Debates of August 20, 2007 (day 13)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the subsidies that this government provides are very generous and some of the questions that we have on this side of the House I think is in the inconsistencies in some of the delivery of the programs. They like to promote self-reliance and so do we. We've been self-reliant before and I think the day will come when most of us, or most of the people across the NWT, will be self-reliant again. The question I have for the Minister of ECE is I'd like to ask him if land claim agreements are constitutionally protected when they're calculating income for the amount of benefit they may receive from income support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that it's a matter of policy and not constitutional protection that has exempted some payments from consideration under the Income Support Program. So every government of Canada can make their own decisions about what is exempt and what isn't exempt for consideration when deciding whether or not to provide income support.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that. In this government, is it ECE's policy right now to exempt benefit agreements from calculating income support? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government's policy is not to exclude payments like IBAs. Treaty payments are exempt from consideration from family income.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear treaty payments are exempt but the IBAs aren't exempt. I'd like to ask the Minister why there's a difference in what's exempt, the IBAs or the treaty payments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not sure what reason the previous governments had for deciding that some money should be exempt from consideration. Under the new policy with income support starting on September 1st, clients will be able to exempt $1,200 a year in unearned income, which means that going forward, whether it's an IBA payment or Inuvialuit Final Agreement payment, that sort of money the family can choose to exempt from consideration should they wish. But the limit will be $1,200 a year.

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

Supplementary To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Inconsistency is something that we speak about often. We want it to be the same right across the board for everybody. I'd like to ask the Minister, come September 1st -- the date we've been hearing quite a bit about lately -- what's going to be done to protect this young man that's trying to earn some summer income and not have it deducted from the benefits that his family receives from being on income support? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Further Return To Question 154-15(6): Income Support Policy Application

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this point, the policies between the public housing rental subsidy and the Income Support Program aren't the same. When ECE was given responsibility for public housing, the promise was that no changes would be made to those policies. If the intent of this policy is one to encourage attendance at school and continuation in education, there may be some grounds for us to take a look at whether or not we should adopt a similar policy under the Income Support Program. So that is something that, perhaps in this case, something that we can learn from the way the program was run in the Housing Corporation. Thank you.