Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize two very wise and certainly well-travelled Northerners. We have Mr. Ed Jeske and Mr. Mike Krutko, both constituents of Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize -- he’s actually my constituent -- Mike Krutko and Ed Jeske that were up in the audience. As well, I’d also like to recognize Mr. Josh Campbell who works for our MP’s office, Mr. Dennis Bevington. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Ms. Joanne Deneron, a constituent from Fort Liard. Welcome to the Legislative Assembly.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to recognize Joanne Deneron, a very determined entrepreneur and businesswoman from Fort Liard. She serves as the director of our Business Development and Investment Corporation and its subsidiary the Acho Dene Native Crafts and also she’s the president of the Deh Cho Regional Helicopters Limited. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since we are recognizing ghostly visitors today, I’d like to recognize Amanda Peterson, a constituent of Weledeh and her mother Margaret Peterson, well-known and respected North Slave outfitters. In particular, I would like to recognize Kaitlyn Menard and Emily Smith, a couple of Pages, for their long service in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.
I would like to recognize a long-term resident of Yellowknife and a friend that I went to school with, Laurie McLean. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of the Housing Corporation regarding the latest core needs report. The 2009 report compared to the 2004 report, it seems like we haven’t seen any improvements in that area. We put forward new programs and services. At one point we used to have liaison officers in our communities to assist on program delivery. Are we going to review our programs that we do deliver in light of the dismal numbers we see in the report that was just tabled? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a few factors in determining numbers for the need survey; suitability, adequacy and affordability are three of them. We are planning on undertaking a review of our programs starting in this fiscal year. We are hoping to have the results, and we can share that with the Members, and hopefully that will take steps to address some of the core needs in the communities. Thank you.
I, for one, feel that we do have to do a better job in regards to how we look at the income thresholds, because it seems to be one of the barriers. Also, with regard to the requirements under the programs where you are disallowed if you’ve had previous programs with the Housing Corporation... I think a lot of people realize that most houses in the communities were put on the ground through the federal housing or aboriginal housing programs through the federal government. Because of that, you’re being disallowed. Is that something that will also be looked at in this review?
The Member is correct; that is going to be one of the things that we plan on reviewing, as well as the core need income threshold that was raised recently. There are still a lot of questions as to some of the gaps in the program, and I’ve instructed officials over at the Housing Corporation to see if we can come up with some ideas to address some of those gaps, so the people that deserve to get into the program are not hindered by their core need income threshold. Thank you.
I also believe another area we have to look at is with regard to the delivery of those programs and services. I don’t see why we can’t have program officers in communities where we have over 100 units. Are you going to also look at the possibility of revamping the delivery system that we use to deliver programs and services wherever possible and put program officers in communities that can show there is a need by having enough houses on the ground? Will that also be looked at? Thank you.
The liaison program that was in the community was a valuable service to the district operations and it is something we would be willing to look at again. Unfortunately, these positions were eliminated through budget reduction exercises a few years ago, but we have heard the concerns from Members in communities, so this is something we would be willing to look at again. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the whole program and service area, we also have to realize that we do have an aging infrastructure. The older these houses get, the more it’s going to cost to repair. My colleague Mr. Beaulieu mentioned that we have to look at the area of “if we don’t do anything now, it’s going to cost us more in the future.” So wherever possible, we should try to do what we can to keep residents in their own homes and offer them repair programs to keep their houses over a certain level. I just want to ask the Minister if he could make an effort to try to increase more applications for communities and, if anything, put more money into this program to get those people out of core need.
The last fiscal year and this coming 2010-2011 fiscal year there is more money going into repairs than we’ve seen in a long time. We are working and trying to get more people eligible for repairs, whether they’ve had assistance before or not. You can even carry up to $5,000 in arrears and still qualify for the Home Repair Program. We are taking steps to try and get as many people into the programs as possible. We have to be careful that we don’t just start handing out keys. There are a lot of people out there who have met all the commitments that they’ve signed for. We have to be careful that this is one that is fair to all people out there.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was on the elders facility in Ulukhaktok. Will this government commit to improving the life of our elders and develop an elders facility in Ulukhaktok? Like the Minister said before me, fairly, being fair to all across the Northwest Territories.
Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government recognizes that this is a very important issue that we need to work on. We understand demographics tells us there is going to be an increasing need for facilities and support systems for our elders across the Territories. We are engaged in long-term care planning studies where we will have a prototype of long-term care facilities so we can lessen the time required to put these facilities in place. We are also doing a needs assessment for long-term care facilities all across the Territories so that we have a comprehensive plan as to the need so we can work it into the capital planning process.
Again, I’m tired of the studies. I’m tired of the needs assessments that this government takes upon itself to do. This has to get done. The elders in Ulukhaktok are... We don’t want our elders to go to Inuvik. We don’t want our elders to go to Aklavik. We don’t want them to come to Yellowknife. Caring for our elders’ health and well-being must be a pillar of this government. Will this government place substandard living conditions of seniors as their highest priority?
I have committed to looking at the situation in Ulukhaktok and Paulatuk. We will follow up on that and look at it in light of the overall assisted living programs for seniors that we need to develop as a whole. The Member has to understand, and I think everybody here understands, that we want to keep our elders in their communities and as close as possible, wherever possible. We need to have a plan in place to do that.
We’ve put a $15 million dementia centre in Yellowknife. It wasn’t even on the books. I could be corrected if need be, but I know that if the $15 million we want to, like, she’s saying.... The Minister is telling me she wants to put a package together for all the communities. Well, I have a package that says we could do a sixplex in the community and work with the Housing Minister and the Health and Social Services Minister to get this done. Will this government commit the necessary resources fairly to all northern communities and not just the major centres so elders have equal access to quality services that they deserve?
I could commit to the Member that I will work with the Housing Corporation to see what we can do in Ulukhaktok. I think the Member is talking about a different facility in Ulukhaktok than the dementia centre. The dementia centre is not a regular long-term care facility; it’s for the residents of the entire Territories and there are different levels of facilities that our elders need. I can commit to working with the Minister of Housing to see what we can do in Ulukhaktok.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m just talking about how quickly the money appeared when they needed it in regard to that. The sixplex design, is the Minister committed to a sixplex design with the Minister of Housing? Could we make this project a reality in the community of Ulukhaktok by May?
Just for the record, the dementia centre from the planning to opening this year took 10 years. The feasibility study was done in 2003. Like I said before, I am willing to look at Ulukhaktok, and the Member is well aware of the capital plan process that we have to follow. I will make a commitment to look at Ulukhaktok and see what the needs are and where we could work with other agencies to see. I’m not even sure, I need to be clear what the Member is talking about, and that it is an assisted living facility, which is done through the Housing Corporation and Health and Social Services. Then we have the other end of the spectrum, which is a level IV and level V very intense care facility.
Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Premier and I want to follow up on my Member’s statement. I’m asking the Premier these questions because the situation at Northland cuts across many departments. It’s a potential huge housing issue, it’s a safety issue that Health and Social Services is involved in, it’s a MACA issue because it’s a community, it’s ITI, it’s Justice, it’s income security.
There’s a moral responsibility on the part of this government through the Condominium Act, which was NWT legislation in 1990 when this happened. I want to ask the Premier why this government refuses to acknowledge the need of these residents and why this government refuses to provide some assistance to my residents.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Northland scenario or issue has been looked at for quite a number of years by a number of Assemblies. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs has tried to work with the city at the time, and I believe there is a commitment to sit down with them again and explore alternative funding sources for this scenario. The Northland Trailer Park is a part of Yellowknife, and Yellowknife does get block funding for O and M to help them deal with the issues here in the city.
Thanks to the Premier. I would have to disagree with his description that it’s a scenario. It’s, unfortunately, not at all a figment of anybody’s imagination. It’s real. There is a very likely huge collapse of sewer infrastructure in the very near future.
I mentioned in my statement that Yellowknife is the only NWT community that does not receive water and sewer funding through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. I’d like to know from the Premier whether or not there would be any consideration to changing that formula for a period of years to allow some of that funding to flow through the city and, therefore, through to the residents.
The formula situation that’s been set up for communities has been designed for the level of support and the ability for a municipality to be able to raise revenue for its own repairs. But the City of Yellowknife does get O and M funding as well as capital funding, as well as they’re eligible for some of federal initiatives that are out there that could help assist and offset this type of work.
I won’t thank the Premier because I didn’t like that answer at all. I guess I would have to say to the Premier that the capital funding that goes to the city, the gas tax money that goes to the city, that’s like asking the city to give me, for my personal home, some of the gas tax funding which the city gets. This is private property. This is a group of homeowners who happen to be on a private piece of land. So it’s very unlikely that the residents of this city are going to approve gas tax money going to an individual homeowner.
I really feel that the funding that the Premier is referencing is incorrect. I do appreciate his commitment to sit down and look at that funding. I feel that this Assembly designates an executive to manage the government finances and to manage emergence and emergency situations, so I’d like to ask the Premier what kind of funding exists in this government to deal with emergency funding issues that arise. Thank you.
There are a number of emergency funds that are out there; again, depending on the department, the initiative or the emergency itself. For a community, Municipal and Community Affairs, again, holds that area and the commitment, as I was stating, is a commitment on behalf of Municipal and Community Affairs to sit down with the City of Yellowknife to look at alternative funding areas that might be looked at.
As to the area of the Condominium Act, if this was to be in any community in the Northwest Territories, they would be faced with the same situation and having to have a reserve fund established.
As I stated, I am aware the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is prepared to sit down with the City of Yellowknife and explore alternative solutions. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final, short supplementary, Ms. Bisaro.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have to say to the Premier that I have previously asked the question of whether or not there are funds available from the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs and was advised that there’s not. So I’m very happy to hear that there is some and that they can be discussed and I take his commitment with thanks.
Thank you, Ms. Bisaro. I didn’t hear a question there. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to acknowledge the Minister of Health is not seeking to reduce the cost of supplementary health benefits, but costs are clearly rising. So I assume, at a minimum, she’s strongly motivated to control future costs whole providing the best benefits possible. I think that is what she was saying yesterday.
However, pharmaceuticals are clearly the single biggest driver of increasing costs. My question, Mr. Speaker: will the Minister commit to bringing back detailed options for reducing drug costs, including information on the proposed western province’s drug buying plan our Premier discussed at the last Western Premiers’ Meeting? Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Lee.
