Roger Allen

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My comments are specifically related to the $1.127 million increase to the power subsidy program. It concerns me greatly, Mr. Chairman, that the territorial power support program has a significant increase on an annual basis. It comes back to the very point I want to make, and unfortunately there's nowhere in the budget process that we can address this to the NWT Power Corporation. I think it requires us to revisit some of the many contributing factors as this power subsidy program increases at an alarming rate. One of the issues that was raised to me in the last...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this morning is to the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, and it's in context of my many travels into rural parts of Western Canada and speaking with many of the individuals who would like to come north of 60 to visit our beautiful country. One suggestion they asked me to convey to this Assembly is if the department would consider introducing some form of a gas coupon that they can have once they cross the port of entry at the 60th parallel to see if it would help reduce the cost of their visit to the Territories. I would like to...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With all due respect, I understand there are continual increases in costs to provide sustainable power. I guess the emphasis would be in terms of the fiscal strategy, in trying to meet some of the increased costs that are sometimes in the control of the environment. I would like to ask if the power support program would support alternative power sources such as voltaic or solar panelling, solar energy, as a way of mitigating some of the individual's costs, especially in the remote communities where there should be less demand on diesel generation, for instance....

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would strongly suggest that we conclude or continue to review the Department of Finance, and if we conclude in time, that we move on to the report on the Financial Management Board Secretariat. With that, Madam Chair, that is what I would suggest. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since this is a Friday session, I want to put a little poetry into my Member’s statement today, a poem written about my wife and I as we travelled into rural Canada to promote and educate people about the Northwest Territories. A local poet by the name of Ken Blacklock wrote this poem on March 7, 2004. I haven’t gotten up to recite a poem since my university days at the University of Colorado in 1972 or 1973, so I ask you to indulge me as I may sound awfully rusty. Here goes my concerted effort, Mr. Speaker.

“Though politicians ain’t always my friends,

Today I will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. It is in regard to a proposal submitted last year in regard to flat rent scale rates for public housing tenants of the Northwest Territories. The intent of that proposal is to increase this from pro forma from $2.7 million rent recoveries to $5.4 million, which would be reinvested back into economic housing strategies. I will ask the Minister then, would he provide this housing update of that proposal? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That concludes the introductory portion of the report of the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Committee 1-15(3) be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the beginning of the Third Session of this 15th Assembly I’ve raised, through a Member’s statement, oral questions and the reply to the opening address, the wishes of my people in the riding of Inuvik Twin Lakes and their vision for change. Mr. Speaker, today my Member’s statement is about listening to the people. Members of my community have articulated their frustration upon us simply because they say we are poor listeners. For example, people from the small communities consistently say that the government employees interpret our government policy as a personal...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I want to again raise the profile of some of my correspondence I had with the Minister in terms of new tax initiatives; not tax changes to increase personal tax and other methodologies that were suggested. I think it's important to concentrate basically on pages 6 and 7 of the Finance Minister's address yesterday, and try to conceptualize where he wants to fit it into the opening remarks today.

I believe we all recognize the difficulty he has with Finance Canada in trying to come to a conclusion on the formula financing agreement; we're all aware of that, territory...

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I would suggest that the committee consider Bill 1, Appropriation Act, 2004-2005, and Committee Report 1-15(3). Perhaps we can begin with general comments on the Appropriation Act to be followed by consideration of this from the Department of Finance and should we conclude that, then commence the Financial Management Board Secretariat. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.