Frieda Martselos

This is not an acceptable or just policy. The NWT Housing Corporation must start accounting for clients' age and mobility when determining their eligibility for public housing. It cannot be about income. On paper, this couple does have the ability, financially speaking, to own their own house outside of public housing. However, this does not accurately represent their whole situation. At this stage in their lives, they do not have the physical ability to own and maintain a multi-level home any longer.

Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I suggest the NWT Housing Corporation implement a universal flat...

Will the Minister commit to review the policy of core needs income threshold in order to properly account for one's level of mobility and social and safety needs for seniors?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell us if she considers the current policy of core needs income thresholds within the NWT Housing Corporation as a fair and just policy for the residents of the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a government, we have been working on addressing universal childcare for the people of the NWT, which is good and a much-needed service. However, I would like to suggest that we begin to address the care for seniors in a similar, across-the-board manner, at least in terms of housing and cost.

Mr. Speaker, right now, there is a policy within the NWT Housing Corporation called Core Need Income Threshold. According to the NWT Housing Action Plan 2019-2022, Core Need Income Threshold is the income limit for each community that represents the amount of income a household...

More clarity on some of that second question would be great. I know that we have been using federal funds and nothing from the Northwest Territories' government funds. The NWT has a very small business community that is reliant on government economic activity to be sustained. Can the Minister tell us if she thinks, as Minister of ITI and Finance, if there should be a balanced public and private sector economy in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. BDIC loan payments to businesses are not being processed right now, but the interest rates are being charged on principal loans, therefore accumulating compound interest charges. Payments are being deferred for all BDIC business loans until April 1st, 2021. Can the Minister tell us if she believes the Government of the Northwest Territories should extend this time frame by six months or more and consider eliminating all interest being charged to BDIC loans during this pandemic? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It has now been 11 months since COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. That is nearly one year we have been dealing with this global health crisis, a crisis which has disrupted nearly every aspect of daily life in one way or another. I know that, in any pandemic situation, the core mission of a government is to protect its citizens and to combat and eliminate the disease that is plaguing the planet, which in our case is COVID-19. However, secondary to that objective is to help the economy to stay afloat. To help the economy, we as a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This Minister is responsible for both ITI and Finance. Can the Minister tell us if she would consider providing a one-time direct financial aid package to all small- and medium-sized businesses that are majority-owned by residents who reside in the NWT? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Most of the financial aid to date given to the business community has come from the federal government. Can the Minister provide us with an exact amount that the Government of the Northwest Territories has contributed to the business community in relation to the pandemic aid?

However, even beyond statistics, just by entering a business within any of these sectors you will notice an impact. You see the decline in customer base wherever you go. This is very concerning, especially for businesses who rely on regular face-to-face customers to make an income. Not all businesses have been able to adapt to the pandemic equally. There have been high levels of job and income losses for many people within the private sector. How much more of this can the business community take? There is only so much slack that can be given to a business community to maneuver through this...