Debates of November 27, 2007 (day 3)

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Bromley.

Supplementary To Question 24-16(1): Approaches To Government Infrastructure In Response To Climate Change

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very happy to hear that. On the issue of transportation, of course, a great majority of our greenhouse gas emissions are from transportation. Will the Minister commit to ensuring that all of the infrastructure that your departments have a hand in developing will both focus on the mitigation as well as the adaptation? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 24-16(1): Approaches To Government Infrastructure In Response To Climate Change

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly, I’ll be working with my colleague, the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, who has the lead on dealing with climate change, and will communicate that to him. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. It is in regards to several letters that I received concerning the whole area of how we assess an individual’s rent. Most of it is based on gross income. I think what we are seeing is a lot of people are being evicted from public housing and also with the amount of money that individuals are left with after they pay their rent and be able to access things such as food and clothing for their families. Mr. Speaker, this is an issue not only here in the Northwest Territories; it is a problem in Nunavut and other jurisdictions in northern Canada. I would like to ask the Minister if he had an opportunity to review the information that I presented to him in regards to the area of refocusing our assessment instead of looking at the gross but looking at the area of net income? Is that something that the Minister is open to?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for the most part, the Housing Corporation has become the landlord. Those programs are administered through Education, Culture and Employment. We have been working collectively together to make sure that we come up with a way community by community to do the assessments with a one-window approach. But the issue the Member raised is one that is on the table before Cabinet and will be dealt with by the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the issue of the rent supps that are in place, a lot of these individuals aren’t able to access the social housing subsidy that they were able to get prior to this handing over to ECE. It is becoming a problem. Before they were getting the income assessment by way of the housing subsidy, but yet today they are not. I would like to ask the Minister, is he willing to consider doing an assessment of the program in the Mackenzie Delta riding in regards to ensuring that the programs being delivered as it was supposed to through a transitional process from our Housing Corporation to ECE to see if it is working? If it is, great. If not, let’s fix it.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the government shares the Member’s concern. As I indicated, Education, Culture and Employment has been working with the Housing Corporation. We are engaged in a process as we speak, going across the North community by community to make sure that we have a process that fits in every community in terms of doing the proper assessments. The program hasn’t changed, per se, but we are committed to doing that. I am committing to sit down with committee to review how we intend to move forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me when he will get around to dealing with the communities in my riding in regards to the Mackenzie Delta in regards to the review that he mentioned?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the timeline that we are working towards is to have it concluded by the end of this week. Every community will have been visited by a team of folks from ECE and the Housing Corporation to talk to the community folks involved in this program delivery to try to work out a tailor-made approach in each community. When that result is in, we will be coming forward with the plan to committee to show how we intend to move forward on this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. A final, short supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, later today I am going to be tabling a petition with 81 names on it. I think 81 names in a community are a lot of concerned individuals. I would like to ask the Minister, in regards to these individuals that have signed a petition making the government aware it is a crisis situation, how soon can he act in regards to ensuring that we do this assessment and we let the public know that we are going to act in regards to this serious issue in our community?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 25-16(1): Public Housing Rent Assessment Formula

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these programs are being administered and delivered as we speak. There have been some rough patches that have been acknowledged and recognized. We are working to fix those. I am aware of the concerns of the Members and the Member for Mackenzie Delta in particular. We are working on the concerns as we speak. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Premier. Again, it relates to the Deh Cho Bridge project and what I see as a rush to sign a concession agreement that was, by most accounts, an incomplete concession agreement signed on the 28th day of September. That was a Friday. It was three days prior to the territorial election on October 1st. I would like to ask the Premier if, in fact, he would call for a public inquiry as to the conduct of the previous government in dealing with the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation and the signing of this incomplete agreement? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the issue of a public inquiry is one thing, but going back to the question, I guess the decision of a previous government, in a sense, what would that accomplish for us? I would instead say, as the 16th Assembly, and as the Premier of the 16th Assembly, I would undertake a review of the processes and the outstanding issues around that project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, governments of all kinds, the federal government and other provincial governments, conduct public inquiries on previous governments all of the time. It happens. Case in point is the Mulroney/Schreiber affair in Ottawa. They are pulling him before a committee of Parliament. It happens, I think, when it comes to public money and the rollout of this project, and by most accounts, this process has been flawed. Again, I would like to ask the Premier, will he entertain a full public inquiry into the Deh Cho Bridge project and the processes that were followed in signing that concession agreement on September 28th? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as in my initial response as Premier, I will undertake to look at this matter of where we have gone at that point, sit down with Members to see what the next steps may be that we may look at as an Assembly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I feel very strongly that we need to learn a lesson in what happened here. The only way for me to get some satisfaction that we have learned a lesson is to find out exactly what happened, who the players were and why that agreement was signed on September 28th. Can I ask the Premier to find out why that agreement was signed on September 28th? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I am able to do, there are some rules that we operate by in looking at previous decisions. But as the information we have and what is outstanding and my commitment to Members of this House is to look at this project and the process that was used. Again, I would be prepared to sit down with Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Supplementary To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it seemed to me that the deadline for the Government of the Northwest Territories to sign this concession agreement was October 1st. It was signed on September 28th and somebody somewhere has to be held accountable for why that decision to sign that agreement was done on September 28th. We can go back and forth all we want, but all the public deserves, and what Members of this side of the House deserve, are some answers. I would like to have some answers from the Premier on why the rush to sign the concession agreement, an incomplete document, was done on September 28th. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 26-16(1): Deh Cho Bridge Concession Agreement

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Deh Cho Bridge isn’t a new project. It has been in the works since the legislation was first brought in in the 14th Assembly. It has had numerous amounts of debate in this forum and, once again, in the 16th Assembly, we are having some discussion on that. I have committed to look at the process that was used and come back and sit down with Members and look where we go from there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, about two weeks ago, I sent an e-mail to the Minister of Health and Social Services regarding some disabled constituents of mine. They are looking for some assistance regarding any support programs we have on the books or in existence, because they want to get an assisted dog to help them with their disability. One is in a wheelchair and the second one needs an assisted dog because they can’t walk properly due to a lot of reasons. But the e-mail hasn’t been answered. So I guess the question for today is, will the Minister be responding to my question? Are there any programs available for these two constituents of mine so they can get an assisted dog? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Persons with Disabilities, Ms. Lee.

Return To Question 27-16(1): GNWT Programs For Canine Companionship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, I did receive that e-mail. We’re still investigating the issue and I will make the commitment to get back to the Member as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 27-16(1): GNWT Programs For Canine Companionship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I certainly hope that this doesn’t speak to a trend that it takes a couple weeks to respond to me to tell me we’ll get back to you. So the fact is, when can we expect some type of response on this matter? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 27-16(1): GNWT Programs For Canine Companionship

I believe it only took a second for me to tell him that I’ll get back to him, but it will take some time to review the issue at hand. The program to give or to support people obtaining pets as a means of health program is something that needs, it’s more complex, and there are two individuals involved. We need to find out whether they are eligible or not and how we can accommodate that. So I will get back to the Member as soon as I get that information and we are working on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 27-16(1): GNWT Programs For Canine Companionship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like the commitment or at least the clear assurance in this House by the Minister that people with disabilities aren’t put on the backburner, that their needs or requirements aren’t put off to the shelf and ignored. So can I get that clear commitment in this House today, because I don’t think that they should be? I just want to make sure that it’s absolutely clear. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Ms. Lee.

Further Return To Question 27-16(1): GNWT Programs For Canine Companionship

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members should be aware that that is an absolute commitment on my part because we have worked on other issues for people with disabilities within the life of this Assembly. Within the last two or three weeks, in fact. So the Member knows that I have a commitment to that. Of course, issues about things for persons with disabilities is definitely in the front of my agenda and I make a commitment again to the Member that I will get back to him on this information probably by the end of the week. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with respect to the Deh Cho Bridge 3P project, we have an infrastructure deficit in the Northwest Territories. We have a lending limit. Acquiring capital projects through public/private partnerships is something that is not a foreign concept. It hasn’t been a very happy concept for this government, might I say, to date. However, if the government were going to consider this method for acquiring capital infrastructure in the future, I think it would be prudent to have a P3 policy in place for this government, because obviously we’re flying right now by the seat of our pants and we haven’t had very happy experience with P3 in the past with one or two other projects. So I would like to ask the Premier, does the GNWT have a policy regarding the acquiring of capital infrastructure through 3P projects, or 3P, P3 process? Thank you.