Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Blake. I just want to remind everybody that we are talking about the capital budget here. Minister Miltenberger, do you have any remarks?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. Mr. Miltenberger, would you like to reply?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Miltenberger, any comments?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the chair of the Social Envelope Committee of Cabinet.

How will the Anti-Poverty Action Plan specifically change the social safety net system so that people with a disabling credit rating are still able to gain timely access to income support from Education, Culture and Employment that also meets their housing needs?

The Department of Education, Culture and Employment currently requires that people with housing debt establish and honour a repayment plan with the Housing Corporation for six months before qualifying for income support. How will the Anti...

The Minister has very correctly depicted this as a cross-departmental dilemma. Clearly focused attention is needed on these conflicting cross-departmental policies that entrap people in poverty, as the Minister has said.

Will the Anti-Poverty Action Plan include funding or dedicated personnel, almost an ombudsman sort of a person, to research and suggest solutions to poverty traps like these and other policy dilemmas as they come up? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to follow up from my earlier Member’s statement with questions to the lead Minister for the Anti-Poverty Strategy, Mr. Abernethy.

As I mentioned in my statement today, my constituents are telling me that our social safety net contains poverty traps. Some of the rules make it very difficult for people to access the help they need.

I’d like to start by asking the Minister, first of all, what is the current status of the Anti-Poverty Strategy Action Plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also recognize Tony Whitford, if he’s still here. I don’t know if Mayor Mark Heyck is still here. I’d also like to recognize – again I can’t see them – Dick and Loretta Abernethy, both residents of Weledeh. Hi up there. Finally, Sophie Clark, a resident of Weledeh and one of our Pages today. Thanks very much for all the service the Pages are providing us. Mahsi.

Thank you, Minister. I am sure we could all agree one wish is to have more money. Ms. Bisaro.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The last person I have on my list today is Mr. Blake.

Mr. Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment and follow up to my Member’s statement with respect to the Pathways to Mineral Development report. I was very dismayed to see that there were no public meetings and that the process was essentially run by industry reps alone. I have to say I kind of like the guys. They are very personable. They are obviously professionals embedded within the industry, the panel itself. I know a partner was a Chamber of Mines.

I mentioned the need in my statement for a public interest policy review. Perhaps the Minister was...