Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m happy to visit with the Minister further about this. I’m not sure it’s a college position. I guess given that people are left hanging right now, can I trust that the Minister will be in touch with our federal partners quite soon on this to fill that need? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I had many of the same concerns that were raised by Mr. Beaulieu and Mr. Krutko. I think we have the opportunity to really support those apprentices in our small communities, in particular, that can help us to address many of our goals. I think it would be good when developing this policy for apprentices or reviewing it or supporting it further to consider, and possibly best presented by way of example, the oil burner mechanics are rare and yet there’s a huge opportunity for fuel savings that can be a huge impact in small communities where employment is low and incomes...

Thank you, Minister Lafferty. Next on my list I have Mr. Krutko.

I heard somebody estimated that if we provided child care for all in the Northwest Territories it would cost us something like $18 million a year in the line of the Quebec model, but we would probably get that back through other economic benefits, so it would be interesting to explore some of that.

I guess my last question is, the Minister, again, is aware that we have been interested in having a milk subsidy. Obviously he was able to get our support last year with the $400,000 support for nutritious foods and now that is disappearing. I think the interest still remains high on that. I don’t...

I appreciate the Minister’s comments and information that some mitigation is happening here. My understanding is that immigrants can’t even get past security to visit the federal immigration officer on matters on immigrant settlement support. Until we re-staff our position, this person is obviously the sole source of knowledge on settlement support programs. Until this position is re-staffed, will the Minister call upon our federal partners to fill in and let people past the front door of the Greenstone Building to seek the support they obviously need? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Next on my list I have Mr. Krutko.

Just a comment. Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Next on my list I have Mr. Yakeleya.

Just for my clarity, for example, in the student financial assistance we don’t really provide child care subsidies through that program. Is that correct?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Notwithstanding the Minister’s good catch-up work described in his statement today, inadequate housing and the delivery of our housing programs remains a huge issue today. For everyone -- workers, parents, children, elders -- the home is the foundation of health. No one can participate fully in society without a place to store and cook food, to sleep, bathe, do laundry, homework, and host friends.

Adequate, accessible and affordable. The latest core needs survey tells us that things continue to grow worse in all these areas. Just having a house isn’t enough. Issues of...

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. Mr. Daniels.