audiology professional, one of our staff, who said “In the grand scheme of things, it seems so insignificant, but when you are working with these parents and having to look them in the eyes and tell them their child has a hearing impairment and it’s going to cost $2,465, the cost of a pair of hearing aids and ear molds, to give them access to sound, well, it’s a difficult place to be in as a professional and I imagine as a family too. And there is...

Thanks for the Minister’s comments with sharp eyes there. I actually had not found that one. I appreciate very much the retrofits that are done. I know the Minister is aware of the state of the housing in those communities. It’s very difficult to visit people in their homes, which are not necessarily public housing units; people are fierce about trying to keep their own homes going. Unfortunately, I have not been successful in helping them get support from the corporation to deal with some of those clearly traumatic conditions.

I know there was a triplex, there was also a couple of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are in follow up to my statement yesterday on the need for hearing aids for all young children in the Northwest Territories for the Minister of Health. Currently, not all NWT children are able to access any programs to cover the costs of the hearing aids crucial to their development. Although the GNWT sees fit to support the early identification of children with hearing loss, they do not provide all children with the intervention they require in order to succeed.

I’d like to ask the Minister, what is the status of action to address this gap? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I believe the Minister answered my question. Did you know I was going to ask this question? With his last breath there, I think he mentioned that the formula review did indicate a shortfall of about $24 million. Did I hear that correctly? Yes. So we’ve been underfunding about $24 million a year. Yes, it’s a serious issue. I know the Minister recognizes it. I think the question has been answered. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks to the Minister. Agricultural policy is important to the future of sustainable local economies and food security for the communities in the North. If our people are to achieve the optimum level of self-sufficiency, the Economic Strategy must contain a comprehensive agricultural policy.

Is this promised agricultural policy a priority for this government given we are just hearing What We Heard and not a policy or is this another case of this government paying lip service to the sustainable localized economic development communities require while pursuing fossil fuel which should remain in...

Thank you. I have no more questions. I have no problems with the briefing laid out by the Minister there and I’ll look forward to that information. Mahsi.

Thank you very much for that comprehensive response. I think there’s a good record in Hansard for constituents who may be interested.

Would this work be proposed to come forward as a supp since it’s not in this capital plan?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for Minister Ramsay today. I scanned the list of documents to be tabled this session, but I was disappointed not to see the promised Agriculture Strategy listed. We haven’t even had a whiff of a draft, in spite of it being promised by the end of this summer, long past.

This strategy, an intended action plan, has been called for by the citizens of the Northwest Territories for decades. With only days effectively left to deal with this, can the Minister tell me when we can expect to see a draft of this long-awaited strategy? Mahsi.

Thanks to the Minister. I intend no slur with NorthwestTel, but obviously they will have that possibility, that potential. This is the proverbial captive audience. That is why I am saying it seems clear there is a need to provide some support to communities to consider and assess alternatives and make sure they are able to pick out the best ones and also that they have some expertise to draw on to make sure that they’re not being taken advantage of as a captive audience in our valley communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just want to express my support for that decision and that plan. It’s particularly become more critical that governments such as ours step into the major gaps left by the federal government pulling out of science and with our recent devolution, I think this is a totally logical step. In my view, it will only become more important. The mid-tundra is quite different than the High Arctic research situation, and as the world starts to express the change that’s coming upon us, this could be an important facility to help us understand that with these partners that the deputy...