Tom Beaulieu

I’m talking about the government themselves hiring youth staff — people who can deal with youth concerns and do youth surveys. My question is: could the Minister talk to his Cabinet colleagues about putting a budget together sometime in the next business planning process to look at this important issue?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I talked about the need for this government to assist smaller communities so that they’re able to hire qualified sports, recreation and youth staff. My question is for the Minister of MACA. Will the Minister commit to looking at this issue and to developing a plan to assist communities so they can have adequate resources to hire qualified youth staff?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I spoke about housing issues in the Northwest Territories. I have questions for the Minister of housing.

Has the Minister given direction to the Housing Corporation to establish a long-term plan that specifically addresses the issue of the CMHC’s declining fund?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a housing industry. I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister is willing to work with the industry, where an industry is available, toward lowering the need across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister kind of answered my second question, about what the federal commitment has been so far, but I’m curious. I’m assuming that the decline is going to happen. I’m assuming that CMHC is not going to come back with long-term O&M dollars. My question is: has the Minister given direction to the Housing Corporation to address this issue of the CMHC declining fund?

Mr. Speaker, I spoke a number of times about the various issues regarding housing in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. Today I’d like to summarize issues surrounding this important topic.

During my short tenure as MLA issues surrounding housing have been raised time and time again. Also, I have heard many of my colleagues raise the housing issue.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s pretty safe to say there is room for improvement on many fronts within the whole housing area. Coincidentally, the findings in the Auditor General’s report confirm that, yes, there are a number of problems with the NWT Housing...

Mr. Speaker, I, too, will be supporting the budget. I supported the budget on second reading, and I support the budget here. I felt it was a budget that, because of the way the budget process went, gave us an opportunity to see all aspects of the government, all aspects of every department. We had an opportunity to have an impact and some influence on all aspects of this budget in all the departments.

Initially, when we had voted on the budget to go to second reading, I voted for the budget then. I was confident that the Members of this House could work together to come up with a product that...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister if he has considered looking at or reviewing the total allocation system to put efforts where the needs are greatest, not by numbers but by percentage of core need.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Premier for his support in this important cost-of-living issue for the Member for Tu Nedhe.

Will the Premier commit to placing the cost-of-living item on the Cabinet agenda so his Cabinet representatives can keep the committee informed and keep the cost-of-living issue on the front burner?