Charles Dent

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our standards for all programs are adjusted regularly, based on the cost of living. The cost of food is surveyed on a regular basis. The amount that is included in income support for food allowance is adjusted regularly. The same happens with the levels for the fuel subsidy. So I think that’s already being accomplished. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that our system does allow families to support seniors to a much greater extent than what you would find in other jurisdictions, but I would be happy to review the situation with the Member and take a look at his specific recommendations and consider them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member talked about the increase in payments in income support in the region. One of the things that have driven up the payments is that benefit levels have substantially increased since 1999. The amount that is paid for food, the amount that is paid for accommodation, all of those payments have gone up substantially since 1999. We have a very rich program in comparison to the rest of Canada. Is it rich to people who have to try and get by on it? No. It is a program of last resort. But, yes, the costs have gone up in some regions because the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there were program reviews in 1995, 1996, another one in 1996, three in 1998, a further one in 2001. Those were the formal ones. We have the ongoing ones. I have had some ongoing discussions with the Sanding Committee on Social Programs, as to the operation of our current Income Support program, and will continue to have that dialogue with them to find out their opinion on our programs and policies.

I am also committed to bringing forward to the standing committee a policy framework for income security and how this government delivers that to the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There’s not a lot that I can add to this that hasn’t already been provided, either in response to Mr. Menicoche or by Minister Roland just now. The programs are programs of the department that are application-based. They weren’t special programs. The issue is one of vigilance. You are always going to find once in awhile an agency that will go out of business owing money. You can’t ever have 100 percent certainty. We are fairly confident that procedures have been tightened up now so that the changes of it happening again are reduced. In terms of why this happened, I...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As well as the ongoing regular consideration of our programs and policies and the response to comments or criticisms, there have been, over the past five, six or seven years, a number of reviews of the program that have resulted in changes; for instance, the way in which we deal with those who have handicaps. They are now treated significantly differently than they were a number of years ago. The program has changed to respond to different needs and different circumstances. As I said, sometimes there have been formal reviews, more often the reviews have been as a...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, there’s always a concern when there’s criticism when we lose money. There’s a criticism when we don’t have enough accounting so money isn’t recovered. The issue of accountable advances, though, is hard to get past. It would be difficult for us to offer up much of our programming dollars if we didn’t allow the money to go out in advance of the program being undertaken. So we have to continue, I think, with the process of allowing for accountable advances. The goal is, of course, to make sure that we are watching for instances where the organization may be getting...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to report on the action this government is taking as we move toward the elimination of family violence in the NWT.

The government of the 15th Assembly has a strong commitment to social issues. One of the goals of the GNWT’s strategic plan is to have “healthy, educated people living in safe communities, who are able to contribute and take advantage of life’s opportunities.” In particular, Mr. Speaker, the strategic plan identifies the need to strengthen support for families in conflict and to support initiatives to build safer communities.

Toda...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I understand it, Mr. Speaker, close to 40 percent of the personnel in corrections from Inuvik through to Fort Smith have participated in the survey process already. That was done under some expectation of how the information would be handled. I don’t think at this late date of the process, we can go back and change that. It is a small population. It would be very easy to figure out who said what about whom, depending on what the recommendations may be. So we have to make sure we are protecting the integrity of the process and the privacy of the individuals involved...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The review was requested by the department and the report will be delivered to the department. So, no, it wouldn’t fall under another Minister’s responsibility. I am quite prepared to meet with the committee and discuss with the standing committee the terms of reference for the review. We will do that at their convenience. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.