Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I just wanted to follow up a little bit with the alternative schooling and in particular the Phoenix School. Am I correct in gathering that their funding is decreasing by about $200,000, about 50 percent of their allocation in 2011-2012?

I assume the lease will probably be at a higher rate than currently. Without being specific about amounts, I’m just asking if the department has planned for that greater expense in this budget. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a clarification. I note the drop in funding for literacy by about $125,000. This is a key program. I’m wondering if I can find out where that cut is happening. Thank you.

Thank you. There’s quite a bit that could be explored in that statement, but I appreciate that those are the facts. The Minister will get no argument from me on the need to collect rent. People who can pay rent must pay it, but the reality is penalizing LHOs for uncollected rent does nothing but dig LHOs into debt, because the reality is all rents can’t be collected, despite best efforts. How does the Minister again propose to get assessed rents in line with the reality of rental collections? Mahsi.

I’m tempted to ask when we’re going to actually see something on the ground, but I’ll protect our budget discussions here and maybe bring that up at another time.

Just with Aurora College, I believe the Yellowknife Campus, we must be just about into our last year of a lease. I’m wondering when that lease runs out. The Minister has probably told us, but maybe he could remind me when that lease runs out. Let’s just start with that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Just for clarity, I was referring to the $1.1 million additional for official languages mentioned on the bottom of page 10-17. Does the Minister have anything further in response to Mr. Krutko?

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Minister Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are a follow-up on my statement earlier today on public housing. First, I want to confirm this government’s philosophy towards housing. In face of the fact that renting or owning housing is beyond the means of most people in most communities, doesn’t the government agree that the government must meet this need by the progressive redistribution of public funds in recognition that this is a social need? Thank you.

I appreciate that correction too. Will the planning for the review take place in 2011-12? Is that when the terms of reference, for example, would be developed and so on, or is that anticipated to start in the current fiscal year? Thank you