David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have not made that decision yet. We have been working with the community, the emergency measures people and also working with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation who have upgraded the power plant in Behchoko so it is able to operate when the power goes down by way of a backup system for the hydro system that comes offline. Because of these changes, we are hoping that once we have a final report, we will be able to meet the satisfaction of the community of Behchoko by way of having a backup system in place.

Mr. Speaker, as we all know, the problem we face here is we don’t have a means of doing an asset-based test on what assets these seniors have. In order for us to change it, that seemed to be where the problem is. How do you assess an individual by way of an application process to ensure that they are aboveboard on whether they can afford rent or can’t they? That’s why this problem is unique to the market communities and that’s where we have to focus our decision. Again, we will be having to come forward and have a discussion paper to look at how we can make these changes. We are already...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to take this opportunity to recognize that summer is on its way. It’s a time for us to enjoy the season, but, more importantly, enjoy our friends, our family and our children who will be out of school. More importantly, for the people that are going to be out in their bush camps and their fish camps along the river and also being able to enjoy the festive season that we do have in the summer, such as our music festivals, such as the Pokiak Festival, Midway Lake, Canoe Days and also we have the Inuvik Arts Show that goes on every July.

W...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I previously committed to the Member, we will be holding housing forums in the Sahtu and the Deh Cho within the next number of months. I feel that’s probably a more appropriate time to add this to the agenda during those meetings. So maybe that is something we can add to the agenda when we host those meetings in the Sahtu and Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my commitment here today, I will have to go back to Cabinet and get direction. Once direction is given, I will take it back to the Social Programs committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the policy was put in place in the 12th Assembly. The 12th Assembly to where we are today in the 15th, a lot of circumstances have changed. In the 12th Assembly, we were part of Nunavut. The whole intention of this policy was to ensure that seniors in social housing were not to pay rent. The majority of our clients at that time were in the smaller communities, which made up the majority of the Members in this House. I think we also have to realize that the policy was there with good intentions, but the cause of some circumstances of the changing economy in...

Mr. Speaker, we are, in the questions asked yesterday by the Member from Hay River, we are looking at putting out a request for proposals on the Hay River project. In regards to the other seniors’ independent housing units, those are laid out in regards to the proposal we put forth for the 185 units we’re going to be putting in communities. There are seniors’ independent housing units going to be delivered this summer. But in regards to facilities to provide seniors accommodation by way of large facilities, those decisions haven’t been made yet. We are talking with YACCS and other groups...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now the process we are using is we’re consulting the NWT Seniors’ Society, local senior committees and councils in the communities. We were working with those organizations. So for the Member to tell us not to proceed, we are already consulting seniors who these houses are earmarked for. So I would just like to make the Member aware we are consulting. The Members of this House, they basically know what the strategy is for affordable housing that’s going to be left this summer, we already know where those units are going to go, but the projects we...

Mr. Speaker, if it’s okay with the Member, I would make an attempt to go into Behchoko with the Member and have an official opening of the power plant in Behchoko to show that we have a new power plant. It is up and running and it is going to work this time, so we don’t have the situation that we had last time where we had the hydro system go down and also a backup system go down. I commit to the Member that as soon as we have this system up and running, we will make an official visit to unveil it. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, since the Member raised this question in this House, we are looking at all our seniors’ facilities to ensure we have a system in place where they are going to be required and the extent of the emergencies that we can respond. Like I mentioned earlier, we are working with the emergency measures people, through MACA and the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, to ensure that when the power does go down in those communities, what is the backup plan to deal with these emergencies. So we are looking at it. I have not received the final report on it, so, for the Member’s...