David Krutko

These are serious allegations and I hope the Minister will take some leadership here. These allegations where an individual cannot go into a housing authority and pick up an application, is told that we will not give you an application, are against the Human Rights Act. I’d like to ask the Minister if he can write a letter to the local housing authorities making them aware that they cannot discriminate an individual from picking up an application and they have every right to fill out that application and process it. I’d like to ask the Minister if he could commit to writing that letter.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If we can get a breakdown of exactly what that $1 million is. It’s not really clear. It’s a million dollar item but it seems like sure it’s to finish the building, but what has to be concluded? Is it interior work? Is it plumbing? Is it electrical? Is it paving the driveway? What is the million dollars expended for?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of the Housing Corporation. It’s in regard to my Member’s statement and under the Human Rights Act there are certain obligations we have as governments to ensure that we also do not discriminate or harass our clients, whether it’s social housing or whatnot. Under the act it’s clear that it’s against the law to discriminate against a tenant, rental applicant, based on the personal characteristics or grounds. I mentioned the whole area of race, religion, age, disability, sex, gender, marital status, political beliefs, social...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, the question I had is this is a brand new facility and again we are making an investment for the wood pellet boiler again for 600-and-some thousand, but being a brand new facility you’d think this would have been built into the design and construction of the facility, and not to have to come forward with a supp in which the capital expenditure was already made. I don’t know why you couldn’t find the money within to do that, than have to come forward for a supp. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Do you have any idea exactly when we will see the grand opening of the facility? Is it going to be September 31st, just before the election?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I find it kind of mindboggling that people say they weren’t consulted. We’ve been talking about wildlife since the trapping industry moved into northern Canada back in the 1800s. From registered group trapping areas to game sanctuaries to looking at protection of different species on the basis of protecting species such as buffalo in the Northwest Territories, transplanting species, this stuff has happened over the decades.

One of the fundamental principles of legislation is to enact legislation that hasn’t been enacted. I’m talking about the land claims. We have land...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, will be supporting the motion. I feel, for one, that this is a critical program to not only include supporting our students, but more importantly, developing our communities so we do have healthy, vibrant communities and help the most vulnerable residents in our communities, which are the young students and young children in our communities, so that they are able to grow healthy lives and be a positive role model in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, this program is more than just having a breakfast program in the school. It builds relationships between the teachers...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, a plebiscite is to get feedback from the general public in regard to how they perceive a particular issue such as devolution. I know we’re spending $16,000 on radio announcements, we’re spending a lot of money on full-page ads. We’re doing all the advertising out there so how do we get the feedback from the public in regard to how do they see a particular issues? Do they support it? Don’t they? I’d like to ask the Premier, in order to allow the public to give us that feedback, would you consider an option such as a plebiscite?

Again, we do have a Plebiscite Act in the Northwest Territories and it is being administered by the Chief Electoral Officer who is in charge of the election which will take place this fall. By having these two events taking place simultaneously, I think it’s important that we do get feedback from the general public on this important policy and political issue in the Northwest Territories. I think it’s important that we do allow the public to give us a sense of exactly where they stand on this issue. I know as politicians sometimes the only time we seem to get direction is during an election. I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the fundamental principles of a free, transparent government is the ability for our residents to vote freely with regard to expressing their views on particular issues, voting people into public office and voting for things such as the division of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, there was a plebiscite held in 1992 to divide the Northwest Territories. At that time it was done through a plebiscite with the simple wording, “do you think the Northwest Territories should be divided.” Mr. Speaker, since that time, division has come and gone. Yet, Mr. Speaker...