Tom Beaulieu

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I again spoke about employment rates in small communities. To get a feel for whether or not this topic is on the government radar, I’d like to ask the Minister of ECE if there is any dialogue between departments specifically on the low employment rates in the small communities.

I cannot lay out what the Employment Strategy could consist of, but I feel that the very first step to providing much needed employment and income into the small communities is a strategy for the betterment of the entire NWT.

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

Mr. Speaker, time and time again I have asked about the issue of very low employment rates in Tu Nedhe. In other words, Mr. Speaker, I’m talking about people in Tu Nedhe that do not have work. Mr. Speaker, I have drawn comparisons to the larger communities in the NWT which have employment rates twice that of the small communities.

Mr. Speaker, if this government does not develop an employment strategy for smaller communities, things will not change. Employment development in the smaller communities will not impact the larger...

That’s it for questioning on this page.

Staying with the needs survey, I’m wondering if the Minister is looking at the need incidences, and by that I’m referring to affordability, adequacy and suitability. I’m assuming that we address suitability by adding bedrooms. By adding bedrooms I mean adding units. I’m assuming we address adequacy by fixing houses. I’m assuming we fix affordability by providing affordable housing. So I’m wondering if the needs survey document or this corporation is using its own needs survey document to ensure that they’re addressing suitability issues with the appropriate resources and adequacy issues with...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think my biggest concern now for the future of social housing is the CMHC declining fund. To me, it doesn’t appear as though the federal government... Basically from their position on their stance seems to be that they are into providing short-term stimulus-type money or short-term affordable housing strategy types of money because they seem to get a better bang for that buck than they would to continue long-term investment in housing. It is long-term investment in housing, I think, is something that has been in place. It was agreed to some time ago that the federal...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have any documented objectives to address this issue of low employment rates in small communities?

Over and above the money allocated for employment programs in rural and remote communities, what is the plan to address the issue of low employment rates in small communities as it pertains to this department and other departments?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize individuals on the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board and Official Languages Board: Georgina Biscaye from Fort Resolution and Vance Sanderson from Fort Smith. Thank you.

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

---Unanimous consent granted