Tom Beaulieu

[English translation not provided]. Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I’d like to take the opportunity to recognize the interpreters we have in the House from my riding. We have Tom Unka. Tom Unka is from Fort Resolution, and he interprets for us in Denesuline. Mary Rose Sundberg who is from Detah, and she interprets for us in Tlicho. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 15-18(2), Main Estimates, 2016-2017. With that, Mr. Chairman, we would like to continue with the Environment and Natural Resources and possibly get into Health and Social Services. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all fairness to the Minister, I’m going to be asking my questions in my own language.

[English translation not provided.] Marci cho, Mr. Speaker.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many years ago just outside of Fort Resolution, actually about 40 miles down the highway or 60 kilometres down the highway or straight across the lake about 20 miles, they discovered lead-zinc. As a result of that, in the early 1960s a huge lead-zinc mine came into operation in the place that they named Pine Point. That mine operated from the early ‘60s until the late 1980s. At that point, I do believe it was the secondbiggest lead-zinc mine in the world. In the 1980s, the price of lead-zinc went down, and it was no longer feasible to do open pit operation...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on the waste reduction line, there is no more money left in there. Could I get an explanation as to where it was picked up? Mr. Chairman, I'm asking on the general page. I guess the plan is to go back to the general page, ask more questions? Okay. I will then defer my questions until we get back to the general page in this section.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have to change the way we do business. I was really struck the other day when I heard what some of the current Ministers said about budget years ago when they were Regular Members. They wanted to change the way we do business. I know they are honourable and determined people and they must have tried to change the way we do business in government.

Mr. Speaker, we have now spent months reviewing business plans, working on a budget we are considering in the House. We all had input into it. Even if we don't like it all, we feel we contributed to things that...

Mr. Speaker, recognizing that the Housing Corporation has a number of programs to address the housing needs across the communities, I believe there are four main home ownership programs. There’s market housing initiatives. There are other staff housing initiatives and of course, public housing also. I’d like to know if within the point when the Minister is doing the community housing development plans, if there’s any contemplation that perhaps it could change the programs and change the way they try to address core need at the community level. Thank you.

Marci cho, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister, NWT Housing Corporation, following my Member’s statement. I’d like to ask if the Minister feels that the Housing Corporation has an effective communications plan for the people that they serve, specifically, the public housing clients at this point. I hear a lot of people come to me and indicate that it was difficult for them to report their income and they’re having trouble with that because they would pay 30 per cent of their gross income towards rent. I know that hasn’t been the case for quite a few years that the maximum rent is...