Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh

Statements in Debates

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

Thank you. I understand obviously what type of loan was signed from what I’m hearing. I understand what type of loan was signed. My curiosity continues to be why. It’s beyond me why we would sign a term for the full amortization period. That’s what I find confusing. Okay, so, there’s a penalty if we pay out early. I mean, at some point unless the penalty continues to grow as to the money they would have made considering whether it’s using future value or present value of money or whatnot, but if we actually signed a loan or supported individuals to build infrastructure in the Northwest...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have several areas of concern, but my main area of concern is the financial situation that the Deh Cho Bridge will find the GNWT in. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, I guess the Premier, if he would be able to provide loan details of the details of the $165 million loan that was taken by the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation. My understanding is that we guaranteed the loan. Therefore, I’d like to know if the Minister or the Premier will be able to provide the details of that loan. That’s my first question.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In that future work will the Minister agree to look at the seniors support programs holistically with the other Ministers and do what is feasible for the seniors and for the government and essentially all the residents of the NWT?

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

I thank the Minister for that response. Without changing the income requirements for the program, will the Minister direct his staff to revise the policy so that these adult children and grandchildren who live with elders can have all or some of their income exempt depending on how the department chooses to look at it? Some or all of their income exempt in lieu of the important elders’ care that these children are providing.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

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

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to talk about elders in Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e that have their adult children and adult grandchildren living with them. In a lot of cases these children are providing a service to the elders in the area of health care, home care and other basic services elders are no longer able to do.

Mr. Speaker, because of the support provided by the elders’ grandchildren and children, it essentially absolves the GNWT of their responsibilities. Many of these services, even things as simple as taking medication, are...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a committee motion. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Premier of the Northwest Territories take immediate action to seek federal authority for a temporary increase to the territorial borrowing authority limit for a 10-year period rather than the five-year period as is currently contemplated.

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I want to go back to the 35-year loan. I am going to have to assume that the rate on the 35-year term must have been a very good rate in order for the government to support the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation from signing a loan that has one huge long term in it. I’ve been told by the deputy that’s maybe industry standard, but if we go back to using a scenario of a mortgage right now, today a two-year mortgage is 2.7 but a five-year mortgage is 5.2 roughly . So, you know, as the term gets longer, the interest rate usually gets larger so that the lender is...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

I wasn’t provided with the details of a loan. I don’t think we were provided the details of the loan, or I don’t recall seeing the details of the loan. Actually, I would like to see the documents that have put us in this position, because this is putting the government into long-term debt with no possibilities in there at all for any explorations of any terms.

Earlier on in response to the general comments from the committee here, the Premier indicated that this was like a mortgage, in a sense. Now, in a mortgage you get terms, one year, two years, five years, 10 if you want, whatever, but...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 5)

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I, too, don’t feel that this bridge, never felt that this bridge was a benefit to anyone that I represent in this Legislative Assembly. However, from the very outset I initially believed that this government was in for the amount that was guaranteed to the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation in the concession agreement of something in the neighbourhood of $9 million to $10 million. I initially believed that. I didn’t know at the very beginning, in October 2007 when I was elected and there was discussion on the Deh Cho Bridge, that this government had guaranteed the loan of $165...

Debates of , 16th Assembly, 5th Session (day 3)

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I second the motion. I feel that Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a very costly disorder to the Government of the Northwest Territories. It’s very costly to the health system, the justice system, and the education system.

The diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder would be a great initiative on the part of the government when we realize how many people are actually affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder and how much it costs. Perhaps the diagnosis would allow the government to do more in the area of prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder...