Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, I mentioned that the time has come for a certain motion put forward by one of the Members and here’s another motion whose time has come.

It took 30 years for us to have a review of the NWT Housing Corporation. I often speak that the Housing Corporation Act of 1978 is very old. It comes from a distant colonial past that we are doing this for you, your own good. In fact, some of our policies, Mr. Speaker, still do that, like the EDAP and mortgage assistance policies. Well, we’ll lend you the money, but we will still build it for you and you will have to pay us...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the motion, I, too, see that as a gap. As a Member with many small communities and many elders in the communities, having their knowledge valued is something that is of great importance. As well, many of the elders I represent are not wealthy elders. They don’t have huge RRSP stockpiles on which to draw upon. Often the only income they have is what they get from the federal government and what they get from the territorial government. Often they are used at meetings for consultation. We bring them to meetings. We pay them a limited amount of money, but...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’m amazed that the government is broke already; we just gave them a billion dollars.

---Laughter

My question is for the Minister of Public Works and Services. Earlier this week, members of my community got together with respect to accessibility for disabled. I was just wondering if there was an assessment done on all the facilities that government owns and leases in the Nahendeh riding with respect to accessibility access. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I was just wondering who sits on this committee because the last time I drove to Fort Simpson, there wasn’t a plug-in half way where I could plug in my hybrid vehicle, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

So how far along has this plan progressed? I hope it’s not something that’s going to happen April 1st here. Mahsi.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker, for allowing me to be first at the trough.

---Applause

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Today, I would like to make special mention to the Nahendeh constituents. One to Debora McPherson for achieving over four years for certification in accounting. The past weekend, I had the distinction of watching the mixed adult broomball team that came second in the NWT broomball championships. After 17 years, we have achieved a medal there. As well, I watched the 16 and under Thomas Simpson school wolf pack basketball team that earned silver in the prestigious cager annual basketball tournament. I just want to add that Teyan Menicoche was most valuable...

I move that we report progress.

In fact, in all of our policies and guidelines, of the key words missing is quality construction. We are making it adequate. We are making it accessible and affordable, but the biggest single concern that is brought to my attention time and time again is quality; quality in construction and, indeed, quality in providing the services and programming that the people have. Often, they get frustrated with the multi-layered bureaucracies that even the one department has.

Mr. Speaker, some of the functions that were there before are no longer there anymore. Once, in the act, it called for a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS Members of this and previous assemblies have expressed concerns about the extent and quality of reporting by the NWT Housing Corporation to the Legislative Assembly and the resulting impact on the ability of committees to perform their oversight function;

AND WHEREAS Members and the Auditor General of Canada have expressed concerns with certain business activities and decisions of the NWT Housing Corporation;

AND WHEREAS there is a critical need for adequate, accessible and affordable housing in NWT communities;

AND WHEREAS Members are not confident that the NWT...

Good Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just one more time, will the Minister conduct an assessment? He said he would bring it to the attention of his officials, but I was just looking to see that he will conduct an assessment soon. I am sure there are some leases coming up here shortly as well. Mahsi.