Debates of October 13, 2005 (day 9)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today our Premier and all our Ministers spoke about energy. I commend our government in recognizing and addressing this huge impact of rising energy costs. We have yet to hear exactly how government will be addressing the real needs of our people, Mr. Speaker, people like granny from Nahanni. She wants to know how her fixed income will combat unprecedented rising heating and gasoline prices. She wants to know why, Mr. Speaker, she has to pay 10 times the national average for her power bill.

We do not need programs like a Beverage Container Recovery Program to add to her cost of living. We do not need restrictive income support guidelines that prevent us from accessing much needed programs. What we need, Mr. Speaker, is the guts of this government to say that every man and woman and child will get $400 this winter.

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It doesn’t have to be a cheque in the mail, Mr. Speaker. This can be achieved several ways. One, we can subsidize essential foods for smaller communities. We can review our elders’ pension programs. We can review the income threshold limits, like the honourable Member for Range Lake said. We can offer lower power rates in diesel communities.

Residents in the NWT should never have to decide between food or heat. This government must continue with their proactive approach to this situation. We must continue the initiative of other jurisdictions and offer more and equal comprehensive assistance to all. Let us make our goal of reducing the cost of living mean something to our people and to ourselves, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi cho.

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