Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I want to talk about concerns I have with the NWT Housing Corporation. It has recently occurred to me that there are so many unresolved questions and issues about the functioning of this corporation/department, that we need to turn some serious attention to its operations. Today, I will just provide a broad overview of the issues, as I see them. I don’t have a lot of detail to offer today, but I have research looking into specific questions for me, and I will also have questions for the Minister at some point in this House.

We vote approximately $30...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, what is the Minister prepared to commit to in the House today in terms of consultation with seniors themselves, with respect to Public Housing Program supports to seniors, seeking the input of people from the communities so that we can avoid the kind of waste that we have seen take place in these communities that have been touched on today? Can the Minister commit to me today that he will put in place a very good consultation process to ensure that the stakeholders are consulted, and that we can avoid this needless waste? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 9, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act, and Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and would like to report that Bill 9 and Bill 3 are ready for third reading. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Thank you. If the Minister would like to correct the introduction for the record. Minister Bell, could you please, for the record, just clarify the introduction of your witnesses.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Minister says that it’s the wish of his department and this government to keep seniors in their own homes living independently, that just leads into something I referred to earlier in my Member’s statement, which is how can there be such a gap between offering social housing to seniors, zero rent, and offering virtually no support for seniors who are trying. That’s a contradictory statement, Mr. Speaker, to say we’re trying to encourage. What specific programs does the NWT Housing Corporation have today, or are they planning tomorrow to offer...

Thank you. Bill 3 is now ready for third reading. I would like to thank Minister Bell, Ms. Cooper, and Mr. Rutland for attending. Thank you.

What is the wish of the committee now that we have dealt with Bill 3 and Bill 9? Ms. Lee.

Thank you. Is the committee agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I want to make it abundantly clear that I know extremely well, as do the people across the North and in Hay River, that there are many challenges facing health and social services in the big picture. But I want to say that a good working relationship is the premise of why I remain very optimistic about continuing to address those concerns. I would just like to thank the Minister for his attention to those issues. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development met on October 11, 2005, to review Bill 8, An Act to Amend the Revolving Funds Act. Following the clause-by-clause review, a motion was carried to report Bill 8 to the Assembly as ready for Committee of the Whole. This concludes the committee's general comments on Bill 8. Individual committee members may have questions or comments as we proceed. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.