Norman Yakeleya

The calculation of the income to the rent, the people in Deline are saying, again, that housing is double-dipping into the process here. They are being calculated on CPP and EI when they’re working, and when they apply for EI, that EI is calculated into their rent assistance. So they’re saying that Housing is double-dipping. Plus, there’s the Child Tax Benefit that goes towards Pampers, milk and food, and Housing is also charging them that benefit. Is the Minister going to look at this again to see if this is true? Is Housing double-dipping?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I spoke about the NWT Housing Corporation and I specifically mentioned Deline. I would like to do a second part to my issue with the NWT Housing Corporation. This one has to do with specifically how they assess the income for the public housing units in that community.

The people in Deline find it unacceptable how the income is being assessed, and it’s being assessed by the gross income. I have an example here. A person that is living in a public house in Deline gets charged on the gross income, and as part of that gross income this person pays CPP and EI...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to ask the Minister if the airport division has done some analysis or projections regarding the Sahtu oil and gas early exploration activity in and around Norman Wells and Tulita. I met with the Deline Charter Community last week and they were asking, because of the increase in that airport facility they are starting to see more and more activity with passengers and freight, and they were asking if the department would consider, in its capital plans, to expand the airport terminal in Deline.

Also, if the Minister could help me out with types of analysis that his...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The main bill was passed last June, so we had ample time to analyze it, and at this late stage I want to ask the Premier why was this time here given such at the end of the line as to how do we respond to some of the changes that are going to be coming down to the Northwest Territories.

Actually, that document is a little over 450 pages. It’s like they’re throwing everything at us and putting some very significant changes to that bill here.

I want to ask the Premier if he has some ideas or strategies as to if this bill here, parts of this bill will significantly change our relationship with the federal government and how we do business in the Northwest Territories. Is he willing to look at a strategy of how we can probably, or how we can deal with some of the issues that will come forward from this bill?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Town of Norman Wells would appreciate hearing from the Minister his commitment on helping them put together a business case for their alternative energy use.

Would the Minister, once it’s asked by the town, see this as urgent and get the support of his Cabinet Ministers to sign off a letter that would be satisfactory to all the parties?

The Town of Norman Wells so far has received a letter indicating that they are still continuing to pursue the biomass energy district heating process. I want to ask the Minister, would his government be supporting that initiative through a letter writing campaign when they formulate their business case to present it to the various funders.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to congratulate Ms. Doris Taniton from Deline, who received an award for the 2012 Minister’s Cultural Circle Award.

This is an award that is well deserved for Ms. Taniton and the community of Deline. She is known to be very passionate of her culture and heritage, which is a value to be cherished at such a young age.

On behalf of the Sahtu region, I would like to congratulate Ms. Taniton for her involvement and dedication in her community, and encourage her to continue her positive attitude for our youth across the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chair, can the Minister work on this with Cabinet to deem the Sahtu a special economic zone where the federal government then can get some results and dollars into the region? Can he do that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I really didn’t know what to say today, because yesterday I had a phone call from my sister. When they say life throws curve balls at you, it certainly does, not knowing what to expect.

My sister called me yesterday and said that a good friend of mine, Mr. Anthony Grandjambe of Fort Good Hope, passed away. I couldn’t believe it.

It’s been a year since Anthony and I worked together and started my campaign in Fort Good Hope. Anthony just lost his wife, Janet, to cancer.

I spent some time with him in Fort Good Hope. We developed, over the 40 years of my knowing Anthony, a...