David Ramsay

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

---SHORT RECESS

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. 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, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, during our deliberations on this, I had a discussion about the $3 million for Pile Inspection and Repair Program. I didn’t get answers that I really was looking for. Obviously, what happened in Inuvik with the school and the pilings failing, that happened. What I see this as is a knee-jerk reaction by Public Works and Services to go out and do some of this work without really truly knowing what the cost is. I would suggest it’s much more. If you get into a situation like you had in Inuvik, it’s going to cost a tremendous amount of money to repair pilings...