Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Minister. I look forward to that information and those details. Lastly, the Falvo Report in 2011 referenced the need for standards within the homelessness facilities, particularly within the city of Yellowknife here, and I’m talking about the Centre for Northern Families and the Salvation Army. I’d like to know from the Minister if the idea of establishing standards for homelessness centres is something that is on the radar of his department.

I’m a little surprised that it was August when we hired the coordinator. Some months ago it was going to be January. I’m very glad that we have somebody hired and we have somebody in the position. I’m very glad that homelessness is going to be under one person’s authority and purview.

I’d like to know from the Minister if there are any plans, in terms of homelessness, for the 2014-15 budget that he can share with us at this time. Are we going to have an increase in the amount of money that’s available for homelessness programs?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recently encountered an unfortunate situation that was brought to me by a constituent regarding habitation in a family home. My constituent was living in a home with a spouse, and the long-term relationship was breaking down. The title to the home was in the spouse’s name only. My constituent was extremely concerned that occupancy of their shared home would be denied during or after the marriage breakdown, basically thrown out on the street.

Although it’s not well known, this situation is covered under our Family Law Act. Section 51 of the act states, “If the home is...

It’s unfortunate we don’t know at this point that we’re going to get more money for homelessness; $300,000 is a pittance, and it really doesn’t address the needs that we have across the territory. But I thank the Minister for the opportunity to provide some input in December. I look forward to that.

A response that I got to some questions I sent to the Minister some time ago mentioned that the Housing Corp is working with Health and Social Services to keep seniors in their homes and he referenced a project that they were working on. I wondered if he could tell me whether or not that project has...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of the Housing Corporation. I’d like to follow up on a bit of a pet subject of mine and that’s homelessness.

Some time ago, I guess it was in 2011, we received a report on homelessness in Yellowknife. Following that there was a commitment from the government to hire a homelessness coordinator. That has been done and I’m very pleased to see that we’ve had that coordinator for going on to a full year now, I think.

The Premier and the Minister both promised an evaluation of the two programs that we had before we got the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding was when this committee was established that the periods when they would meet, the frequency of their meetings was established in the terms of reference for that committee. Can the Minister advise me whether that is so? Thank you.

Thanks to the Minister for that update. The committee was supposed to meet in October. It’s gratifying to hear that they did meet at the time they were actually supposed to. It doesn’t happen all that often.

I’d like to know from the Minister, they met in October and they are going to bring results forward to the Minister in the new year, so when is the committee supposed to meet next. How often will they meet and consider minimum wage? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thanks to the Premier for itemizing those priorities. I agree with those priorities, but I have to again ask, when an NGO comes forward and is looking for infrastructure, construction money, what are we going to do? The Premier mentions that there’s a process. I’d like to know if he would put that on paper and provide it to me and to committee. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’m struggling to understand this process. I know we have a capital planning process and it works very well, but this is a situation that has not occurred before.

I’d like to know from the Premier what is in the policy that he referred to. He said there is a policy. I don’t think it has come to committee. I would like to know what’s in that policy that references infrastructure contributions to non-government organizations. Thank you.

We need to not only be fair but be seen to be fair. Cabinet must develop a policy and criteria for that policy. In order to qualify for funding, organizations must meet that criteria. Right now, in the absence of any policy and criteria, decisions to fund or not to fund are highly subjective and politically influenced. That is not fair to our hard working NGOs, nor is it fair to our residents who benefit from the NGO’s hard work.

I will have questions for the Premier at a later time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.