Robert C. McLeod

Mr. Speaker, this is an issue that we hear a lot about, I mean in all my time here, and having had the opportunity to be the Minister of Housing and work in the housing field for over half of my life, I mean I understand some of the challenges that the housing across the NWT is facing. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that I will put the condition of our units up against anywhere in the country. There are some challenges. Is it perfect? No. Does it need some work? Yes, it does. It’s an ongoing process. For those that have been around for a while and been involved in housing for a...

Mr. Speaker, as far as jobs go, that is something that they would have to take up with the proponent. I do know that we have been engaged with the proponent since about 2011. We have supported both the hamlet and the proponent on their land application. We assisted the hamlet with their land acquisitions by-law, and we also worked with the hamlet to determine the fair value for land sale, and we participated in a number of meetings with the hamlet council. There are some opportunities there when the pellet mill goes into Enterprise. There will be, obviously, some revenue for that that the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, because it is within the municipality of Enterprise, they would be a full participant in any discussions that take place with regards to any type of development or initiatives that might be happening in the community of Enterprise. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Bob McLeod will be absent from the House today to attend the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Innovation, Science and Economic Development meeting in Ottawa. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would be glad to meet with any community government across the Northwest Territories. We have a good working relationship with the NWT Association of Communities. They understand that anything that happens within their communities ultimately they have control over, so they are more than full partners. I will agree to meet with mayor and council next time the Member invites us to his riding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I will have to have that discussion with the appropriate departments as to what the community of Enterprise has to do. I could talk at length about what the community of Enterprise has to do to access a lot of the MACA programs and assistance of the MACA staff? As far as what they have to do to access the other programs, I will have to have that conversation with the appropriate departments.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Nunakput has already recognized some of them, but I would like to recognize the United States Riding States Leaders Tour is in Yellowknife. They’re learning about our territory and they’re briefly observing our proceeding today. I would like to use this opportunity to recognize the Honourable Jeramey Anderson, representative from Mississippi; the Honourable Andrew Bumgardner is the representative from Connecticut. The Honourable Travis Bennett, representative from New Hampshire. The Honourable Drew Christensen, representative from...

I could give the Member an answer but I will take it as notice and I will commit to getting the information put together. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we hear from the public all the time, through Members. Asking me to take this on the road to 33 communities has got to be cost-effective first of all, and we know what we’re going to hear. We’re going to hear… Well, we assume we know what we’re going to hear: the arts organization across the Northwest Territories will say that they would like part of the lottery proceeds and all the folks that are responsible for delivering physical activity in healthy choices sport programs will say that we need more money ourselves. We feel with the $2 million plus investment from other...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we’re still doing the process of trying to bring the lotteries into the department. It was recognized a few years ago that having lotteries distributed by SRC may have been taxable to the point of $1.4 million. The SRC to their credit are the ones that brought that forward to our attention, though it’s better that these proceeds go to physical activity across the Northwest Territories rather than their existence. We’re still in the stages of that right now. We’re getting legal opinions and everything and we’re trying to ensure that we have that transferred...