David Ramsay

The Government of the Northwest Territories owns the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. I think it is fully within our rights to instruct that board to stop paying out the $600,000 in bonuses like it did last year to senior officials at the Power Corporation, especially given the fact that many of our residents, especially in our smaller communities, cannot afford to pay their power bills. It is ludicrous that we allow that practice to continue to happen. Will the Minister instruct the Power Corporation board to immediately stop the bonuses paid to senior staff at the Power Corporation?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to join my colleagues today in discussing issues related to power rates and the operation of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

Power rates and the operation of the NWT Power Corporation have been cause for much discussion and corresponding motions in this House over the five years that I’ve been here. There are some things I just don’t understand when it comes to the NWT Power Corporation. The first is that because of climate change and high prices for power, Northwest Territories residents have been doing all they can to limit their usage of power...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, October 24, 2008, I will move the following motion.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that the following persons be recommended to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories for appointment as members of the Human Rights Adjudication Panel during good behaviour for a term of four years:

Mr. James Posynick of Creston, B.C.; and

Ms. Karen Snowshoe of Inuvik, NWT.

And further, that pursuant to section 50(1) of the Human Rights Act the Legislative Assembly recommends to the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories the...

Mr. Speaker, I agree with the Minister. I welcome his comments. Given the fact that it costs so much to live, especially in the smaller communities, people’s ability to save money for a down payment for a home is inhibited by the cost of living itself and the high rents that they have to pay.

I thought I heard the Minister commit to looking at monies people have locked up in things like superannuation as a ways and a means to perhaps allow them to get into home ownership. Again, I think that was a commitment I heard from the Minister, but he may just want to reiterate the commitment. I look...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a couple of questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. In the Northwest Territories the impediment to a lot of first time home buyers is a down payment. I know that we do have programming at the Housing Corporation that helps people in that regard, but oftentimes people have monies locked into pension plans, such as superannuation and whatnot. I’m wondering if the Housing Corporation has ever given any consideration to looking at implementing a program where people could access or…. They can’t get this money, but they could use it as...

Mr. Speaker, it’s unfortunate the Minister doesn’t have the list of available options for my constituent today.

Again, why would my constituent have to go to Alberta, where these devices, as the Minister stated, are being distributed for free? Residents in Alberta don’t have to pay $4,500 for this. There are sufferers of MS in Alberta that are using these devices for their quality of life. Why is it that in the Northwest Territories our residents are forced to pay $4,500 to enhance their quality of life so they can walk with this WalkAide? Why is that? What is the process to get the WalkAide on...

Mr. Speaker, I do respect the rules, but I think it is a sad day when one of our residents has to travel to Alberta to see a neurologist to get a prescription for a WalkAide, when here in the Northwest Territories it is not on the list. It adds to the quality of life for this individual. That is evident. That’s why they had to go to Alberta. They had to get a prescription from this Alberta doctor, a neurologist in Edmonton, to get a WalkAide.

Again, the Minister speaks of these other aids that are possibly available under the list. Could the Minister tell me today what those other options are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. People pay taxes their entire life, and when they encounter a serious health issue like MS, the government should be there for them. In this case they weren’t, and that’s a shame.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Friday, October 24, 2008, I will move the following motion.

I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Ms. Thérèse Boullard of Yellowknife be reappointed as director of Human Rights during good behaviour for a term of four years by the Commissioner of the Northwest Territories as recommended by the Legislative Assembly.

And further, that the Speaker be authorized to communicate the effective date of appointment to the Commissioner.

I know the Housing Corporation has helped many people in the North get into their own homes, and I appreciate the help that they have given. I think this would just augment it if they could look at something like this. It could augment a person’s or a couple’s ability to get into their own home. I think that will stimulate the economy. The more people we can have purchasing their own homes and living in their own homes, that’s always a good thing.

I’d like to ask the Minister regarding what he was speaking of earlier. Is that going to come through committee? It sounds like he’s interested in...