Julie Green

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As we all know, the demand for public housing outstrips our financial capacity to provide it. It's a game of catch-up that has no end in sight.

In June of last year, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation announced a potential solution, to have northern manufacturers build modular homes that could be shipped to communities across the NWT. The Housing Corporation publicly tendered a design-build request for proposals in April of last year for 39 units. After evaluating 16 proposals, a large contract was awarded to Concept Energy Services in Hay River for 19 two...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Mahsi.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, October 23, 2017, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Hay River South, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting days and hours as the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time, I will be seeking unanimous consent to deal with this motion today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a few more questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation about the modular homes. I have a few money questions. My first question is: how much money was advanced to Concept Energy Services and why was that money advanced? Thank you.

Can the Minister say when a decision will be made on one of these options?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have few more questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation about the modular duplexes. Can she say who is going to build the remainder of this order that Concept Energy Services started? Who is going to fill the rest of this order and over what period of time? Thank you.

What action is the Minister taking to either revoke the contract with Concept Energy Services or work with Concept Energy Services to have the terms and conditions met?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I received a package of 69 letters written by inmates at the North Slave Correctional Complex. The letters were sent to me for distribution to other Members and the Minister of Justice. The letters were accompanied by an eight-page open letter to the Justice Minister, and I want to reflect on that letter today. The letter writer states a fact that's indisputable: the courts and jails see the same individuals over and over again, yet "most inmates yearn for a better life and desperately want to be clean and sober." The writer goes on to say, "We have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start by acknowledging that this is a distressful conversation for the Minister, and it is for me, as well. I want to reiterate what some of my colleagues have said: it did not have to be this way. Had the Cabinet taken the direction of the non-confidence motion, as is normally the case in Westminster systems of governance, then the Minister would have resigned. We have all made a commitment to do things differently in this Assembly -- that was the result of having 11 new Members -- with a special focus on accountability and transparency...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the Minister's willingness to look at how these complaints are dealt with and how they might be dealt with more effectively. My final question has to do with programming. We understand the recreation position has been cut, that the arts and crafts room has been closed, and outdoor access is limited by the issues related to fencing. What kind of recreational programming is in place for inmates? Thank you.