Julie Green

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am looking forward to the Minister sharing that information with us. Those are all my questions.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In the public gallery today is my constituent Josee Clermont. Madame Clermont is the directrice generale of college nordique here in Yellowknife and I welcome her and all our guests to the Assembly today. I'd also like to recognize Steve Budgell, my friend and neighbour who is in the fourth year of the nursing program at Aurora College. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Minister read out a number of figures for the renovations being completed in Fort McPherson, Tuktoyaktuk, and on the K’atlodeeche First Nation, and so based on those figures, it seems that millions of dollars will be required to make the necessary improvements. Where is that money going to come from? That's my question for the Minister, Mr. Chair. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I offer my congratulations to everyone who operates a small business in the NWT during this Small Business Week. Last year in Yellowknife the city licensed 146 new businesses, most of them small businesses, and it's clear that small business is a major driver in our economy, creating jobs, spending and tax revenue.

Mr. Speaker, I have some insight into the effort involved in developing an idea for a small business into a money-making proposition. I was self-employed before I was elected, but the experience I want to reflect on today is the development of our family...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. So it's my understanding that JK is now operating in 19 communities. Could the Minister just confirm that to start with? Thank you.

Thank you. I would just like to have one more go at my question, and my question was not about competing priorities but growing the budget for addressing this priority of retrofitting schools. Can the Minister tell us what efforts, if any, he's making to grow that pot of money? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I wonder if the Minister could just review for us the requirement for a midlife retrofit of the school?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Those are all my questions.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, is this a carryover from a prior year, the purchase of the coroner's van? Thank you.

Again, thank you to the Minister for that. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, that 8 per cent is not making a difference to the core housing need in the territory, and the availability of housing especially here in Yellowknife where the waiting list is about 180, across the whole NWT about 600. So I would like to hear from the Minister whether there is a plan to increase the amount of spending on social housing.