Tom Beaulieu

In the area of training, would the Minister commit to ensure that all client service officers are trained in the area of employment counselling? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday in the House the Minister of Finance announced a transfer of public housing back to the NWT Housing Corporation and ultimately back to the local housing organizations. I feel this was an excellent move. However, Mr. Speaker, the Income Support Program being administered by ECE still has its challenges.

In one of the two communities I represent, we do not have a community services officer. This makes it difficult for people to get assistance in a timely manner, but timely response is not the only issue, Mr. Speaker. The program is a computer program that has no...

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

Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak on the issue of the CMHC declining fund for the 2,000 or 2,200-or-so public housing units across the Northwest Territories. This agreement was signed a few years ago and clearly lays out how and when this fund will be declining. This funding is dropping at a fairly quick pace, and from $33 million this funding will drop to zero. I believe the decline during the life of this government is about $5.7 million. This constitutes a total loss of about $12 million towards the Public Housing Program in...

Mr. Speaker, I realize that it would take some money to continue to operate a house. It may be easier if there was no mortgage attached to it. Can the Minister tell me, just on a little bit of a different note, what resources have been allocated to achieve these objectives of addressing the CMHC declining fund? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I spoke about the CMHC declining fund for the 2,200-or-so public housing units we have across the Territories. Now I have questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.

Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell us if the NWT Housing Corporation has developed a strategy to address the CMHC declining fund? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister outline for us any initiatives that involve the local housing organizations in the sense that have they engaged the local housing organizations in this initiative?

Mr. Speaker, those are good objectives. I see that the objectives are mostly pertaining to the current inventory. Can the Minister advise me if he has anything in place in the area pertaining to the transfer of any of the public housing units to its clientele? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to working with the other Ministers on creating a centre for seniors programs to create sort of a consolidated approach to assisting the seniors to decrease any delays for services to seniors? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to developing a protocol where there is regular dialogue with other Ministers on seniors’ services and seniors’ issues? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Last year two of our elders and residents of Fort Resolution passed away and just recently the oldest resident of Tu Nedhe, Maurice Lockhart of Lutselk’e, passed away. Maurice Lockhart was born to Baptise and Louise Lockhart just after the first snowfall of winter in Lutselk’e. His true age was never verified but he was baptized in 1910. He was born at a time when there was no modern technology. They didn’t even have canvas, which is very valuable to hunters and trappers.

Mr. Speaker, life is sustained only by what Mother Earth provided, which were heat, caribou hides...