Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This question is for the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation. Currently, the NWT Housing Corporation has $43 million sitting in investment earning 1.5 to 2.5 percent. This is from their audit last year. They show a surplus of $26 million. I am going to ask the Minister, and I know she will say "yes" to this. Will the Minister commit to providing the Soaring Eagles Friendship Centre with financial support to develop a comprehensive proposal to establish a men's shelter in Hay River? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I am not certain of the condition those units are in. I did drive by, and they appear pretty fine to me, probably better than what I am living in. Was there ever any consideration to make these existing units available to housing clients who would be in a financial position to purchase them for a nominal fee?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Private business is very important to the North, and it is very important that we support this sector. The question I have for the Minister of housing is: why would your department not provide the private sector an opportunity to provide the units for use by the RCMP, and would you reconsider reviewing this decision? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The next question has to do with payment to contractors. We find that, in talking with a number of contractors, they have been waiting for payment for up to five, six, seven, eight, nine months. What I would like to ask the Minister is: what will your department do to ensure that our northern businesses are paid in a timely manner for work done? Just so that we can avoid financial hardship and that we're putting them under.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions I have today are for the Minister of ITI and Infrastructure. Yesterday, I made a statement on the economy. The reality is that, outside YK, the government is the economy. My first question to the Minister is: what is your department's plan to put our northern businesses and residents to work as soon as possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Another area is the red tape. I think that contractors find that the amount of paper that is required to be filled out for payments, and for other areas, as well, is starting to increase to the point where they actually have to hire somebody to manage that. Yet, there is no opportunity to recoup that.

I would ask the Minister if her departments are looking at the paperwork and requirements they put out to contractors and whether there is something that they can do to reduce that amount of paper requirement. Thank you.

I thank the Minister for that answer. The second question is with respect to the BIP policies. What will your department, ITI, do to ensure that our current BIP policies are doing what they are designed to do, with respect to the application of them, fairness, and monitoring, to ensure that our northern businesses and residents are really benefitting from them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What is important to me at this moment in time is the homeless situation for men in Hay River. We have a number of people living on the streets in this cold weather. With all the resources we have at our disposal, we allow it to happen. Why? Because these very people who we know, who we grew up with, and who are our friends do not routinely contact us as they are just trying to stay warm and stay alive. In this situation, we have to be proactive and take the first step in making contact and identifying immediate solutions before somebody freezes to death.

Mr. Speaker...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Sorry about that. Actually, I have a question, I guess, for the Premier. It is to do with red tape. I am just wondering what this government is planning to do to alleviate the amount of red tape that we have within the departments. Thank you.

The other and, I guess, last question that I have for the Premier is that we have been here now for roughly five months, I guess, since the writ was dropped. In my community in Hay River and, I guess, in the regions, contractors are looking for work and people are looking for jobs. What is this government's plan, immediately, I guess, to start looking at putting people to work and ensuring that contracts are put out there?