Debates of August 17, 2007 (day 12)

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Statements

Question 145-15(6): Cost of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I talked about the high cost of living in the Sahtu. I want to ask the Premier of the Northwest Territories, in his short time with the Legislative Assembly here, in terms of what types of targets is he looking at in terms of bringing down the percentage of the cost of living in our region, the communities that are most isolated and have no highway system and pay the higher costs of living. What are his targets, dollars, can he estimate in terms of bringing down the cost of living in our communities?

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We don’t have fixed targets that we can work towards, although we do want to work towards the cost of living. It is much too high in a lot of our communities. In the short term, Mr. Speaker, I am pleased with the revisions we are making to the Income Support Program. That is going to help those who are most in need. Mr. Speaker, we have also done some revision on the housing program hopefully to help relieve some pressure there as well.

We have also committed to working with the people in Deline on a mini hydro project which will help to bring down the cost of energy, which is one of the biggest drivers of cost of living. So that will help.

Mr. Speaker, in the longer term, though, we are going to have to continue to lobby the federal government to carry out their responsibility to finance the building of a road up the Mackenzie Valley. That is the only way to lower costs.

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Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the programs we have right now is the Food Mail Program the federal government offers. We are looking for some solutions in the Sahtu. A litre of milk, as I stated earlier in my Member’s statement, is 40 cents more in Colville Lake than in Hay River. There are other costs that our members in the Sahtu region can tell this government how much more we pay. I would ask the Premier if he would work towards a fixed target within the government in terms of saying by the year in 2008-2009, we want to bring the cost of living down by this percentage. We want to give something for the people of the Sahtu to look forward to and also work with this government. Can the Minister make that commitment?

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is certainly a recommendation we can make to the 16th Assembly, that we work towards some targets. We have done a lot in this Assembly to try to get things moving to lower the cost of living and with some good success. But setting fixed targets may be possible. That’s something we have to work on.

Regarding the Food Mail Program, I have had meetings with the Northern Store and also the co-op on the Food Mail Program to ensure that our communities are benefitting from that program as well. Hopefully, maybe we will lobby the federal government again to put more money into that program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the discussions I had with the people when they go to Yellowknife or Hay River and do their shopping for the winter season is when they get into the lineup or bring their food to the counter and cash out, they tend to bring a lot of money. The teller tells them it’s only this much and they say it can’t be. It’s a common discussion we have around our region.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask you a question in terms of this type of thing with the Northern Store and the co-op, how can we look at something that would give incentive to people in the Sahtu to look at working with other communities in terms of bringing in some supplies? We do not have any roads or bridges. A long time ago, we used to have two barges that would sell products into our communities at a lower price.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are currently no programs that I am aware of that would organize a barge order system for communities, but it’s something that possibly our economic development officers or people working for us in the regions could look at. How can we bring some products in on the barges? I know that is being done to some extent already, but there may be ways for improving on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Short supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government makes a mention of the Deh Cho Bridge as a cost-savings initiative. How much money will the Deh Cho Bridge save the Sahtu?

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 145-15(6): Cost Of Living In The Sahtu Region

Since the Deh Cho Bridge is not on the route to the Sahtu, then I don’t expect it will make a big difference there. But, Mr. Speaker, it will make a difference to those communities on the north side of the Mackenzie River. Now we are doing that much, but, Mr. Speaker, that doesn’t mean we aren’t going to pay attention to the other communities. As the Member knows, we are working on the Bear River Bridge; we have done a lot of work on the Mackenzie Valley highway and put some 20-odd bridges in there already. So we are taking steps to lengthen the season for the winter road to keep down the costs. I look forward to the day when the Government of the Northwest Territories can have a ribbon cutting for the Mackenzie Valley highway that will lower the cost for everybody. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause