Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My questions here are on policy development. I know the Minister is aware of the interest and the financial incentives of having wood heat in our public housing. Somehow there are a lot of jurisdictions around the world that have figured that out so that there is off-the-shelf technology, and insurance companies and liabilities are adjusted with the reliability of those systems. My first question is: Can we not find a way? I know this is a challenge but I also know it’s being done elsewhere. Can we not find a way to develop a policy and start realizing this opportunity by...

How do you spell that? No, I’m just kidding. No, that’s great, Madam Chair. This is an area that I think committee is very keen on. Obviously, we’re looking at the impacts of the crime bill coming down the pipe. I understand it’s already started and will continue to build, so I’m with the Minister in wanting to get things done a little quicker than the current timeline suggested, but more on that anon. That’s all I have for this page. Thank you.

Madam Chair, my first question has to do with the RCMP family violence coordinator, a couple of questions there. Where do you envision this being based? Do you envision this as an RCMP officer or a social programs expert that would be working with the RCMP to enhance their understanding? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. That’s excellent news. I appreciate that the Premier is way ahead of me on this one. I’m glad to hear that he’s on that. I would appreciate it if he would inform the House about what he finds out there and his assessment of the response.

My last question is, obviously this is just one example, it happens to be an extremely important one for the people of the Northwest Territories, but people all over Canada, and most recently expressed by the people of the Northwest Territories yesterday in downtown Yellowknife, are concerned and carrying on protests in reaction to the...

Thanks for those additional details or repeated details. I’m wondering, the terms of reference, is that something that gets provided to committee. Has that been provided to committee for input or where are we at on that? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m pleased to have this opportunity again to comment on the Municipal and Community Affairs program. Thanks to the Minister for his opening remarks. Just going through them, I’m curious, in support of the 17th Assembly goals, MACA will provide technical advice and assistance related to the implementation of integrated community sustainability plans in the areas of energy, capital and human resources. I appreciate that. That is the role of MACA. Typically, we do provide advice. I’m wondering what the assistance is in this case.

Moving on to public service capacity...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Page 36, the NWT/Nunavut study, I see we spent a quarter of a million dollars on a design for the delivery of justice services in remote and northern communities. I’m wondering what the results were on that and what we’ve learned and are putting into practice there. Thank you.

Here when we are at the table on such a high-profile agreement that can obviously influence us and our costs, as Mr. Ramsay mentioned yesterday in the House, this is a real privilege and opportunity and, I would say, a real responsibility. So will the Premier get busy and write Ottawa, object to this, let the Prime Minister know, and our negotiators, that we would object to this because it will raise the price of drugs for our people?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I guess quickly, would this be where specialized courts would be housed? I guess, just by way of working up gradually and changing the subject, the compensation for judges is an exercise that, I think, we’ve been going through at arm’s length and whatnot. Have some decisions been made? Has that been reported? Is that all done and being implemented and are the results public? Is that something we can hear about? Thank you.

Thank you for that explanation. My last question is on the housing for staff. I know it’s been noted that we’ve knocked out that $250,000 there. What is the current strategy for providing housing for staff? Recognizing I know the Minister is familiar with the situation and that may have been explained earlier. Maybe I can just get it from Hansard if I was out of the House or somehow missed it. No further questions.