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...

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.

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.

It’s not a health question. Mr. Speaker, another major concern, however, is health. Can the Minister tell me if she has developed some sort of strategy to ensure that the seniors in our small, isolated communities are given the best possible and timely care? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I gave a Member’s statement on Mr. Maurice Lockhart. It was interesting that at the time of his passing Maurice Lockhart was doing repairs and painting his house. I have questions for the Minister responsible for Seniors.

Mr. Speaker, in many of our aboriginal communities it’s very common for elders living in their homes. However, when it comes to assistance, sometimes the assistance comes very slowly. Can the Minister responsible for Seniors tell me if there are any discussions with other Ministers to ensure our government provides the seniors with expedient and...

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.