Tom Beaulieu

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister then re-examine the Medical Travel Policy so that common sense decisions can be made quickly by the government to support individuals when the elderly or when the sick are involved and medical travel is required for family members? Thank you.

Can the Minister advise me at what stage these projects currently are? Like by stage, I’m referring to whether the drawing or the materials stage or labour contract stage, just what stage in general. Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I spoke of the urgency of getting house materials on a barge for Lutselk’e and starting some repair projects for elders in Fort Resolution. I’d like to follow up my statement with some questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me how many seniors are having their units upgraded in Tu Nedhe this summer? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my Member’s statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Can the Minister direct his delivery staff to work with me this summer to keep me in the loop, so I can help deal with some of the concerns related to the project and deal with the issues before they become unmanageable, hopefully? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Can the Minister advise me if these clients have been notified that they are going to receive repairs from the Housing Corporation? Thank you.

Sometimes “inadequate” does not accurately describe the condition of some of these homes I speak of. The majority of these homes are owned by seniors and they are close to being in a dilapidated state. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I spoke in the House about housing programs to seniors in Tu Nedhe and the Minister mentioned that the corporation was doing early delivery for 2011-12 in August and September of 2010, which is good for 2010-11.

Today I would like to speak about the delivery materials and labour for housing projects this summer, not 2011-12. Mr. Speaker, it is imperative that the NWT Housing Corporation address serious housing concerns in Tu Nedhe this summer. The corporation must get materials on the barge into Lutselk’e this summer or there will be no other options available...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. This is a rather serious issue. In communities where we have access by winter road or access by barge, an issue such as land tax, mortgage arrears, lease arrears on the land or anything, holds up the process and it goes beyond the point where they’re able to send materials in to assist the elder. So can the Minister commit to me today that if these issues are something that can be set aside or can be dealt with in another light, that they could proceed with assisting the seniors? I don’t think seniors have huge arrears. If they could proceed with assisting the seniors...

Mr. Speaker, in his response to my first question, the Minister indicated that they would be conducting a door-to-door approach in the delivery of housing programs to seniors in Tu Nedhe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.