Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned, this is Education Week and I’d like to acknowledge the 800-plus teachers across the NWT working to make a difference in the lives of the students in their schools. I especially want to acknowledge the over 200 teachers and teacher aides working in our 14 Yellowknife-area schools.

Research has proven many times over that the single most important factor in a child’s success in school is a teacher who cares, but there are challenging barriers that are outside an individual teacher’s control, barriers that hinder and impede students’ learning.

In a recent NWT...

Thank you. That was the answer I was hoping I would hear. So my last question has to do with the amount of flexibility in these policies. I understand that policies are set in place to try and restrict certain things, but if it’s a unique circumstance or if extenuating circumstances crop up, does the corporation have any flexibility in how they apply their policies? Thank you.

Madam Chair, I have a question in regard to this sport hunt outfitter marketing support. I mentioned it in my opening remarks. In 2011-12, the actual amount was $494,000. This current fiscal year and intended for 2013-14 is $300,000. I would like to know why the amount has gone down. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I’m not sure if this question belongs here, but I think so because it talks about policy. I’ve discovered over my few years here that we, unfortunately, as a government, have way too many policies that contradict each other between one department and another, particularly with regard to Income Support, Health and Social Services, and Housing.

I just wondered whether or not the corporation does any review of their policies with a view to how they conflict with other policies in other departments, with a view to ensuring that housing, people applying for housing or people in...

Madam Chair, thanks to the Minister, I think, for that response. It’s kind of like, trust me, it’s going to be great, just wait, wait until you see it, it’s going to be really good. Pardon my cynicism, Mr. Minister. I believe there’s money in the budget for energy policy development, I think; I’m not exactly sure. I wonder if the Minister could explain to me if there is money in the budget for energy policy initiatives or development, and if so, what is the intent of the use of that money? Thank you.

Mr. Chair, thanks to the Minister for the response. I do appreciate it. I think other Members also appreciate the information we have gotten from the corporation. We have had updates quite regularly and that has been very helpful.

I guess my thinking of a plan is the Minister said in his remarks that this budget has a million dollars in it to offset declining CMHC funding for 2013-14. What I would like to see as opposed to the initiatives that the corporation has planned, because I know that they are there, I would like to see the dollars that are associated with these initiatives that will say...

With regard to the Energy Plan, I too have concerns. We have been putting money into NT Energy Corporation as a corporation. The government has been putting money into NT Energy Corporation for quite some time. I appreciate that the department wants to focus on hydro and hydro initiatives but I’m quite concerned that we’ve been giving up money, so to speak, and not seeing anything for it. We haven’t had any results since I don’t know when it was. How many years ago now? There was a plan to have a transmission line go from south of the lake up to the mines and that now has been put aside and we...

That’s good. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. Just one more question, I guess. Also, by way of explanation, I’m not suggesting that we should close down these subsidiaries. I recognize they are businesses which are operating and they are providing an economic source within many of our communities. But if they are a business which is in operation within a community, I struggle to understand why we need so many staff at BDIC to monitor, so to speak, these organizations. I think I will pursue, with the Minister, a meeting with BDIC and see which committee it needs to go to and when. That’s all. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I’m not sure I really understood the Minister’s answer. Reaching out. I guess I appreciate that. When the Minister said external, I wonder if he could expand on what he meant by “external” in his last answer.