Wendy Bisaro

I’m pleased to hear that they’re discussing a female facility. But I need to point out that homelessness…. I’m not speaking about homelessness just from a Yellowknife point of view but from a territorial point of view. It’s a problem in all of our communities. I’d like to ask whether or not the issue of homelessness and reducing the number of homeless people that we have in our communities is going to be a priority for these social program Ministers in our ’09–10 budget?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I spoke yesterday about homelessness and about the need for us to address it across the Territories. I was pleased to hear the Minister indicate yesterday that the social programs Ministers will be meeting to discuss options with regards to housing for the homeless. It’s recognized that having a continuum of housing is part of the solution to homelessness. My question for the Minister responsible for the homeless is whether these discussions, which are going to be held over the next weeks and months, will consider expanding the continuum of housing within the Northwest...

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, June 19, 2008, I will move the following motion.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Thebacha, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns on June 19, 2008, it shall be adjourned until Wednesday, October 1, 2008, and further, that any time prior to October 1, 2008, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should meet at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the...

I thank the Minister for that information. It’s gratifying to hear that the social programs Ministers are working together, and they are looking to expand the services or programs that would be available to homeless people.

He suggested they’re going to meet within the next couple of weeks. I’d like to ask the Minister if he could advise the time frame for when he can report back to this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that information. I recognize that those programs do perform some service, but individuals who are homeless and need some place to turn.... Can the Minister advise where a particular individual or a family might go when they are desperately in need of housing?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Homelessness permeates all of our communities. It comes in two forms: the problem of those who have no home at all and the problem of overcrowding in many homes. Not surprisingly, the largest number of homeless people is in Yellowknife, our largest community. Many of these people have come to Yellowknife from our smaller communities in search of services or jobs only to discover that they can’t afford the housing once they get here.

The Finance Minister’s Budget Address spoke often about economic development but did not once reference the negative aspects of that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m not sure what else can be added to Mr. Abernethy’s statement. It was all-encompassing.

I would like to talk about two aspects of this experience that I’ve had. One has to do with process; the other has to do with the product. As for the process I’ve said a number of times that I felt that there was a piece missing in the process and the development of this budget. All Members developed goals and objectives in December of last year. Then Regular Members trusted Cabinet to go away and develop a budget. We expected — I expected, at least — that the concept, the big...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Our Next Steps section of the January 2007 report Framework for the GNWT Response to Homelessness lists four items.

Will the department advise of its plan and the budget developed to support additional options in the housing continuum?

Will the Department of Health and Social Services and the NWT Housing Corporation release the results of the 2007 housing needs survey questionnaire?

In “Our Next Steps” of the Framework for the GNWT Response to Homelessness there was to be a territorial homelessness emergency funding advisory panel established. Was this panel indeed...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that we do have some avenues that people can take advantage of when they are desperate.

You referenced a number of facilities and a number of options, but in particular women do not have a facility, especially here in Yellowknife. I’d like to know if the Minister can advise what plans exist to expand the funding that’s available to communities to provide for homeless people.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I referenced in my Member’s statement a report on homelessness. I’d like to ask the Minister responsible for the homeless what programs and services exist to assist homeless people to find appropriate housing with the support services they need.