Mackenzie Delta

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the Minister’s opening statement, I did raise this issue in committee in regard to the energy priority initiatives. The Yellowknife Airport, a garage was constructed. This is a new facility yet we’re spending some $660,000-odd to put in a wood pellet boiler. I’m wondering why it is that this was not part of the design and construction of that facility and why wasn’t that built in when we constructed this new facility. It is new. I think we spent quite a few million dollars on it. I’m just wondering why it is that we’re making this major expenditure after...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

I wasn’t really hearing the Minister’s response in regard to you mentioned diesel fuel, gas, but have you looked at alternative energy sources? We’ve just had a discussion about wood pellet heat systems. Have we looked at the possibility of biomass as the potential possibility of an energy source that you can look at?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take the Minister’s advice and suggest that all tenants who are having this situation do go to the Human Rights Commission and file their complaints and maybe that’s the only place they’re going to get some reprieve here. I’d like to ask the Minister again, will you consider writing a letter to your local housing authorities and making them aware of the Human Rights Act and that it is a discriminatory matter if you are not allowing people to pick up an application?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

In regard to the situation we see in Norman Wells, I see there’s $473,000 in regard to conversion to alternative energy sources in Norman Wells. Is that to convert to diesel heat, or can you verify what exactly that is for? Is that for a backup generator at the airport? The $473,000, Norman Wells.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

This has come to my attention not once but several times. I believe that we do have an obligation under the Human Rights Act as a government to fulfill our obligations as providers of services and to ensure that we are not discriminating clients. What is the Housing Corporation doing to ensure that front-line workers, whether it’s housing authorities and staff, are aware of their obligations under the Human Rights Act?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Again the combined services building, I noted the Minister said it was going to be completed and opened here shortly. Why are we carrying $1.026 million? What is that expenditure for? A million dollars?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has come to my attention that we have a Human Rights Act in place which clearly does not allow for discrimination on the basis of race, age, gender, disability, sex, political beliefs, social conditions. It’s still apparent that the word has not gotten out, especially to our front-line workers who are discriminating on the basis that the individuals who are coming forward to pick up an application to apply to the housing authorities are refused simply because they do not want those individuals to be tenants.

The Human Rights Act is very clear that you cannot...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. My other question is in regard to the YK Airport, the wood pellet boiler, $660,000. Just going ahead in regard to the following page, I noticed there’s one point something million for the same facility. So I’d just like to know, it’s on page 13, the combined services building, $1.026 million. I’m just wondering, is that the same capital expenditure and how close are we, again, to completing the construction of that combined services building at the airport?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In regards to the office records centre warehouse in Inuvik, $489,000. I thought the facility was almost completed, so I would like to know what type of work do you have to do for almost $5 million.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 6th Session (day 5)

Mr. Chair, I don’t know if it’s in here but one of the areas we did receive a lot of money which is also for municipalities, and I know that some of our municipalities are still struggling with trying to get their stimulus dollars funded. I’m wondering if that’s anything that’s part of these capital expenditures. I’d like to know what happens in those scenarios. Are we going to also have to live up to those obligations if they don’t meet the timelines? Thank you.