Brendan Bell

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do appreciate that it costs more to locate business in the North, the overhead is more expensive, it costs more to use northern plumbers, to use northern electricians if you are in the construction business. We do appreciate it, we do think it is very important. As I have said before, Mr. Speaker, the difficult challenge put to Cabinet was to deliver the most cost-effective housing in small communities who desperately need it, and for that, in weighing the balance we chose that at this point and in this instance that was the utmost priority and that is why we...

Mr. Speaker, North American Occupational Safety and Health Week will be held from May 2nd to 8th of this year. The goal is to focus the attention of employers, workers, the general public and all partners in occupational safety and health on the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace and at home. North American Occupational Safety and Health Week was first launched in June 1997 marked by an agreement between Canada, the United States and Mexico.

For many years, responsibility for Occupational Safety and Health Week related activities in the North fell to the Workers’...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to written question asked by Mr. David Ramsay on March 29, 2004, regarding government investment into the northern manufacturing industry over the last 10 years.

The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development has a number of programs that support manufacturing in the NWT. The business development fund provides contributions to a variety of businesses for a wide range of needs. The BDF contributions, plus additional Ministers' contributions, in the amount of almost $4 million have been provided since 1995 to businesses...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, certainly, and I know the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation presented us with some information. We have acknowledged that it was done on the best-case or worst-case scenario basis. We can’t know what the true cost would have been because we don’t know what the outcome of the tender would be. But I will certainly bring forward the points that the Member has made here today to our discussion at Cabinet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, I would like to thank the Member for her continued support of northern business. I think that’s very important, and I think it is important for the entire government and this legislature to make sure that that is a priority.

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The Member does know that the genesis for this program was in the last Assembly. Much of this work and much of the program was quite far down the pipe. So the decision to engage in stick built versus mobile homes was not the nature of our discussions. Our discussion surrounded how to move forward since this decision had...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the determination is made by the Housing Corporation that a two-week extension would not cause us any problems in our ability to still get housing on the ground, and would not mean that we would miss deadlines, would not mean that we would miss the ferry season, and would not mean that we would jeopardize putting new housing which will be very valuable to the communities who are awaiting this and desperately need this, and I would say are anticipating this eagerly, if there was no concern about deadlines then the Housing Corporation will come forward and make that...

Thank you. I think there are a number of issues. The past government, in making this decision, obviously had to consider a number of factors. We have taken a look at that as well. Clearly when you move from stick built to mobile homes, and then potentially talk about waiving the BIP on the purchase of those mobile homes, you are attempting to find a balance here between supporting economic development in the North and getting the most housing on the ground in small communities that desperately need it. That is certainly a trade-off that we had to discuss, and that was the challenge put to...

We are making sure that we follow the process and sit in on the meetings in order to hear public concerns, but I certainly take a lot of comfort in knowing and believing that this will go to phase two and there will be a joint panel review and, at that point, there will be significant opportunity not only for the residents of Hay River…I take the Member’s point that Hay River stands to benefit hugely from a development of this nature and I think they’re poised quite well to do so, but the board will hear from the residents of Hay River, it will hear from residents across the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the department is aware there was some concern raised by the town of Hay River over the proposed consultation schedule in this first, preliminary consultation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am told that the money was committed and/or expended and there was development of some materials that went out to engage public interest in this. In addition, there is another $10,000 for the advisory committee. We talked about that a little earlier. I am on the verge of appointing that committee and there has been some preliminary work done, but my understanding is the $65,000 will have been spent by year end.