Debates of October 22, 2004 (day 26)

Thank you, Madam Chair. May I just ask the Minister as to whether this is a yearly increase or is it something that comes periodically? How often does the commission review the salary of judges? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It is every three years we end up going through this process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Registries and court services, not previously authorized, $422,000.

Agreed.

Agreed. Community justice and corrections, not previously authorized, $145,000.

Agreed.

Agreed. Thank you. Total department, not previously authorized, $567,000.

Agreed.

Thank you. Moving on to page 12, NWT Housing Corporation, operations expenditures, NWT Housing Corporation, not previously authorized, $324,000. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The information we have says to us that this is to provide funding for the purchase of property in Wha Ti and Rae-Edzo pursuant to the employee house purchase plan. I am afraid I don’t understand what this money is going toward. Is the government buying the units for the employees? May I have more elaboration on this? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We are purchasing the units back from our employees. This is the tail-end of a program that was in place by the government where we tried to encourage employees to buy units in communities. If they were transferred or left their positions, then we would buy back the houses. The residual number of units were transferred over to the Housing Corporation when the program shut down. These are a number of the last units. I don’t have the actual number. There are not many left, but this is fulfilling our end of those agreements. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just to be clear, I just want to make sure. I would like to have confirmation from the Minister that this doesn’t have anything to do with the 22 mobile homes we bought to encourage the markets in communities so that employees who come up north to work could have places where they pay their own rent. I just want confirmation that this doesn’t have anything to do with that program. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. No, it doesn’t. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister indicated that it was the tail-end of this Employee Home Purchase Program. I thought it ended two years ago. Can the Minister comment on that?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Member is right. The program ceased, but there were still a number of people who were part of the original program. They were grandfathered. This program is no longer available. It was just those that were left on the list when the program shut down. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This obviously urges the next question. How many more employees out there are grandfathered? How many more houses would we have to buy back? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don’t have the actual figures left on that. We can’t provide that information as to the number who were grandfathered. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I understand a little about the program. We pay fair market value for these units. Are these indicated as fair market value for these units that we are purchasing from the employees? What has been going on in the past, too, is that employees give the government a high rate knowing that it is going to be reduced. To me, it seems kind of high. Maybe the Minister can comment on that.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The purchase price of the units is based on an independent appraisal. First, the individual has to try to sell the unit themselves. They have to prove that they have been trying to sell the unit and have not been successful. Then the guidelines provide for 90 percent of the first $80,000 of appraised value, and then 80 percent of the remaining value of the house up to a maximum of $180,000. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Menicoche.

Did the Minister say up to a maximum of $180,000 dollars?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Yes, I believe he did. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you for answering the question, Madam Chair. Because before, that’s what happened in the not previously authorized amount for $184,000. What is the inconsistency here?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The $184,000 ends up dealing with a couple of other figures in there. The negotiated purchase price ended up being $180,000, but the inspection cost was $1,685 and the closing adjustments were $2,521. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. NWT Housing Corporation, operations expenditures, NWT Housing Corporation, not previously authorized, $324,000.

Agreed.

Agreed. Total department $324,000.

Agreed.

Agreed. Thank you. Page 13, Education, Culture and Employment, operations expenditures, advanced education and careers, special warrants, not previously authorized, $4 million. Does this say $4,000? Oh, okay, $4,000. Agreed?

Agreed.

Agreed. There are some zero’s missing on there. Education, Culture and Employment, special warrants, not previously authorized, $2.5 million. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This amount here is quite a well-rounded number, $2.5 million. I’m wondering if the Minister could advise how close is this to the cost of this renovation or is this basically an up-front deposit, if you will? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. This is the estimate that has been brought forward. It breaks down for a number of things that happened and I will provide those: gymnasium wing repairs were $1.1 million, foyer replacement is estimated at $650,000, classroom wing cosmetic upgrades $500,000, and repair work to date is $250,000. The work is still ongoing on the foyer end of things, but the gymnasium was as a result of the fire that happened right on the heels of the actual collapse of the foyer.

Madam Chair, as a result of the collapse, there was some damage to the foyer entrance and the library, stuff like that, so that included that and as we got into the repairs we also had to do upgrades on other parts of the facility because of code requirement. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Were any of these damages covered by insurance? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Unfortunately, no, as our new deductible limit is $10 million, so anything up to $10 million we pay from our own sources. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Hawkins.