Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We all know that the Northwest Territories has some of the highest costs in the country. These high costs have a big impact on our cost of living. For example, in Fort Simpson the average personal income is around $45,000. The monthly cost of electricity and heat averages around $600. This means that the cost to power and heat their homes is over 15 per cent of their income. People are struggling to make ends meet and falling further behind because of these escalating costs.

Mr. Speaker, during the last session I spoke about the high energy costs and the impact it is...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Once again, I say it’s an old system. It comes from I don’t know how many years back. It’s backwards, and it’s not working for the people. We’re asking people to save power in the smaller communities, yet in order to make money, the Power Corporation has to charge more. That’s a backwards system. I’d like the Minister to acknowledge that and look at changing that system and stop this General Rate Application and review it.

I do want to make the case that the world has changed in the last six months, Mr. Speaker. Our financial world went topsy-turvy, and we cannot be relying on our old user pay system that’s there just because fuel prices are going up. We cannot go to Granny from Nahanni and ask for more money to pay the power costs in those communities. Because of that, I ask again: can we stop this current General Rate Application process? It’s based on old, erroneous information. Plus I do not believe that this General Rate Application includes the review of operating maintenance costs, which the people have...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. A report on the review of the Human Rights Commission 2006–2007 report.

Introduction

The Standing Committee on Government Operations met on October 9, 2008, to review the 2006–2007 report of the Human Rights Commission. The committee would like to thank Ms. Mary Pat Short, Chair of the Human Rights Commission, and Ms. Thérèse Boullard, director of Human Rights, for appearing before us.

2006–2007 Annual Report

The 2006–2007 report does not include any recommendations; however, the committee would like to take the opportunity to comment on other issues that were...

Thank you, Minister, for that clarification. Once again, I just want to get an assurance that just because it’s not on the books or in some plan somewhere, it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to happen; there is still a process. To whom would Dehcho Health and Social Services bring forward that plan, once again?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services as well. In my Member’s statement I spoke about the renovations that were slated for the Fort Simpson Health Centre. They have been delayed. I’m just wondering if the Minister can tell me: when will the plans be restarted, and when can Fort Simpson look at getting the renovations done?

Probably I need some clarification. I thought the Dehcho Health and Social Services board was working in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services in terms of establishing the renovation project. It is my understanding that it was on the books for this fiscal year, and it is nowhere to be seen. That creates the illusion that it’s not going to be done. I just want to get assurances that these renovations will continue.

Mahsi cho. [English translation not provided.]

The Fort Simpson Health Centre provides a range of health services to residents of the Deh Cho region. Unfortunately, the existing facility requires renovation to adequately provide these services.

Mr. Speaker, renovations were slated to take place in this facility, but it appears that this project has been taken off the books and funding has been deferred. The facility is scheduled for a half life renovation in 2019. That’s ten years into the future. The health centre staff and the residents of the Deh Cho can’t wait that long. Adequate work space...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My colleague brought forward a worthy motion with many positive points. Regretfully, the point that affects me and my constituents is that it increases the cost by further registration. I cannot support this motion.

The Members have spoken about the benefit to all NWT residents. Once again, I have to disagree with my colleagues; it is not benefiting all the NWT residents. I’ve got a constituency with many small communities and road systems, and they have to depend on the bigger vehicles to move around, to move their goods. In fact, many of my communities don’t...

I’m looking forward to any preliminary report that does come from the federal agencies or even ours. I’m just wondering if the Minister has any current report with regard to that spill.