Bob Bromley

I believe I understood from the Minister’s remarks that we have more opportunities for, say, on how things go and where priorities are, although we still have difficulties on where the money gets put, or issues. So after one year, is this a good deal?

That’s all I had. Thank you.

I want to use this opportunity to ask for an update from the Minister on, I guess, are we one year yet into our new 20-year contract with the RCMP? I know we’ve had a lot of discussions about that, leading up to it. It got signed and I, of course, didn’t hear about it again, but what are we finding after a year of working under this new agreement?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to ask with respect to the Minister’s opening comment on page 2 of 4 at the bottom, the increased operations and maintenance funding and water/sewer funding due to population growth, explaining some of the forced growth funding there. I believe we actually are in negative or stable on population. I’m wondering what that was about. Is it people moving into the centres or what would that be about? Are costs going down elsewhere, where people move from?

I recognize magic when I see it. I have no further questions.

I think the Minister has defined the problem. We think that most of them are somehow caught, and I would agree with that statement. I’m trying to speak for those that aren’t caught that this sort of haphazard approach leaves vulnerable to being built and put in place without inspection. Yes, indeed, the NWT Association of Communities has raised this with the Minister a number of times, as has the Association of Architects and so on. And I know the Minister is aware of this situation.

Given that we are not able to say confidently that all of them do get inspected, and I think the Minister...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I notice we are a half a million down for youth justice services. I wonder if the Minister could tell me what that’s about.

Thanks to the Minister’s comments. I’d say that’s being a responsible partner, being willing to discuss that idea. There are a number of strategies out there, as the Minister knows, that are very successful and others that are not. We’d prefer to be in the former category. We know this strategy needs to be not only an action plan for integrated cross-government action to reduce the alarming poverty and growing inequity in NWT society. It also needs to fully involve Aboriginal government partners and the business community. I know the Minister has a particular interest there. The need to raise...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are directed to the Minister for the social envelope committee, Mr. Abernethy. Late last year a draft Anti-Poverty Strategy was released. There has been review and comment on that document from organizations, and I understand public feedback was formally collected through a survey, some focus groups and even street interviews. Could the Minister update us on the current status of the Anti-Poverty Strategy, and when we can expect to see a new draft and when the completed strategy will be coming to this House?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just a comment. I found in these sorts of things that local businesses are the ones that are the real workhorses in this area of social responsibility. Keeping all departments coordinated in the development of the strategy has been a major challenge.

Will the Minister build in the creation of a funded secretariat to introduce the strategy, guide its integration into our programming, and do the evaluations we’ll need for continued improvement, working with our partners, of course?