Kevin A. Menicoche

We’re all aware that, of course, we’re living in the North and the cost of living is much higher up here and that’s the reason we had exempted these federal transfers. We are clawing it back, and I’d like to ask Mr. Premier, can he commit for his government to review this situation and correct that and exempt Child Tax Benefit as income. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about the Child Tax Benefit being included as income in the Housing Corporation’s changes to their programming. Seemingly little changes that happen often have big impacts in our smaller communities and in this case that is such the case.

We had a commitment, as a full Caucus of this territorial government, to lower the cost of living, yet we make a change to impact parents and single parents like this.

I’d like to ask Mr. Premier, can the Cabinet review this situation where we are, in essence, clawing back the federal Child Tax Benefit. Thank...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Recently, I was shocked and appalled to learn that this government has begun clawing back the Child Tax Benefit. The Child Tax Benefit is a federal subsidy that was put in place to help Canadian families with the challenges of meeting the cost of raising children.

This summer the NWT Housing Corporation began including the Child Tax Benefit in its income assessments for public housing rents. As a result, some people who received the benefit have had their rents go up. This change makes no sense to the average person.

I know that we are dealing with two...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Premier doesn’t seem to at least review it and I’d like to ask the Premier one more time, will he and his Cabinet review this and to the point where how much benefit is this government actually getting by doing that, by taxing our low and middle income people and single parents. Thank you.

Thank you very much. I recall the debate that we had two Assemblies ago and there was a reason we exempted these federal tax benefits to single parents and people of low income. So I’d like to ask, Mr. Premier, how is this consistent with our goal of lowering the cost of living for our residents by including Child Tax Benefit and clawing back the much needed little income that these people need.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize constituents Mr. Jim Antoine and Celine Antoine. We saw in the paper, as well, that Mr. Jim Antoine was also a recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Award. I worked with him and his daughter Melaw Nakehk’o, who just received a cultural award this morning. I think the Minister mentioned that. I just want to say to Melaw, keep doing what you love with your love of our Aboriginal culture.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I know that the Emergency Coordinating Committee – I commend them all and everybody involved – that their task was evacuation and safety first. Would this be the same committee that’s looking at the long-term efforts of Nahanni Butte, or will there be a task force set up on how we best manage the relief of the community and restoring the community? Thank you.

Thank you very much. Given that as well that we were tied up here in Yellowknife doing our budgetary session, I’d like to invite the ministry over to Fort Simpson to meet with the residents and perhaps have a look at the community as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to dedicate my Member’s statement to the residents of Nahanni Butte and the community of Fort Simpson, who is reaching out to help them in this time of need. I just wanted to say that even though we are calling an evacuation and flood of Nahanni Butte, I believe that conditions are worse than we think, worse than we thought, especially with the recent media report, that damage cannot be understated.

I was searching for a word last night and this morning, but I think the word that I am looking for is a “disaster” at Nahanni Butte at this point. The power plant may...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. The committee would like to consider Tabled Document 2-17(3), Committee Report 3-17(3), Committee Report 4-17(3) and Committee Report 5-17(3).