Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, May 28, 2018, I will move that Bill 16, An Act to Amend the Social Assistance Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

People who know me know I'm a hard worker. Staff who have worked with me in other departments know that I'm a hard Minister. I don't plan on letting either of those go. My priority within this, the remainder of the time, is to actually make sure, as I stated just before, that all of our education supports are based on best practices, that they are accountable, that we have measurable outcomes, that we evaluate them regularly. That is often called accreditation. I'm not asking people to get to the point of accreditation, but I think we need to work towards that. So it's about quality...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the effect of urbanization is affecting not only the Northwest Territories; it's small communities throughout Canada; internationally, actually. It is happening that people are moving from smaller communities into the regional or larger community centres because there are more opportunities there. So we have to work on it.

Pathways, like I talked about, making people look at their options earlier is one way. One new thing that we're actually doing as well, and I have to thank the MLA who brought it up in the community of Ulukhaktok, having three graduates who did...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize one of our Pages today. She is from Range Lake, Ms. Makayla Lane. Welcome. Thank you.

As presented in our original presentation on this act to the standing committee, we are still on track with that. Once the standing committee reviews the legislative proposal and permits their feedback, then I will give drafting instructions, and if there are no major glitches, then this will continue as provided, and so it will be brought forward in the May session. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is responsible for the CTV Act. We are not responsible for the funding that is provided to the Visitors' Association. As stated, I can't speak on behalf of another department. I am not sure. I know that Municipal and Community Affairs would not be going into the City of Yellowknife to look at their budget for their visitors' centre. That is not under Municipal and Community Affairs.

I am willing to work with the communities on this, but I can't do this alone. If homeowners actually have an issue where they have an environmental concern, they don't have a fuel tank or they may be having to take one out because it is not meeting the need now, and we can't get a tank in there, if they apply to the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, we will try to do our best to try to alleviate any potential or spillage that is there currently, recognizing that they have to fit within the needs assessment, the income threshold, to be able to qualify for our programming.

However, tell...

I think we would have to do a community view. I think that we are looking at seeing how the local housing authorities can support their communities better, recognizing that they don't have available supplies, contractors, et cetera, for a variety of housing needs. We are looking at that.

I do have to make sure before I make a commitment in the House, though, that, if we are going to be doing that, my thinking is, and I may be wrong, that you need to have some kind of certification to be able to do that. I need to make sure that either the local housing authorities have that certification or we...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that Bill 8, Emergency Management Act, be read for the second time. This bill repeals and replaces a former act and reflects a new emergency management structure consistent with current operational Territorial realities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, we have been meeting regularly with the City of Yellowknife, actually, on this act. I will make sure that they are talked to about what our timeline is. We did present it to them when we first provided it. We are on track with them.

I do want to clarify, as well, that I found out that the legislative proposal is before standing committee, and it was dated March 8th, as I suspected.