Michael Miltenberger

I would be happy to commit to the Member that I will come forward, along with our Cabinet colleagues, with a paper that outlines those policy implications and the jurisdictional issues and lays out the landscape as we plan to move forward collectively here at the Legislature, and how can we best do that to address the issue that Mr. Bromley has raised.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to point out that we are moving to occupy a field where some would question the issue of jurisdiction. I’m speaking specifically about the area of water. We’re moving forward — in a very proactive way, I think. We have a framework that we’re going to be taking to committee here. The Premier’s mentioned that. We have a broad land-use framework that we’re working on, and we intend to work with committee. We have a joint climate change committee that’s going to give us advice on how to move forward on this.

This is an issue that has work required to be done. We don’t have...

Mr. Speaker, now, for the third time in this set of questions, I will say that in the coming weeks we are coming forward with a plan that will lay out how we intend to move on this particular issue.

If I stood up and just unilaterally and arbitrarily announced we were going to do certain things, the first question I would be asked is, “Why didn’t you consult us? And why did we have to stand up…? Why are we hearing about this in this Legislature and not through the committee process?”

I am very respectful — we are very respectful — of that process. We want to continue to be. We will be coming to...

Mr. Speaker, these are all political decisions that can be made, have been made: the issues for no rent.... There is a contradiction or a discrepancy with, as the Member’s indicated, meanstesting on one hand and not on the other.

The whole definition of a safety net — which is what we’re trying to provide for all our citizens — does not imply universality. It implies that if you hit the safety net, we should be able to help you so you don’t fall through into poverty. If you have the good fortune to have enough income to live on your own, then that’s a credit to you, and it’s a credit to us as a...

It will be a challenge.

The Housing Corporation. There’s no rent or costs billed to the seniors, so this is covered through the operations of the Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The one main program that is there for utilities, mainly fuel, of course, is the Seniors’ Fuel Subsidy Program that is administered by ECE. In addition, there is the fund that is administered with land taxes. We have, through Housing, a Seniors' Home Repair Program that homeowner seniors may be eligible for if they apply. These are three funds that speak to the area that’s been raised by the Member.

Mr. Speaker, as soon as we conclude this budget, we’re going to roll over into the full and first opportunity as this Legislature to have a look at the full development of the business plans for the rest of this term.

I would suggest that if the political will and appetite is there, the government stands ready, as well, to engage in that discussion. It is going to be one, like most things we do, where we tackle issues in our programs that are long-standing. There’s going to be a lot of concern. But clearly, politically, we’re ready to have that discussion and work with the committees. If there...

Mr. Speaker, like many things we do as a government, there are things scattered across different departments. We talked about some of them here today. There’s the tax relief from MACA; there’s a fuel subsidy from Income Support. For the Housing Corp, it’s people paying no rent.

Clearly, the issue of aging in place and working to keep people in their own homes as long as we can is, in the long run, the most beneficial for us. While the Housing Corp has no specific plan, it’s clear, as we move into a business-planning process, that it’s an area that does need attention. There are things I hear...

Those folks who are eligible for the Public Housing subsidy would have funds flow to them from ECE. The issue with seniors’ housing and no rent was a political decision of this Legislature back in, I believe, 1995 or 1996. The costs have been built into the operation of the Housing Corporation, and the money’s been, over the years, put into the budgets of the districts and looked at yearly.