David Krutko

Again, Mr. Speaker, the individual had to move to Inuvik with his dad, because his dad got a job in Inuvik. Now he wants to move back to Fort McPherson, because his dad’s job will expire June 31. Yet it’s been less than a year since his dad left Fort McPherson, and now he’s being told by the housing authorities, “Sorry; you cannot get into a public housing unit, because you are not a resident of Fort McPherson.” If anything, a person with a disability should be our top priority and go to the front of the list for housing.

With that, I will be asking the Minister of housing questions on this...

If the Minister can get information on the aboriginal affirmative action statistics in regard to the 31 per cent –– what the implication of that percentage is going to be, and with the number of P1 and P2 layoffs, and exactly where they are. Can he provide us that information before we conclude this department?

In regard to the layoffs themselves, the numbers I came up with…. There are about 60 individuals who are going to be laid off in the two areas that I mentioned, in Justice and in Transportation. There are a few forestry jobs, but most of those are contract positions. I’d just like to know if you have the actual number of aboriginal employees who are going to be eliminated under these job cuts.

Also, how much would that decrease our affirmative action numbers in the workforce? You mentioned the majority of people are not P1 positions, yet 60 people in the public workforce is a lot of people in...

Most jurisdictions in Canada, the provinces and whatnot, have a housing strategy. Part of that strategy looks at seniors’ housing, family homes, retirement homes, disabled housing, homeless shelters. They look at every type of housing that’s out there. So I’d like to ask the Minister: would his department take on a strategic plan to look at the holistic process for housing from the time you’re born until the time you pass away — 80 to 90 years of housing that people go through? I think it’s about time this government took on that initiative. I think we won’t have these problems in our...

Mr. Speaker, as government our public infrastructure is aging; we have to replace it. I think this is probably a good time to build that concept into reality, build it into our business plan, build it into our housing strategies and initiatives. I’d like to ask the Minister: exactly how soon can we see some of these initiatives put in place, knowing we are expending money already to basically do upgrades on public housing units by way of retrofits? Will you consider looking at those retrofit dollars, at those facilities for renovating, to see if we can implement some of these projects in...

I, too, would like to recognize Mr. Norm Snowshoe and Bobby-Jo Greenland, formerly from Aklavik and Fort McPherson, who are now living in Inuvik.

With that, we will take a short break and continue on with those matters.

The Committee of the Whole took a short recess.

Does committee agree that the Minister brings in his witnesses?

I’ll call Committee of the Whole to order.

We have consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters, Bill 4, Bill 7, Committee Report 2-16(2), Committee Report 3-16(2), Committee Report 4-16(2), Tabled Document 37-16(2), Main Estimates. What is the wish of the committee? Mrs. Groenewegen.

Bill 7 is now ready for third reading.

I’d like to thank the Minister and his witnesses. Sergeant-at-Arms, could you escort the witnesses out.

With that, I conclude the two items we agreed to deal with earlier. What is the wish of the committee?