Kevin A. Menicoche

Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement today is about the need for this government to realign its priorities to deal with the infrastructure deficit of the NWT, specifically in the area of recreational facilities.

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I was pleased to note that the Minister of Finance’s budget address placed significant emphasis on the need for infrastructure in the NWT communities. It is a sad reality that the tight fiscal situation of recent years has meant the infrastructure needs of communities have taken a back seat to other priorities and, as a result, the NWT is in a substantial infrastructure...

Thank you, Madam Chair. When I was first elected, they said housing would be one of my biggest files and it certainly has been and continues to be to this day. In fact, I just got another letter today that I would like to table.

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There is a young family making a low income. They are living in an old house and want some help, but we can’t help them. I don’t know what happened to our program to help young families who want to do things by themselves, Madam Chair. That’s kind of touchy when I get a letter like that.

So somehow our programs have gravitated away from social housing and...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I, too, have some grave concerns over the exploitation, I would say, of our natural resources and who gets the true benefits here. Our struggle and our goal and our objectives for gaining province-like powers or province-like stature or, indeed, even provincehood as an eventuality. I hope that everybody shares that dream along with me. It has been with us a very long time. It’s about a 125-year-old dream. As soon as they labelled us a territory, then we wanted to break free.

I come from a riding that is predominantly aboriginal. The majority there are...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for that answer. He covered just about everything.

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I’m glad for that. I just have one question I’m curious about. I hope there is not an interruption in service when we split RWED in providing service to the communities. If the Minister could assure me of that. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I guess with the imminent split of the two departments, I guess the communities would want to know which department will be the applicable department in terms of accessing these funds that were provided in the past. Which department would fund that particular EDO or that particular sector which is developing capacity, Mr. Speaker?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Arnold Gargan, a constituent from Jean Marie River. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.

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Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

Then I think about what they’re saying and I say no, but the business is wanted. Then I think about it and the businesses are kind of leaning that way too. If my business is not going to grow or get opportunities, then there’s no benefit for me supporting it; therefore, I’ve got nothing to gain. Go around me; I don’t want it. So we do have to let Ottawa know that, hey, taking care -- like the Premier says in his statement and the Finance Minister in his -- take care of our people, our communities and then people will see there’s a benefit here. Then they’ll support it.

Today, at first face, it...

Thank you, Madam Chair. The committee wishes to consider Minister’s Statement 86-15(3), Minister’s Statement 88-15(3), Minister’s Statement 89-15(3), Minister’s Statement 91-15(3), Tabled Document 108-15(3) and then consider Bill 19, Appropriation Act, 2005-2006, particularly with the NWT Housing Corporation.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I guess one of the biggest issues is that things are picking up in the Deh Cho, so that’s what the communities have been asking. They’re saying, look, we’re being overwhelmed by these huge volumes of binders of information that we have to go through. That’s what I was trying to get from the Minister is if there is a specific program designed to help the communities with this need. Thank you.