Debates of October 19, 2006 (day 11)

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we consider volunteering in the NWT a very important aspect of our society. We need the volunteers in the communities. I'm sure that would continue without Volunteer NWT. But this is a very good program, the whole initiative for volunteering and the whole area that Volunteer NWT has been covering is very important for us. We will do whatever we can to support them. We've looked at ways and are trying to come up with options that we can try to come and fill the void. It's going to be a real challenge, given our resources, but it's something we're going to continue to have discussions with Sport North, Volunteer NWT, and see if we can come to some way of moving forward with continuing to support volunteers in the NWT. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Supplementary To Question 141-15(5): Federal Funding Budget Reductions Impacting The North

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I noticed that in the last couple of weeks the Dene Nation did provide a couple rallies there, Mr. Speaker. I was wondering if there's any territorial strategy by our government to protest these cuts, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. McLeod.

Further Return To Question 141-15(5): Federal Funding Budget Reductions Impacting The North

Mr. Speaker, on September 27th, 2006, Volunteer Canada had a conference call with all their provincial, territorial and local network programs and members, and they talked to the people that were affected by these federal program cuts. They are recommending against fighting the Government of Canada on their decision to cease funding for Canada volunteer initiatives, and they're recommending that the affiliated groups lobby for continued investment to the volunteer sector through a vehicle program of the new government's discretion and design. We are doing our share to advocate on their behalf. We are lobbying the federal Ministers and the federal government and we will continue to support them and do what we can to help out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question today is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment just dealing with some more of the income verification rent scale policy that this government doesn't seem to want to change.

Shame.

Mr. Speaker, you know, the rent scale policy that we have today was developed 10-plus years ago, with good intentions, I'm sure, but obviously today it doesn't work. It doesn't work for communities; it doesn't work for individuals; and it doesn't work in our employment economy here today. I guess just what my colleague Mrs. Groenewegen from Hay River South was talking about, the frustration of having people to have to verify their income on a monthly basis to the LHOs which, in turn, work with ECE to provide the subsidy or what rent they're going to charge them on. But should people not report these monthly rental incomes, Mr. Speaker, they automatically get charged the maximum amount of rent, regardless of what excuse they have or anything. If they don't have any paper, they're automatically charged the maximum, thus resulting in these exorbitant arrears that all these LHOs have with their clients, some of them up to $80,000 in rental arrears, Mr. Speaker. Like, holy smokes! Is there any intention and has the Minister made any commitment to his staff and to the people in the public housing sector, that he will review the rent scale policy and make the appropriate changes so that people don't have this disincentive hanging over them all the time? They're…

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 142-15(5): Social Housing Rent Scale Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Members are aware, we've been involved in a review of the income security programs for all of our subsidy programs across the Northwest Territories for some time. But this government, when we transferred the subsidy from the Housing Corporation to ECE for delivery for public housing, made a public commitment that there would be no changes to the program for at least the first year. So we said that before April 1st, 2007, there would be absolutely no changes to the subsidies, and that was something that Members of this House wanted to hear. So we have stood by that and we haven't changed the delivery of the subsidy program.

Now, what we are trying to do is make sure that we standardize the delivery of subsidies across the Northwest Territories. So we are looking at making some changes for the 1st of April 2007, but Members of this House will have to hear what they are and we'll have to have some discussion before that happens. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Short supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Supplementary To Question 142-15(5): Social Housing Rent Scale Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand there is a review of the Income Security Program. I'm not talking about the program itself, I'm talking about this rent scale policy that we have developed for the LHOs to enforce upon public housing clients. That rent scale is outdated and it's out to lunch, and the guidelines that encompass that specific policy are also outdated and they are a disincentive to people in the communities. People don't work for money or for a cheque anymore, they'll work under the table because they don't want to bring in any documentation so they don't get charged the maximum amount…

Do you have another question, Mr. Villeneuve?

…just have a disincentive with that policy in place. So why do we even have it there if people aren't going to want to go out and become self-reliant?

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. I heard a question there. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 142-15(5): Social Housing Rent Scale Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that we're talking about two different things here. Right now, the LHOs are responsible for delivering the housing to clients, almost like a landlord. So they set the rents. The rents are not related to the income of the family or the occupants of the house. Each house has a rent that is established by the LHO. People then come to ECE, as they would in Yellowknife or any other market community, to get a subsidy so that they can afford to pay whatever rent is set by the LHOs. At ECE, it's not a question of how much the rents are; it's a question of how you fit into the structure that was there before the transfers of the subsidy program from the Housing Corporation to ECE. So at this point, there's been no change in how that is delivered. But I guess, Mr. Speaker, some people have had to come in and verify their rent on a monthly basis and they may not have had to do that in the past. As I said to Mrs. Groenewegen, we'll make sure that we're talking to our agents across the Northwest Territories to remind them that people with consistent incomes don't have to come back and verify their income every month.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know how the Minister can say that this has nothing to do with rent. It has everything to do with rent, Mr. Speaker. It's called the rent scale policy. You know, and that policy is developed by this government, again, for the LHOs to carry out, to charge the government back what they would charge for a one, two, three, four, five-bedroom, and the client pays a portion of that and this government subsidizes the other portion and that's the rent that the LHO receives for that unit. So basically these clients want to come out with the minimum amount of rent possible that they have to pay for perhaps a dilapidated unit that's never been maintained for years…

Mr. Villeneuve, do you have a question? Do you have a question, Mr. Villeneuve?

Supplementary To Question 142-15(5): Social Housing Rent Scale Policy

Okay. With this review of this Income Support Program over the last year, is there any commitment from ECE that the rent scale is going to be brought up again? It's been brought up by Members on that side, Members on this side. Is it going to be reviewed again to more accurately reflect what people are willing to pay?

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Dent.

---Laughter

Further Return To Question 142-15(5): Social Housing Rent Scale Policy

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure that we can ever promise that we'll have a program that allows people to pay what they're willing to pay, because some people may not be wiling to pay anything. But, Mr. Speaker, the rent scale itself again is a question that should be directed to the Minister for the Housing Corporation. It's the Housing Corporation that is responsible for setting the rent scales. ECE, through our Income Security Review Program, or process, will determine what levels of subsidies are paid so that people will know how much they are going to actually have to pay no matter what the rent scale is set. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mr. Speaker, why did I waste my time even mentioning to the ECE then? Why didn't the Minister of Housing stand up…

---Laughter

…and answer those questions with regard to the rent scale policy, because that's what I was asking about. I wasn't asking about the…

Do you have a question, Mr. Villeneuve?

Supplementary To Question 142-15(5): Social Housing Rent Scale Policy

My question, okay, to the Minister of the Housing Corporation…

---Laughter

That's fine. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I made a statement in regard to front-line workers in Ulukhaktok, particularly in regard to the social worker and the mental health worker. I'm just wondering, the Minister said he was going to provide information today with regard to the status of the recruitment. So can the Minister advise us what the stage is right now? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 143-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the information that I have is that the competition is closed Friday, and that there's going to be screening and hopefully interviewing very quickly thereafter. I'm not sure how many applicants they have because it's not closed yet, but the information I do have from the department for the social worker and wellness worker is that the competitions are going to be closed and the screening will take place very soon; next week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 143-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So if I understand correctly, the position would close this Friday and they'll screen the applications on Tuesday. I'm just wondering, Mr. Speaker, with that, if there's unqualified potential applicants for these two positions, what will happen with the two positions presently? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I didn't catch the part of the Member's question about whether they are qualified or not.

Mr. Pokiak, could you rephrase your question to the Minister. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The question I had is I understand right now from the Minister that they will screen the applications by Tuesday and they have a number of applicants right now. If there are unqualified applicants presently right now that they're screening, what will the department do to fill those positions right away? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 143-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the hope is that of the people that applied some will be seen to be qualified by the hiring committee and that there will be a choice and some interim process to allow those positions to be filled. If it's found that none of the candidates are suitable, then we're going to be in a difficult situation of trying to cover off with casuals and support from the Inuvik Health and Social Services Authority office in Inuvik. But at this point, as I indicated, Mr. Speaker, I'm not aware of who has applied or what their qualifications are. So I'm going to be optimistic that there will be qualified candidates applying. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Supplementary To Question 143-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just my last follow-up, Mr. Speaker. I'm just wondering, after Tuesday and the review of the applicants, I'm just wondering how soon after that the applicants are reviewed. If there's qualified potential social workers and mental health workers, will the department hire these people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Time for oral questions has expired; however, I will allow the Minister to answer. Mr. Miltenberger.

Further Return To Question 143-15(5): Recruitment Of Front-Line Social Service Workers In Ulukhaktok

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we share the sense of urgency that the Member has indicated to us here, that we will get through this process as fast as we can and if there are suitable candidates, we'll make sure that that process is done as quickly as possible and job offers are made hopefully within a matter of a couple of weeks. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Time for oral questions has expired. Honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to return to item 7, oral questions, on the orders of the day for one question. Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues. I really appreciate that. Thank you, and I will keep it to one question; I promise. Mr. Speaker, during oral questions earlier, I had asked the Minister of Health and Social Services questions about the territorial dementia centre that was planning to go in Yellowknife. The Minister said, on my unedited hand notes here, he said that the dementia centre is now on the capital plan. Those were his words in this House when I asked about it getting on the plan and getting on with it. So he said "now on the capital plan." Can he tell me where that is, where I'll find it, and will he provide a copy of that notation to all Members of this House? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Return To Question 144-15(5): Territorial Dementia Centre Funding

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what I intended with my previous answer was to indicate that up to this point, this current business planning process, the dementia facility had never been formally brought forward as a capital project, that work had been done over the last few years. We've used some federal money; we have identified land for the project. It was put in through the capital process for the first time this business planning session, and while it would not be reflected in the capital plan, as I indicated to the YACCS people, it is now in the capital planning process and will be part of the business planning process as we bring it forward again for '08-09. Thank you.