Debates of August 20, 2007 (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the heels of my statement today, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister to agree to look into my constituent’s case to see if anything can be done to ensure this family receives the assistance they need without requiring them to move into a hospital for the rest of their life or requiring their partner to remain unemployed by making some discussions and headway on the income support policy we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like the question referred to the Minister of ECE. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. The honourable Minister for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Income Support Program being delivered by Education, Culture and Employment, it is probably more appropriate that I respond to questions around that program. Mr. Speaker, apparently the Income Assistance Program is one of last resort. In this program, the way it is set up right now, clients are expected to use up all of their assets and all of their resources before any supports are provided. I have recently announced, though, that there are some changes beginning on September 1st with the program which will allow clients to keep an increased level of assets going up to $50,000 from the current limit of $5,000 and you have a program that is going to provide increased supports. There is going to be a somewhat more flexible program.

With a case managed approach where ECE workers work with Health and Social Services staff as well as Housing staff, we are hoping that we are going to be able to find ways to more effectively deal with unique circumstances that families may find themselves in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, fortunately I was prepared in case the Health Minister didn’t want to answer the questions. I was ready for the income support Minister. Mr. Speaker, my next question will be for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Will he look at addressing the shortfall that is created by this Income Support Program? The Income Support Program only allows the person up to $1,200 a year as little extra money that they can declare without it being clawed back. Mr. Speaker, my constituent’s mortgage is way more than that and has to be paid 12 times a year. So what is this Minister going to do to make sure this family doesn’t have to use up all of their assets that he has cited and lose their home because we cannot find a simple balance to work through this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just a point of clarification. The current rules of the program don’t allow for a $1,200 exemption. The beginning of September the 1st, up to $1,200 or $1,200 of unearned income can be exempted by a family. That is in addition to the $400 per family plus 15 percent of all earnings above that that can be exempt from the program. So the program is changing significantly from a program of simply last resort to one that is intended to better support people. But any program like this where government subsidies are given out is a balance between affordability and what people need. So the government has had to set some limits on what supports are available. We are quite confident, though, Mr. Speaker, that in any case we are providing adequate supports for families in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Supplementary To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister would take time to look at this scenario and this specific case he would realize that this family is going to lose their home by these fair rules designed by the system. Mr. Speaker, because we do not exempt the mortgage that a family member is paying and this government doesn’t pay the mortgage and fact that a doctor tells them that they need full-time care at home, that leaves no one left to go to work to pay the mortgage, Mr. Speaker. So when the father helps, they get it all clawed back so they lose any net gain they would have gotten from income support. The bottom line is, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister look at this specific case to find out what is wrong with this situation and find a balance to make it work so they don’t lose their home? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are always prepared to look at cases of families in the Northwest Territories. As I said, beginning September 1st, we are hoping to be able to improve the services and the supports we provide to families in the North. In fact, we know we are going to improve the supports that we provide to families in the North.

We also need to make sure that we have all of the helping agencies at the table. We need to make sure that we have Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, and the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I can make sure that all three agencies are involved and looking at what is possible given our current rules. Thank you.

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

Supplementary To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Minister keeps pointing at September 1st that everything is going to be okay, but the fact is this family is in jeopardy of losing their house. I will tell you for a fact today, Mr. Speaker, that if they sold this house to a brother, sister or close relative for $1, we could rent it from income support and pay the full cost of the mortgage through a rental program. But yet we can’t seem to find a balance between getting help and solving this problem. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to hear a commitment today. Will the Minister go look at this whole situation and find some flexibility in this program so this family doesn’t lose everything? In another month or two we will be covering every single cost, not just helping them here on this situation. We are going to lose and we are going to have to help them everywhere and this family is going to be broken up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 150-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As things stand right now, the program is governed by regulations. Those regulations change on September 1st. So the rules may change then, but I can’t arbitrarily change them today. There is no flexibility built into the program that allows a Minister to do that under our current legislation and regulations. As of September 1st, there may be a different method of looking at this program. In advance of that, there is no reason that ECE, Health and Social Services and the Housing Corporation can’t be working together to ensure that all that is possibly available to a family in need is provided. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.