Kevin A. Menicoche

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I spoke about the reinstatement of the rent scale increases and who it affects, Mr. Speaker. It affects the non-government workers in my riding who work hard and pay their bills on time and who are comfortable with the current rent scale because it hasn’t been changed since 1995, Mr. Speaker. Now this 30 percent increase from the 60 percent level to the 90 percent level means at least a $300 increase to their current expenditures, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know from the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Speaker, what is...

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I guess once we identify ourselves as say an economic development agreement or a similar type region, what typically happens with a lot of these agreements is that we offer low interest loans or even no interest loans to stimulate the businesses, Mr. Speaker. I was wondering if the Minister had had any thoughts towards that area in terms of this strategy, in terms of stimulating our regions and our businesses. Thank you very much.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is absolutely correct; that was my reference in the question earlier.

Mr. Speaker, mahsi cho. Today I want to address the issue of business opportunities. Everywhere in the North right now people are beginning to look ahead to the construction of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline. However, if we in the North are going to benefit from the opportunities the pipeline project is expected to bring, we need to be prepared, with businesses up and running for when the ball starts rolling. The opportunities that are expected to come will be diverse.

Construction of a pipeline will require a wide range of services, not all of them directly related to pipeline construction...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to get clarification from the Minister. Did the Minister say that some of the money would be earmarked towards the business development centres in the regions? Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for providing an adequate breakdown of where we’re at with the process. My other concern, Mr. Speaker, is that the priorities are northern priorities and not direction from Ottawa where to spend the funding that they have allocated for us, for this year or, indeed, if, as the Minister says, that we start allocating on April 1, 2005. I just want to get assurances from the Minister that any of the priorities will be priorities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. I just wanted to ask the Minister with regard to the federal northern strategy funding that came from DIAND earlier this year, at what stage is that funding in our system, so to speak, Mr. Speaker? Thank you very much.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak in favour of this motion, just in particular to the aspect for treating addictions specifically for youth, Mr. Speaker. I have teenage daughters and it frightens me to think that there is no current system, should there be a need, and I’m sure that there is a need by many other parents in Yellowknife and throughout our Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker.

Throughout the last two-and-a-half weeks here we have been talking about development and some of the impacts coming from it and, of course, there were a lot of negative impacts that comes from it, and a lot of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will be voting in favour of Bill 13, but I just wanted to indicate my displeasure as well. A lot of the things contained in Bill 13 could have been brought to the Members beforehand and debated. Instead, the government chose to do it after we finished sitting back in June. There were a few other opportunities and they did send us some memos, but it’s not the same as sitting with us as Regular Members as a joint committee to debate the merits of some of the expenditures, Mr. Speaker. With that, I will finish up. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to say I’m pleased with the outcome of the recent negotiations that the Premier and Deputy Premier had down in Ottawa speaking with, of course, the Prime Minister and respective Ministers.

I just wanted to speak to a few things. We all know that our formula financing is very old, Madam Chair. I can say about 30 years old and I’m glad that there is some appetite in Ottawa to say yes, you as the NWT are an important part of Canada and, yes, you do have a base in which to control your own destiny and futures. Here’s a way of doing it; by loosening up the...