Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Deh Cho, that Bill 18, An Act to Repeal the Settlements Act, be read for the third time.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government recognizes that improving the quality of housing services provided to residents will help reduce the cost of living in communities across the Northwest Territories. Today I would like to provide an update to Members on the work of the NWTHC and ECE in improving the assessment process for public housing rents, specifically our success in completing reassessments for tenants who wish to have a review of the rent assessed to them in recent years.

The decrease in rent assessments at that time can largely be attributed to an increase in incomplete applications...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When putting together this act we depended a lot on feedback we got from standing committee, and standing committee had moved a motion to include this and we respect that so we’ve included it. Therefore, we will be voting against the motion. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me to my left Mr. Michael Aumond, deputy minister of MACA. To my right is Laura Gareau, director of corporate affairs for MACA; and Kelly McLaughlin, the legislative counsel, Department of Justice. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am here to present Bill 18, An Act to Repeal the Settlements Act.

Municipal and Community Affairs is proposing a Repeal of the Settlements Act. This legislation has ceased to have effect because there are no longer any settlements in the Northwest Territories.

The last settlements were Enterprise, Fort Resolution and Colville Lake. Enterprise and Fort Resolution became hamlets and Colville Lake revoked its settlement status entirely and became a band-governed community referred to as a First Nations designated authority.

There is no further need for the Settlements Act...

Yes, I would, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT Response to Motion 21-16(5), Flexible Transition Period for Rent Adjustments.

Mr. Speaker, we do like to assist our seniors. We have the government service offices that are going to be in some of the communities which would be able to assist some of the seniors. As far as going door to door, that’s a topic that I’ll have to take up with senior management and see if it’s something that we would consider doing. Again, like I say, we like to have the clients initiate the contact and then we’ll do what we can from there to accommodate them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do provide a lot of assistance to seniors, and as I quoted some numbers the other day when I was speaking to the motion, the number of seniors that are accessing our programs, our CARE program, for example, which allows them to access more money than they would have under the old system, we had quite a few seniors that took part in that. But I’ve heard the Member’s concern and I heard the motion the other day. I haven’t had an opportunity yet to sit down with the senior staff, but I do know that we are doing an evaluation of our Housing Choices program and hearing...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We’re always conscious of the possible effects this could have on communities and we go to great lengths to consult with the NWT Association of Communities and get their feedback on some of the proposed amendments. Thank you.