Frederick Blake Jr.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few questions about the impacts of the Housing Corporation's adjustments to public housing utility rates. My questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: how is the department's income security programs division responding where its clients have been affected by changing public housing utility rates? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. McNeely. Any further questions, committee? Mr. O'Reilly.

Thank you, Ms. Green. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Mr. Beaulieu.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister answered my next question, but I have one more here. In addition to adjusting power subsidies, what other actions is the Corporation taking to encourage energy conservation and reduce energy consumption in public housing?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in follow up to my Member's statement, I have a few questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: what is the exact dollar amount, and what is the impact of these changes on the average tenant's power bill? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Housing Corporation also intends to conserve corporation funds through this initiative. Has the corporation calculated to what extent costs have simply been passed to income security programs in the Department of Education, Culture and Employment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, public housing tenants in my riding are troubled by changes in their power bills. For a little bit of background, the NWT Housing Corporation is in the third phase of its mandate commitment to development options to rationalize public housing utility pricing structures to promote self-reliance. Over the past three years, the Housing Corporation has been slowly reducing its subsidy of power rates for public housing tenants. The government's goal is to increase energy conservation and tenants' self-reliance, and to conserve corporation funds, all through...

Mr. Speaker, like I mentioned in my opening comments, the engineering and planning has been completed and the permits are in place, so will the Minister commit to completing the Willow River Bridge by the end of the winter?