Charles Dent

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...

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Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that the schedule to Bill 18 be amended to:

a) increase by $3.050 million the supplementary appropriation amount set out in part 2, item 16, Education, Culture and Employment, by striking out $2.675 million in the column entitled appropriation by item and substituting $5.725 million;

b) increase by $3.050 million the amount set out in part 2 as the total supplementary appropriation for capital investment expenditures by striking out $3.615 million and substituting $6.665 million; and

c) increase by $3.050 million the amount set out at the end of the schedule as...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think Mr. Roland has pretty adequately answered the question. The review in 2005, though, did determine that much of the functionality of PeopleSoft or the program had either been turned off or hidden and the recommendation was that when we got to a system that was not customized and could turn those on, it would make the system much more functional for us. As Mr. Roland has already noted, the big problem has been in trying to convert the data from a program where the program itself was modified in such a way that the new version of the program doesn’t recognize the...

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. 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. 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...

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...

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Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that $3.050 million be added to the activity education and culture under the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, capital investment expenditures, not previously authorized on page 14 for the purpose of constructing additional classrooms and adding a gymnasium to the Jean Wetrade Gameti School.

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