Wendy Bisaro

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m becoming increasingly concerned with how this government defines consultation. Not the high-profile, legal definition of duty to consult; no, I’m concerned that we as a government are ignoring the spirit and intent of consultation with our residents and NWT organizations. I’m feeling a shift in the way that our government does business. That a we-know-what-we’re-doing, we-don’t-need-your-help, leave-us-alone attitude is even more prevalent than the last Assembly.

The government seems to have fallen into the habit of preparing a policy, a framework, or a strategy in...

Thanks to the Minister. I guess a follow-up question would be: Can the Minister give us any indication whether the full budget that’s coming up will continue to provide for energy projects which are either in the works or which we saw in the last Assembly as planned for future years? Will any of those be in the next budget, or are they going to be special initiatives that may need extra money that we don’t have at the moment?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess my last question for the Premier is: If we have a committee of Ministers and I have a question that relates to the Anti-Poverty Strategy or something that is related to that, who do I address my questions to? If it’s a department, I’m well aware, but if it’s a committee of Ministers, I would ask the Premier again who is the lead Minister that I can speak with when I have a concern? Thank you.

Thanks to the Premier. I’m getting a little more confused. The Premier’s now saying that we will draft a strategy and then I thought I heard him say that there will be some consultation after that.

I need to go back to comments that the Premier made in December, and I believe he then talked about a discussion paper relative to the Anti-Poverty Strategy, that one was in development. I don’t see any reference to a discussion paper in his statement today and I haven’t heard anything in his answers to my questions yet. I’d like to ask the Premier whether or not the discussion paper that he...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Premier. I’d like to follow up on my statement but also the Premier’s statement today. I’d like to start off by saying I really appreciate the statement that the Premier did make today and that there is a commitment to action on the part of the government towards an Anti-Poverty Strategy. The Premier, I believe, stated that it is time to begin work. I would say that it is well beyond the time to begin the work, but I’m very happy that it is going to start.

We have heard that basically this work is going to start. We’ve also heard...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my great pleasure to recognize a colleague who I haven’t worked with for quite some time, but we still do pass by each other periodically. I’d like to say Mr. Ed Jeske recently had a birthday in January. He has recently turned 85 years young. Thank you.

I find it just simply reinforces my belief that we have not a can-do but a can’t-do attitude across the floor from me. I feel that it’s important that this government indicate that there is some support for these residents. I totally agree that the residents have to get themselves together, the condo corp has to get themselves together and they need to take action. I consistently tell them that, and other Members and other people within the city tell them the same thing. However, we can’t wait for the first stone to fall before we actually take action. I think this has to happen together and I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance. I mentioned in my statement that I truly believe that there is something that this government can do to assist the residents of my riding who happen to live in Northlands Mobile Home Park. I also mentioned in my statement that I feel that there’s a different mindset required by this government with regard to this particular situation; maybe not for this situation, but also for other issues which have come before us.

I would like to ask the Minister whether or not he will commit to working with his Cabinet...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m compelled to use my first statement of this session to speak to an ongoing issue affecting my riding. Only a few weeks ago this government refused a request from the City of Yellowknife for a no-interest loan, a loan that would have been used to assist the residents of Northlands Mobile Home Park – some 1,100 Frame Lake constituents – to assist them with the replacement of the water and sewer infrastructure in their neighbourhood.

I have spoken many times about this predicament that these Northerners are in, and I really thought that a no- or low-interest loan from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for at least telling me that if the city comes back with something, they’ll consider it. I’d like to know from the Minister, then, as well, that if there will be other suggestions that will come forward, perhaps from other Members, perhaps from myself, will the Minister be willing to consider those in the same vein.