Kevin A. Menicoche

[English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, in November I raised the issue of the impact that the closure of the Deh Cho Hall will have on several key non-government organizations in Fort Simpson. The government’s decision to move its own offices rather than upgrade Deh Cho Hall has left the library, the family resource centre and other local organizations scrambling to find new space. At the time, I asked the Minister of Education to take a proactive approach and organize discussions with the community to help identify alternate space for these valuable organizations.

Mr. Speaker, the...

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table an information package sent to me by Open Doors Society with regard to a request of the government to help them relocate, as well as support letters from various organizations in Fort Simpson.

Document 29-16(2), Information Package Regarding Open Doors Society Re-Location, tabled.

Mr. Speaker, I’m sure that people are using our programs and services with NWT Housing Corporation. They really don’t have an avenue of appeal; in fact, they have to appeal right now to the person who ruled against them in the programs and services that they wanted. What existing avenues do they have currently?

I’d like to thank all colleagues in this House and the government as well for providing the amendment that they can truly vote on — this very important motion for aboriginal people, and continuing to move the notion that aboriginal rights has its place in all jurisdictions and all countries and states of the world.

Once again, in Canada it’s beginning here in the Northwest Territories, and rightly so. We’ve got a majority aboriginal population. It’s the right place to begin this process to help urge our Canadian government to get onside with this very, very important document passed by the...

As indicated in the motion itself, many of the constituents that I represent — and speaking with other colleagues on this side of the House — have expressed a concern over the transfer that occurred last year of the Public Subsidy Program from the Housing Corporation to the EC&E.

It has caused many, many hardships over the past couple of years since that transfer. One of the things that I’ve heard time and time again is that it’s just not working. It’s just not working. And even to this date, we’ve spoken about it with the Minister, and we’ve spoken about in our committee system. They keep...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister Responsible for the N.W.T. Housing Corporation a few questions with respect to the Auditor General’s report.

I heard a Minister on the radio this morning speaking with, I believe, Mr. Henderson.

Many of the findings in the auditor’s report reiterate what I’ve been saying as a Member for the last two years: that we need a proper appeal system; we need a proper board in place that can assess clients. Many, many constituents have contacted me because they didn’t feel the assessments and applications were proper.

I know that the Housing Corporation had an...

Yes, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Unanimous consent granted.

We’ve had good debates here in the House with respect to this motion. I always believe in the fundamentals of democracy. And if our people want something, it’s my job as MLA — and our job as MLAs — to move their needs forward. That is one of the things we’re doing here with this motion, Mr. Speaker.

I know the Ministers have both spoken and said, “Give us time.” But they’ve had lots of time already, Mr. Speaker. I don’t know what…. To me, it looks like government is trying to convince themselves it’s going to get better, but I don’t believe it’s going to get any better, and our people don’t...

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by honourable Member Dave Krutko of Mackenzie Delta, the Transfer of Responsibility for Social Housing motion:

WHEREAS the responsibility for the administration of the Public Housing Rental Subsidy was moved to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, from the N.W.T. Housing Corporation, effective April 2, 2005;

AND WHEREAS over the past three years this program transfer has negatively impacted the residents of the Northwest Territories who live in social housing by unnecessarily complicating what was a simple process administered by the local housing...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and colleagues.

If we as a country understand this history, then we can learn from it and build a better future for our children and grandchildren.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of Canada needs to lead the way in reconciliation and make a full and sincere apology to all aboriginal people as soon as possible. I ask that our government request that Canada make a formal apology as soon as possible as an important step in rebuilding this country’s relationship with aboriginal people. Mahsi cho.