Debates of March 31, 2004 (day 12)

Mr. Speaker, the information that the Minister is providing just doesn’t jibe with what I heard from Mr. Simpson. Again, in the conversation I had with him this morning, in the aspect of seeking assistance from the department he said that he or we, the board, felt like we were high school kids going and asking for help to get a few things done like building a Web site, more training for their own people, training for bar staff and wait staff, continually denied at the administrative and bureaucratic level. So where the Minister says we’ll support you, in reality that is just not the case as I’ve heard from Mr. Simpson. Can the Minister explain that discrepancy?

Minister responsible for the Liquor Licensing Board, Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 120-15(3): A New Liquor Act For The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Through this whole process -- and the media term as to the harshness of the rulings that were made -- I’ve stayed out of the picture, because they are a quasi-judicial board told to do things. They have an act to follow. They’ve done that and I haven’t interfered with that process. I did state, when I met with the Liquor Licensing Board, that if there were concerns to please work through me and I will initiate a process. If there are concerns around enforcement, I will work with the Minister of Justice to try and do that. Is there an education factor? I will work with one of the other Ministers that can help support that initiative. If it’s from within, we’ll do that.

Mr. Speaker, in my initial meeting with the chairperson of the day, Mr. Simpson, and again with the board, there were a number of issues we discussed. I didn’t have red flags thrown my way to say here are critical issues that are not working. I did hear and have seen some e-mails about some frustration dealing with department officials. Mr. Speaker, again, we have to look at what authorities we have and how far we can go. If there were those concerns and they were that drastic, then I would have liked to have heard from them personally in a one-on-one instead of going about this route that we have now seen. I don’t think it’s appropriate that we air out this concern in a public way where it’s aimed at one or two individuals within a department or even to the board itself. I would have much more appreciated the fact that we could have sat down, discussed the issues and I could have sort of set a course of action in place and tried to work it out that way.

I still think there are some valid points made and we’re going to work to improving that but, Mr. Speaker, there’s obviously quite a difference from what the Member has raised to me here and what I’ve heard in the media than the letter I received from the individual. So there’s very different messaging going on there and that is somewhat disappointing. Thank you.

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Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Supplementary To Question 120-15(3): A New Liquor Act For The Northwest Territories

Thank you. You know, the Minister is right in that if we get into a sort of he said/she said discussion here, we’re not going to help the issue. I would like to use my last question to ask on a go-forward basis. Will the Minister commit to bringing a new Liquor Act forward and to do so in time for consideration and passage by this Assembly? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Liquor Licensing Board, Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 120-15(3): A New Liquor Act For The Northwest Territories

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is a high priority for the Department of Finance. We’ve highlighted that, brought it forward as we begin our legislative planning process. So it is a high priority for us and I intend to do the work necessary to bring it forward and try to have that dealt with in the lifetime of this Assembly. As the Member stated, this is a very old act, there has been some work done on it in the past. It is a high priority and we intend to move it forward as best we can. Thank you.

Just to remind Members that we only have 60 minutes for oral questions. In 11 minutes we’ve only gone through one question. I have a lot of people on my list, so if we could get to the point when you ask the question, and in your responses answer the question to the point of the question being asked.

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Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, during the review of the proposed budget for the Housing Corporation during the last week, the honourable Minister spoke about the number of program objectives that really support increased community involvement and participation and decision-making increases, and personal responsibility in order to break the cycle of dependency that are desperately needed in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier in my Member’s statement, I see it as personal pride to own a home as very important. In the pride of building a home for oneself is perhaps the most effective way for a person to get themselves beyond the cycle of dependency, especially in public housing.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation if he will commit to working with local housing authorities in the Sahtu region to offer opportunities to individuals who may be interested in building their own log houses. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Mr. Speaker, we’ve had programs targeted towards log homes in the past. We’ve done several projects in the Member’s riding. I believe it was Deline that came up with some very nice log units there. However, our experience with the logs over the years has been that it’s very costly and we are currently working with one community to do a pilot project, but I would certainly entertain any proposals or any discussions the Member may have. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. During the review of the Housing Corporation in Committee of the Whole, the Minister recognized that the Sahtu has a very pressing need for housing and housing needs and that the Minister was going to look at a proposal for the Sahtu. I would like to ask the Minister, would he commit his department to look at a pilot project within the Sahtu that would commit to log buildings for next year? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I would welcome the opportunity to look at a pilot project in the communities. Our concerns, the high cost components of log buildings in all the different regions, of course, is the cost of the logs and of the professional trainers. Our target and our priority is to promote homeownership. If there are ways we can use our existing programs to benefit the Members and their desires to put in log units, I’d certainly look at that. We have a number of programs that can fit the bill. We can modify some of our EDAP programs possibly or IHP or look specifically at a pilot project in the area. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister recommend to his department to look at the…In Sahtu there is the high cost of doing business up there and can the Minister recommend from his department costs that could minimize the cost of building log houses in terms of pricing of windows, doors and roofing for single people, single men that would like to have a log house in their communities? It takes a lot of effort and time for the communities to gather this information. Can this department put together a pricing package that would be suitable and affordable in the Sahtu region for these log homes? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe we have, as part of our technical team in the Sahtu, a person that specializes in log building. I will follow up the request with my officials and we will do some preliminary work in that area. We can also have a sit-down discussion with community members, if it is desired, when we have our community tour. I believe we’re planning to go there this coming month, sometime toward the end of this month. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Minister. In terms of the log housing, a lot of the people in the Sahtu like to live in their log houses, especially the single people. In terms of getting a project like that off the ground, would the Minister commit to this House to work with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in terms of training opportunities they could have for the people who are interested in it? If we get one or two log houses in the Sahtu region as a pilot project, surely we can look at that as a means to building affordable housing in our region. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 121-15(3): Pilot Project For Log Homes In The Sahtu Region

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will commit to doing that. I will commit to working with the required Ministers that would be affected by this project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I’m going to question the Premier in regard to my concern about waiving of the BIP. Mr. Speaker, the other day I quoted from the policy, therefore, I will not start with that. With the steps being presented and some of the concerns of other Members and in recognition that the policy can be waived and it’s not law, what steps has the Premier taken to ensure that the waiving of the business incentive policy will not become a frequent practice of this Cabinet? Thank you.

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Return To Question 122-15(3): Waiving Of Business Incentive Policy

Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation has earlier this week offered that he will bring this to Cabinet on Thursday. We intend to have a full discussion on it as it relates to housing, but no doubt we’ll have a good discussion on the BIP itself generally. Mr. Speaker, as I said earlier, RWED is doing some work on a registry. There are some other things being done this year. I can assure the Member that if it seems that we have to make exceptions to any policy on any sort of frequent basis, however you define that, then we would want to rewrite or revise that policy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 122-15(3): Waiving Of Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Premier. Mr. Speaker, a constituent called me this morning and talked about the laws of economic opportunity that his business will lose; the fact that he may be bidding on this project just to keep his employees employed by waiving his potential of profit. Does the Premier recognize that this potential exists by northern companies trying to aggressively bid on this project at any cost to keep their employees employed?

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 122-15(3): Waiving Of Business Incentive Policy

Mr. Speaker, I’m not familiar with any specific case. I trust that every one of the 17 or so northern companies that have picked up the tender documents are picking it up because they feel that it’s to their advantage to put in a bid or at least consider a bid. It could be to make a profit, it could be to keep things moving in their shop. I’m not sure what their reasons would be. I’m certainly encouraged by the number of northern companies who have picked up the documents and, I assume, intend to submit a tender. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 122-15(3): Waiving Of Business Incentive Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing the time I will drop my fourth question and just ask a yes or no question to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, would the Premier be able to answer yes or no, clearly and for everyone’s benefit? Would he be willing to consider stopping this project and re-tendering it in a way that it would include the BIP and making that decision this week?

Mr. Premier, Mr. Handley.

Further Return To Question 122-15(3): Waiving Of Business Incentive Policy

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, we’re discussing it tomorrow at Cabinet. I think the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation has already been asked and said he would consider extending it for two weeks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Honourable Charles Dent, Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in regard to income support. Although RWED is mentioned in my opening remarks, it will relate to income support. RWED has a harvesters’ assistance program in the Beaufort-Delta region. My understanding of this program is to assist hunters and trappers to purchase equipment, et cetera, for their harvesting and wild game and subsistence use. The local HTAs administer the funds and decide who is eligible for assistance. This program has proven to be successful in that hunters and trappers are able to purchase equipment and to maintain their traditional pursuits, especially for those who cannot afford to purchase equipment, et cetera.

Mr. Speaker, recently I heard that income support workers in the Beaufort-Delta are including this as part of their calculation in income support when harvesters apply for income support. I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment if he’s aware that his department is penalizing some harvesters in receiving their income support payments because of the harvesters’ assistance program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was advised around noon, shortly before we began in the House today, that this was happening and asked whether or not it actually fit within the policy for income support. I am not able to answer that question right now. I have contacted the department and asked them to provide me with some advice on that.

Typically I do know that almost all forms of income that people receive are considered when the level of support from income support is being calculated. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Inuvialuit and also the Gwich’in in the Sahtu, in their land claim agreements, I know it doesn’t exempt them from certain income. I would like to ask the Minister if he’s aware of that and what will he do to relay this to the income support workers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that some forms of assistance that are provided subject to treaties are exempt from calculation when we’re examining how much support to provide somebody on income support, but it is specified sources. That income has to come from a specified source. I’m not sure if the payments to harvesters are specified, and I have asked the department to look into that and advise me. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, Mr. Minister. Once you find out that information can you relay that information back to me, and also relay it to our income support worker? Thank you.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 123-15(3): Income Support Program Impacting Trappers

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I only have one question today. It is in regard to the return to oral question by the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. He stated that significant change in housing or households would now be assessed rent. Mr. Speaker, members of our Seniors' Society should be and are concerned that this Assembly has not been made aware of any such shift in policy change where seniors' households will be assessed rent. I am going to direct my question to the Minister responsible for Seniors. Is he willing to help alleviate some of the fears that seniors' household incomes would be assessed based on a line in the reply? So I am going to ask the Minister responsible for Seniors if he has been dealing with the seniors’ societies. Thank you.