Rocky Simpson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, now the question is where is the money? Or show me the money. Will the Minister commit her staff to getting the evacuee income disruption support payments out as quickly as possible to applicants? And one thing that they've been asking for is to provide a telephone number on the application so applicants can actually call and talk to a real live person about the status of their application and payment. I constantly get emails and calls about that, and I haven't been able to answer them. So please give me a phone number so that I can give them and one...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister of Finance confirm if all evacuees, whether unemployed or not receiving income from employers, be eligible for the income distribution program? Because some of these people, you know, rely on temporary work, which is now not available to them, or they may be selfemployed as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister confirm if any payments have been disbursed today? How have they been disbursed. Is it by direct deposit, EMT, Canada Post? What is the timing between application and disbursement of payments, as there are many evacuees needing the funds now and asking when they should expect payment, and I just need to know what to tell them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, evacuees see what Alberta evacuees received and are expecting no less. Alberta evacuees received $1,250 per adult and $550 per dependent child, and the payment was not incomebased.

Mr. Speaker, I ask the Minister of Finance what was the rationale for settling on a payment of $750 per person, and why was it based on income disruption and not an actual cost incurred as this may exclude many evacuees? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that the Rule 5.6(2) be amended by adding the following after Rule 5.6(2)(c): "(d) shall not refer to any matter on the Orders for that day."

As a part of making Assemblies more familyfriendly, some legislatures across Canada allow a parent to bring an infant into the Chamber. Committee believes the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly should continue to make efforts to make this institution more familyfriendly and recommends:

The Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures recommends that Rule 1.9(4) be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we now have a picture of the devastation the fire caused to structures and homes on K'atlodeeche First Nation lands. This event follows in the footsteps of major flooding last year from which residents of K'atlodeeche and Hay River are still feeling the financial impact and are once again having to dip into what savings they may have to cover evacuation costs.

The current financial support of $750 per person offered up by this government, although welcomed, does not go far enough for those already dealing with the high cost of living. It excludes many and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again, you know, I understand there's, you know, there a lot of work to be done. There's a lot of moving parts here. And, you know, we have we have the fish plant, which, you know, we need production. We need fishers out there who are really producing because we need to fill that plant. However, we don't have that right now. We have some fishers that are interested in you know, in taking their fish to the plant. We have others who are just interested in selling local and locally, and they get good money for that as well. So you know, when we talk about how much it's...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And, Mr. Speaker, I think it's important that we do get money out to the evacuees as soon as possible because there are many that are without right now and, you know, they're short on money and they need our support.

But, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister confirm if this program is to be used for future evacuations and will the amount distinguish between those evacuees from isolated and non-isolated communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister explain to the evacuees what are the criteria for accessing the program, and is there some flexibility as not all persons evacuated but may nevertheless have experienced income loss? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I move, second by the Member for Frame Lake, that Committee Report 5219(2), Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures Report on the Review of the Rules of the Northwest Territories Legislative Assembly, be received and referred to Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.