Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. As well, I am pleased to see that Housing was, indeed, addressed in the budget speech with respect to building new affordable housing units in 14 of our small communities.

I have always been advocating that, over in Fort Liard, we had one of the most severe housing shortages and coupled with the mould problem, Mr. Speaker. I just would like to know what exactly is the department going to do to have some funds directed in that direction to renovate those homes and bring in some new...

Mr. Speaker, mahsi cho. (English not provided)

In the beautiful communities of the Nahendeh, many people, groups and organizations work diligently day after day, year after year, to make it a safe, friendly and exciting place to live and visit. Today I want to recognize such individuals. The first is a very respected elder, Mr. Edward Jumbo, from Trout Lake and the youth from Nahanni Butte. A guardian angel is watching over the lake is how our honourable Commissioner Tony Whitford described elder Mr. Edward Jumbo when he came and visited and presented Mr. Jumbo with a certificate from the...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I’m still not too clear how this change in the legislation would help a community like Jean Marie, whose stuck today at a fuel cost of $1.40 and that product’s not going to move very quickly because it’s at $1.40 and they can just drive 15 minutes down the road and get their product for $1.09. So does this mean that the Ministry will have the flexibility to drop that price because it’s not being moved? How is that going to work there, Mr. Chairman?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on December 9, 2005, to review Bill 13, An Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act. Following the clause-by-clause review, the motion was carried to report Bill 13 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee’s general comments on Bill 13. Individual committee members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that Committee Report 5-15(4) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear that answer. Housing is very near and dear to all of the constituents in my riding and particularly in Fort Liard. With respect to the mould problem, is there any indication by the Housing ministry of developing a program specific to the mould? I know that other communities in my riding are coming forward and saying, look, I have that same kind of problem. Does the housing program have any type of programs to assist me with cleaning it out or retrofitting my house and getting rid of the constant mould problem, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just with respect to Kotaneelee houses, I am sure glad that we are going to spend a lot of effort on renovating those homes. However, there are many other homes that do have mould infestation problems. I just might add too, Mr. Speaker, that in a lot of the homes, there is lots of overcrowding in Fort Liard. We have to address this and soon. Particularly with mould, we are going to have to…It can be, and is, a serious health problem at times. I know that the Housing Corporation went on public record last year saying that one way to address the mould problem is...

Once again, I commend my constituency and indeed all NWT residents who take the time and effort to help others. It’s interesting, Mr. Speaker, that these individuals are elders and youth who are going out of their way to provide service to people and animals.

Once again, I would just like to commend these individuals from the Nahendeh communities and all the other people in the North who are taking time out in their busy lives to improve the lives of others and animals as well. Mahsi.

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Well, Mr. Chairman, I’m not quite sure how the Minister intends to bring the smaller communities in line. Like the gas prices aren’t going to rise anytime soon back to $1.40 where it will be marketable in communities to buy fuel at the storage tanks again. So that fuel is going to be stranded for awhile. I think the communities were looking for a solution. What they do in the free market, too, is they have sales. So it could be the communities are looking for a Floyd’s blow-out fuel sale in the smaller communities here, just so we can readjust and get these fuel prices back to levels in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With respect to how fuel is handled in the communities, particularly gasoline, that’s been operated by our government in the communities and the cost of that gasoline, as an MLA, it’s always a concern in the smaller, remote communities, such as Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte, that they are stranded. Our government does provide fuel to the communities and sometimes we allow individuals, not only in the band corporations, to run those products. However, it’s not really like a free market situation in the small communities. I know that we are providing a service. We are...