Robert C. McLeod

It’s up to the YKDFN to use whatever avenues that are available to them. If that includes court action, then that would be a decision they would have to make.

We as a government and as a department will use the avenues that are available to us. We have tried to work very close with the YKDFN in identifying some of their traditional areas out there too. They have been very receptive to working with us. They were just made aware recently, I think, of the federal leases that were being let on Crown land in their territory.

It was a difficult question for me to answer. I’m not going to try. They use...

In a letter received back from Minister Duncan at the time, he reinforced our need to work together. That’s why we were quite surprised at the number of leases that were letting out. I followed that up with a letter to the new minister, Minister Valcourt, explaining to him our disappointment and the fact that all these leases were let while we were doing all this work and how we thought that might undermine the work that we’re doing.

I have not received a response back from Minister Valcourt. The letter just went out recently. We have asked the Minister to cease any applications that are being...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Mr. Winston Moses, who I had the opportunity to apprentice with back in 1980. I worked with him. I had an opportunity to work with Alfred. I won’t tell them about the driving lessons nobody wanted to give you back in 1980.

---Laughter

Thank you. As far as capital dollars go, MACA has absolutely no capital funding dollars. We give all the capital funding dollars to the community and they can make a determination. If they want to spend the $6,500 on this particular piece of infrastructure, then they have the ability to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My colleague from Boot Lake said it well, before me, when he said we have to thank our families for all the time we’re down here. I’ve got my wife, Judy, up in the gallery. I thank her for her support. I’ve also got up in the gallery, my sister-in-law Debbie. Welcome to the Assembly. We also have Ellen McDonald and Melissa McDonald, both from Inuvik.

We have been here for a long time. We’ve been here for six weeks and my grandchildren are watching. I’m coming home tomorrow and, yes, I bought you something.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 1, Tlicho Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the third time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, entitled Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Annual Report 2011-2012. Thank you.

Thank you. I would have to have discussions with my colleagues on any potential pots of money that might be available. Again, I reiterate the fact that we do provide a lot of infrastructure money to the communities and the Member raises the point about the emergency side of it.

Again, there was an old federal program where we were able to access some kind of money for that. That’s gone now. We’ll wait and see what the rules are on the new pot of money that the feds are coming out and exactly what our share may be. So there may be opportunities there for that too.

I think, at the end of the day...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is that I think there were issues with that particular radio station before with the towers or the infrastructure before the flood and I’m not sure if there was a claim made, but the Member’s second part of his question he asked how we can assist. They are able to use some of their O and M funding for infrastructure. However, if the costs are quite high, then they can use some of their infrastructure money to assist with the infrastructure for radio delivery. As well, my understanding is that there is some monies available through ECE to assist with the...

Mr. Speaker, addressing housing needs is a priority of the 17th Legislative Assembly, and the NWT Housing Corporation offers a range of programs along the housing continuum to help residents meet their shelter needs. Public housing, supports to third-party organizations that provide low-cost housing, rent supplements, home ownership repair programs, and subsidies to help low and modest income purchase homes all help residents depending on their needs. But there is more work to do and homelessness is another of the important housing issues in the Northwest Territories.