Julie Green

Thank you to the Minister for his answer. At the beginning I thought that I heard that he would be interested in having a public conversation. What would it take to get that conversation started?

Mr. Speaker, Mahsi. My questions are for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. First of all, can you update the House on the status of the review of lotteries to bring them into compliance with the CRA? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, I don’t expect the sport organizations to say that they would like to give up any of their revenue so I’m not sure that really will achieve the ends that I’m looking for here. The information I have is that lotteries contribute $4 million a year to sports organizations, and I take the Minister’s point that this is physical activity. I don’t know how the money invested in sports compares to the money invested in arts, all things being equal for that same age group. I wonder if the Minister could commit to producing...

Thank you to the Minister for that answer. Mr. Speaker, to my knowledge we’ve never consulted with the public to determine whether there’s a desire to see the funding eligibility opened to the arts as well as to sports. Program review seemed to involve only sports organizations and, of course, they have a vested interest. Is there an opportunity to have a broader conversation on how the proceeds are allocated? Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the money raised in the NWT through the Western Canada Lotteries Program, like Lotto 649, Lotto Max, and all the scratch tickets, is administered by the NWT Sports and Recreation Council. About $4 million a year has been disbursed to the territorial sporting groups and events for each of the last four years. These lottery profits go only to sports organizations here in the NWT. In all other jurisdictions except Nunavut, lottery money is also dispersed to arts organizations and community service groups. The question of whether sporting organizations should...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Hay River South, that notwithstanding Rule 4, when this House adjourns today, June 9, 2016, it shall be adjourned until Monday, June 13, 2016;

and further, that at any time prior to June 13, 2016, if the Speaker is satisfied, after consultation with the Executive Council and Members of the Legislative Assembly, that the public interest requires that the House should begin at an earlier time during the adjournment, the Speaker may give notice and thereupon the House shall meet at the time stated in such notice and shall transact...

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today dealt with the issue of migration and how there will always be some need for emergency shelters in Yellowknife, but probably and hopefully not to the extent that they are available now. My question for the Minister responsible for Homelessness is: what planning is she doing with the shelters to reduce their bed nights over time? Thank you.

Thank you, colleagues. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The federal and territorial governments are set to reverse this trend by funding additional housing for people who are homeless. This is good news for the many people waiting for homes, for the City of Yellowknife, and for Yellowknife residents. This collaboration is the way forward for finding real solutions to this long-term problem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chair, as I said, I asked to return to this section because I feel that this position has tremendous value, not only to this region but to the whole NWT. It is a program in which education is provided to people of all ages. It is a winner of the Premier's Award in 2010 for ontheland training, and so the purpose of this motion is to ask that this position be reinstated. I realize that we are not able to add money to the budget, but I'm asking for agreement of the whole House that this position be reinstated and that we work out how the funding for that will happen at another point. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I have a few remaining comments on the corporate management activity that we agreed to yesterday. Therefore, I seek unanimous consent to return to page 87 in the ENR estimates. Thank you.