Kevin A. Menicoche

Those two issues, I’d certainly like to follow up with the Minister. He spoke about reviewing the Income Support Policy. Is it specific to the seniors home heating subsidy or else is it the whole income support programming that they have? Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment questions on the seniors home heating subsidy that I raised earlier in my Member’s statement. One of the issues I had was when an elder had applied and the issue was that her daughter was staying with her and couldn’t get her income tax assessment and the alternative is to find another means for her to declare that she didn’t work the previous year. What avenues can we look at that situation?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I would like to return to an issue that I’ve raised before and spoke on in Committee of the Whole yesterday. I want to speak about eligibility issues with the seniors home heating subsidy that was raised during my tour of the constituency in January.

It is not uncommon for an adult son or daughter of an elder to live in their parent’s home, and it can be very helpful as it means there will be someone in the house who can help them in difficult situations. Also, I do have an instance where a family member does not actually live in the home but does stay there for a few days a...

I certainly support a review of the program guidelines and criteria. I think what people were really saying to me is there’s got to be some flexibility when you’re evaluating this criteria and not just be so stern and be by the book. That’s what the people are looking for. I’d like to ask the Minister: can he direct his department to start to have a heart there, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Another issue is who determines who lives in the household. Another instance of where the nephew comes in two or three times a month and not every month and they’re saying that he’s actually a resident of that house. I need the definition of a resident, because I don’t believe that’s residency at all. I’d like to ask the Minister if the department will look at that or at least provide me with a definition of residency.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I am very happy that my older sister Elizabeth “Betty” Hardisty is in the gallery here today. She lives in Fort Simpson. I’d like to recognize her and thank her for her support all throughout the years. Thank you.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I just wanted to follow up on my Member’s statement on northern grad nurses. I mentioned that I received a copy of the letter to Ms. Lee from one of my constituents who was really dismayed and took offense to the remark in the House by Ms. Lee. I just wanted to get some clarification, questions. Is there an actual policy or directive of government that graduated nurses that have designated RNs must take some additional training to be employed in our system, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Staying with somebody for three days doesn’t make them a resident of that household, Mr. Chair, and I would take objection to that. You really have to have a look at the program guidelines and procedures. It’s really unfair to the elder, because the fact of the matter is, like, February they usually get their fuel delivered in December and up until now they have to use whatever little old age security pension that they do get and it’s tough in the communities, and somebody determining that somebody who stayed there for two days is a household member. Who makes that determination? That’s what I...

Okay. In this particular case I’ve been dealing with the Minister’s office and they haven’t really been that flexible on it. I kind of question the deputy minister on that and I’ll be glad to resubmit my inquiry in support of my constituents in that matter. We’ll leave that for now.

Then I have another instance where a nephew does not actually live with the elder. He might stay over one, two or three times a month, yet frontline workers are saying that person is actually a resident in that household but he’s got no fixed address. He’s one of our young people who loves to travel. He spends two...

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I don’t know, the Minister can correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought the income security guidelines and procedures were going to be reviewed. Because this particular winter and many others I’ve had lots of inquiries, most particularly with the seniors’ home heating subsidy to help low-income seniors pay for the cost of heating their homes. It’s often done just before December, but sometimes the most common one that I’ve had is because there are additional householders living with them and often it’s the case of a daughter or granddaughter or a male that’s...