David Ramsay

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko. This morning there was a piece on the CBC Radio regarding the issue of the seniors’ duplexes that were recently built in Hay River, and basically the crux of the story was that the Housing Corporation had constructed 12 duplexes and they were designed for couples and a number of the new tenants had sold their existing homes prior to moving in. Now, Mr. Speaker, the rent is free, regardless of net worth of the tenant and provided the tenant’s monthly household income does not...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This approach is obviously causing division amongst seniors in our communities and while no one could really begrudge a couple for taking advantage of such a generous program, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation can’t provide this level of support to all seniors. It’s impossible, Mr. Speaker, that they do that. I’d like to ask the Minister is this an approach to seniors’ housing that the Minister plans to expand on? He started on it, but I want to hear an answer from him today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to recognize that it’s Mining Week here in Yellowknife. This is an annual event put on by the NWT and Nunavut Chamber of Mines as a way of paying tribute to the industry and developing awareness amongst the public. Mr. Speaker, I can’t make a statement on mining today without mentioning the labour dispute at Ekati and I do hope, Mr. Speaker, that both sides can negotiate an end to the impasse as many of our residents are being negatively impacted because of this situation.

Mr. Speaker, mining is and has been for many years the number one industry in the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I find that completely outrageous. There’s been a number of concerns raised in the media and from constituents of mine about the fairness of this approach. Some seniors receive fully subsidized housing while others are struggling day in and day out to maintain independent homes with very little support, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister, what is the plan of the Housing Corporation to address a more fair and equitable distribution of housing support for seniors in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Luckily the NWT has these. We have gold, silver, zinc, copper and rare earth metals that are all trading at record highs. In most of them our forecasts remain high in light of the increased demand from Asia’s growing economy. We also have a major storehouse of clean energy: uranium. In order to bring these commodities into production some day, prospectors need access to the land to carry out the grassroots exploration activities. Unfortunately, many of their planned programs are being held up for political reasons while land claims are under consideration.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a motion. Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 2006-2007, that the schedule to Bill 2 be amended:

a)

decreased by $320,000 the supplementary appropriation amount set out in part 2 item 16 Public Works and Services, by striking out "$8.207 million" and substituting "$7.887 million" in the column entitled "Appropriation by Item"

b) decreased by $320,000 the amount set out in part 2 as the total supplementary appropriation for capital investment expenditures, by striking out "$45,411 million" and substituting "$45.091 million" and

c) decreased...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’ve mentioned this numerous times before. Again, I don’t understand if you have a requirement for office space in Fort Simpson why we don’t go to tender and try to get the office space that we need built. Again, I mean this is the first time I’m seeing any of this information as it comes through a supplementary appropriation and it’s not right, Mr. Chairman. I just want to mention that again. I think it’s not fair to put Regular Members in this position that we’re in today. It’s not fair to the residents of Fort Simpson either and I want to mention that as well...

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. We will do so after a short recess. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I think the question begs to be asked, well, why didn’t we go to tender three years ago or four years ago when we knew this was the case? If you want the approval of this Assembly to do that, I’m looking down the row here and across the way and I’m sure the will would be there. If there’s a need in Fort Simpson for office space, the desire and the will amongst the Members here to get that done would be there, but it just wasn’t done, Mr. Chairman. I think that’s the problem. It should have went to tender years ago, not arrive here on the floor of the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This approach is obviously causing division amongst seniors in our communities and while no one could really begrudge a couple for taking advantage of such a generous program, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation can’t provide this level of support to all seniors. It’s impossible, Mr. Speaker, that they do that. I’d like to ask the Minister is this an approach to seniors’ housing that the Minister plans to expand on? He started on it, but I want to hear an answer from him today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.