Tom Beaulieu

Okay. I was more or less thinking about the funding that would go directly to dealing with or negotiating with those Aboriginal governments that have not signed on. Not really in a regional context but in more of a government-to-government between the three governments was what I was referring to.

I have another question. Is this process of the final Devolution Agreement going to proceed, in as far as how the Government of the Northwest Territories sees it, without the Dene governments?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Social Programs has reviewed Bill 3, Electronics Transactions Act, and that Bill 3 is ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole as amended and reprinted.

It’s my belief that part of the issues with the delivery of home repairs is communication. I feel that best communication is to the Housing Corporation to deliver programs through a decentralized model. Will the Minister examine the possibility of creating a decentralized model and put program officers and project officers in the communities where they’re delivering programs?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. During my Member’s statement I spoke about housing and I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation questions. Last year the Housing Corporation had $8.5 million allocated in the area of house repairs. In the 2011-12 main estimates, the amount is reduced to $5.6 million. I would like to ask the Minister if he could return the funding from $5.6 million to $8.5 million in this area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

I guess carrying on a bit with what the line of questioning Mr. Krutko was talking about. I recognize that the territorial government and the Dene governments are seeing this process as split between the Aboriginal governments, which includes the two Aboriginal governments that have signed on, and the GNWT I think as a 75-25 split. Then the position of the GNWT is that of the 75 percent based on population, about half of that money is being spent directly to, I guess, I don’t know how else to...spent on issues that are facing the Aboriginal people.

The problem there is that the GNWT has been...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a couple of questions and some comments. I’m kind of understanding from the discussion here that there is no money here to work with bringing the Aboriginal governments that have not signed. In other words, the Dene from Gwich’in, Sahtu, Dehcho, Tlicho, and Akaitcho. No money to work with them in this whole area of devolution and resource sharing at this point. Is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree that is a positive step, and a step in the right direction with the individuals working in the communities for the GNWT. However, the people in the communities are seeing the program officers and project officers as the key to delivering. No matter how well the corporation advertises, I still walk into elders’ homes and they’re still waiting for somebody to come visit them. I’m wondering if the Minister can direct the staff to ensure that the delivery staff and program officers are going door to door. If there’s an individual there to work with the clients or...

From the information in the 2009 Housing Corporation Needs Survey, about 80, maybe a little higher, around 80 percent of the communities have adequacy issues as a main core need problem. This is the reason I’m asking for at least this amount to be returned, in spite of the fact that we have less money overall. Will the Minister direct his senior staff to address the needs in accordance with the NWT Housing Corporation 2009 Needs Survey?

I urge the Minister of NWT Housing Corporation to shift resources from new construction to renovations of existing units, and expand those resources by using a decentralized model by putting program officers and project officers in the communities where they are delivering the programs.