Debates of March 4, 2005 (day 49)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister was absolutely right on his answer, but that was not the answer to the question I was asking. I am saying that you are in market housing, you are renting from the private industry and you are being kicked out because you can’t afford to live there anymore and you are not paying your costs. So you are in private housing, not public housing, not social housing owned by the authorities. I am talking about private housing, you are being kicked out. In the past, you owed arrears to the Housing Corporation. This is what I am talking about; you can’t even get on the list. So where does a person go if they can’t even get on the list for public housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 548-15(3): Qualifications For Public Housing

Mr. Speaker, as the Member mentioned, the individual he is talking about is in the private housing market; they are not in public housing. As the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, we are only responsible for public housing that are in our stock which includes some 2,300 units. So if the individual is talking about someone who is in the private market; sorry, we are not responsible for those individuals in the private market, only it is those individuals who are in public housing.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 548-15(3): Qualifications For Public Housing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At least we agree that we are now talking about private housing out there in the private market. Mr. Speaker, that person in the private housing in the private market has a history and owes arrears in the past to our social housing side. Now, let’s agree to that point. Now, they owe arrears from the past dealings. Where do they go if they are being kicked out of private housing initiatives? Where do they go now because they can’t qualify for public or social housing? So where do they go now? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 548-15(3): Qualifications For Public Housing

Mr. Speaker, again, it is a confusing question because, like I stated, the Housing Corporation deals with clients in public housing. Those are our clients. But if someone wants to get into public housing, they have to be in good standing. If they go from one community with arrears and move to another community, there is an agreement between all of our local housing authorities, the 23 authorities that we have, that if you go from one authority to another authority with your arrears, in order to get into that other community, you have to work out those arrears before you can get back into public housing. Again, the Member is talking about an individual who is in the private sector who is trying to get into public housing. Again, it holds true that, if you are going to go from a private housing market, there are arrangements there where if you have arrears in that market and you are trying to get into public housing, those have to be worked out before you can get into public housing.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 548-15(3): Qualifications For Public Housing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am trying to avoid names of places, but it may make it simpler. Mr. Speaker, you rent out of one of Urbco’s Garden Apartments right now in the public market and you are being kicked out of that. Maybe in the past, maybe you were from Fort McPherson, for example, just to pick a place, and you were in social housing. You had arrears but you moved to the city and you got an apartment in Urbco, like I said. But Urbco has now kicked you out, like I said, and you can’t go to social housing and you can’t qualify. Would the Minister look into making this policy fair and not discriminatory? This way, we will be able to get arrears back if we get people into housing they can afford and into a stable environment. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Further Return To Question 548-15(3): Qualifications For Public Housing

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The policy, as it sits, has been worked on for a number of years. It is clear and we have arrangements for people who have arrears to work them off. Again, if you move from Fort McPherson with the arrears and went to Yellowknife, got into the private housing market and then tried to get into social housing; sorry, you can’t skip that queue. You still have the arrears in Fort McPherson that you have to pay off before you can get back into public housing. So if the Member can understand the notion that if you have arrears with one authority, we can’t just skip the queue and move to another community and figure we are going to write off those arrears. We don’t do that. But we do have a policy that allows the system for people to pay off those arrears, work their way back into public housing so that they can get on the list and get back into public housing. Thank you.

Thank you. I hope my answers aren’t like the ones that have been given to my colleague. Mr. Speaker, if I may, maybe I can kill two birds with one stone. My question is going to be for the Minister of Justice, who is also the Minister of Education. Yesterday, Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement, I talked about crack cocaine and the programs that are being provided here in Yellowknife, which is called the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program. My question to the Minister is, in the larger centres, they have programs like DARE, like in Yellowknife. Could I ask the Minister, in the smaller communities, what is the RCMP doing in terms of this type of program that is being offered in Yellowknife, in the smaller communities such as Gameti, Wekweti or Wha Ti? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The formal program DARE isn’t offered in the smallest communities. The resources aren’t there to do it, but, when the RCMP visits schools, and they often visit schools on community visits, they take the opportunity to talk to young people about making the right choices. That is certainly something that comes up. It is not a formal program, but it is something that is discussed. The other thing is that the school curriculum itself includes dealing with making the right choices starting as early as kindergarten. Kindergarten and Grade 1 is entirely focused on just that: making healthy choices. In grades 2 to 9, it gets stronger in the message. That is also where young people are exposed to the dangers of drugs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated that they don’t offer the DARE program in the smaller communities, but a similar program or when the RCMP are visiting the smaller communities, they do, occasionally, as he said, visit the schools to talk in general about drugs. But, Mr. Speaker, I am wondering if the RCMP would make this into a regular program and go into the various schools on a scheduled basis, so that the students at the various schools could really understand the ugly reality of drugs in general. I wonder if the Minister would undertake to see if these kind of scheduled RCMP visits to schools could happen within the smaller communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government is really interested in making sure that kids are well educated in how to make healthy choices. If the Members will remember, earlier this week the Minister of MACA, along with the Minister of Health and Social Services and myself kicked off the program just about healthy choices. We will certainly continue to enforce the need for more education and active living. The Member has raised a good point. Certainly, in my meeting with the chief superintendent in a couple of weeks, I will raise the issue with him and see if there isn’t some way that we can expand the formal program DARE to more locales across the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason why I am questioning the Minister and requesting this type of service for the small communities is that I don’t believe that the good work that the RCMP is doing is not what the Minister is indicating. I believe that the smaller communities may be occasionally visited by the RCMP, but not on a regular basis. They don’t thoroughly talk specifically about this problem we have with drugs. That is real. I would like to ask the Minister if he can provide for me, my riding and maybe other smaller communities also, statistics in regard to how many times the police have gone into our small schools to talk about drugs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can certainly provide the Member with a listing of recent visits to communities. I will endeavour to ask the RCMP for the numbers of times that they have been into the schools for conversation. I expect that every time they are in a school that is one of the issues that they address. I think it is important to remember, as I said, that we have other initiatives. We have the Esteem Team that goes around to talk to kids about the issues like this and making healthy choices. This government isn’t taking just one approach; we are taking a number of approaches. But in answer to the Member’s question, yes, I will work with the RCMP to deliver that information.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Supplementary To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to get a commitment from the Minister if he could, after he talks with the RCMP officials, implement my request as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 549-15(3): Expansion Of RCMP DARE Program

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have already committed to discuss the issue with the RCMP. There may be some cost implications that I might have to deal with, but I will certainly let the Member know the results of my discussion.

Mr. Speaker, trapping is important for our life in the Sahtu. In the late 1980s, the trapping industry was pulling in over $5 million. In the year 2002, it is barely breaking the $1 million mark. Mr. Speaker, trappers are being affected by the oil and gas activities. Now they propose the Mackenzie gas pipeline. I understand that the Government of the Northwest Territories is the intervener at the hearings. I would like to ask the Minister of RWED, as being the lead in the oil and gas industry, what is he doing to consult with the trappers in terms of the pipeline? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Return To Question 550-15(3): Impact Of Resource Development On Trapping

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think our most effective tools for consulting with trappers and people who use this activity for their sustenance is our renewable resource personnel in the regions and in the communities. I have had discussions in the Member’s riding on our most recent trip to Norman Wells with the regional office. They were certainly encouraged. Obviously the price of furs; this winter we have had indicated that numbers were up and things were looking good. But they have ongoing discussions with trappers in terms of discussing their needs, their thoughts on the season and the kinds of service that we can provide. We will continue to do that, and we will certainly be advocates for this industry in the upcoming interventions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 550-15(3): Impact Of Resource Development On Trapping

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is correct in terms of his department doing as much as it can in terms of the regional trappers. This is our lifestyle for the trappers. This lifestyle is going to be impacted by the pipeline. I want to ask if the Minister of RWED and the government know the impacts on trappers in regard to the pipeline. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 550-15(3): Impact Of Resource Development On Trapping

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are very aware and believe that with development come some negative impacts and implications. I think that is why we were so enthusiastic in our support for the Protected Areas Strategy and that action plan. Together with the federal government and with industry, we recognize there is a need to protect areas that have been identified by communities as culturally or environmentally sensitive. That is one of the good approaches I think we are taking as a government and as a territory, to make sure that where there are very important areas to the people, communities and trappers, we make sure that there is either a limited development in that area or no development at all. That really comes down to the call of the community. We will continue to work with communities on this basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Supplementary To Question 550-15(3): Impact Of Resource Development On Trapping

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, thank you to the Minister. However, sometimes the call of the community falls on deaf ears by oil companies where an oil company in Colville Lake had run over some traps in that area even though the community probably wasn’t informed. The Minister of MACA gathered all of the leaders in November to hear what the leaders want to say about the oil and gas. I would like to ask the Minister of MACA, does he have any plans for the same, specifically for trappers in the Sahtu or any other regions to organize a regional meeting with trappers to discuss the impacts of oil and gas on their land? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Further Return To Question 550-15(3): Impact Of Resource Development On Trapping

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don’t think we have had a discussion about a specific forum only for the trapping industry at this point, but we have been involved in financially supporting and helping a group through our regional staff and have provided money to a group that was interested in conducting an oil and gas workshop in the region. We have been talking about prospective dates. I don’t have the latest information at my fingertips in terms of the dates that we have identified, but we are obviously providing support already to that and will continue to do so. I will pass on the thoughts to the region that we need to ensure that the interests of trappers are included in this type of forum because, as the Member points out, this is critical. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment with regard to the issue of aboriginal education and taxation. I believe the Minister assured us that he did write on behalf of the NWT residents and the majority of the aboriginal population with respect to taxation. Maybe if I can just get the Minister’s assurance that that has been done. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 551-15(3): Taxation On Aboriginal Education Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes. When we heard that the CRA was planning to tax student grants to aboriginal people, the Minister of Finance and I jointly signed a letter pointing out that this would be counterproductive and encouraged them to reconsider their decision.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 551-15(3): Taxation On Aboriginal Education Funding

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. That has great implications, because I am of the understanding that the GNWT receives money from the federal government for aboriginal education. Perhaps just briefly, without getting into too much debate, Mr. Speaker, if the Minister can explain or detail the terms of that contract. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 551-15(3): Taxation On Aboriginal Education Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, the Government of the Northwest Territories does not receive money exclusively for aboriginal education. The only program that we have where there is something like that is that we administer, on behalf of the federal government, the University and College Entrance Program, which is designed for status and Inuit people only, according to the federal government. They give us a certain block of money. Once that block is gone, that’s all that there is for that program. That is the only program we have where money is specifically identified for education for aboriginal people. The balance of the money that this government gets is all through our Formula Financing Agreement with Canada and negotiated through the Department of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Time for oral questions has expired; however, I will allow you one more supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 551-15(3): Taxation On Aboriginal Education Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just with respect to that certain block that the Minister identified, I think one of the big issues we have here, Mr. Speaker, is we now have some aboriginal students from our communities who live down south. Are they eligible to access that special funding that is set aside for aboriginal students? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 551-15(3): Taxation On Aboriginal Education Funding