Robert C. McLeod

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The government recognizes that improving the quality of housing services provided to residents will help reduce the cost of living in communities across the Northwest Territories. Today I would like to provide an update to Members on the work of the NWTHC and ECE in improving the assessment process for public housing rents, specifically our success in completing reassessments for tenants who wish to have a review of the rent assessed to them in recent years.

The decrease in rent assessments at that time can largely be attributed to an increase in incomplete applications...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. When putting together this act we depended a lot on feedback we got from standing committee, and standing committee had moved a motion to include this and we respect that so we’ve included it. Therefore, we will be voting against the motion. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, once again, the Norman Wells Land Corporation made application for the property and we entered into an agreement with them. The Town has had opportunities to voice their concerns with the deal. They have done so on a number of occasions. I pointed out to the Member before, I had personally met with council and my senior officials have met with council, so they have had ample opportunity to voice their concerns on the deal that was made with the Norman Wells Land Corporation on acquiring the Commissioner’s Land. Thank you.

Absolutely not, Mr. Speaker. We followed all policy as it’s laid out in the acquisition of Commissioner’s land. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said before, there has been some preliminary work done on what some of the other jurisdictions are doing and I would be willing to provide what I have to the Member so he can see what other jurisdictions are doing. Then again, as I said before, the NWTAC AGM, the department will probably be expecting some questions on this and they’ll be doing more research, so they’ll be well prepared to answer any questions that they may have. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, this is one that does seem to be picking up steam and it’s one that we’d definitely have to have a look at. I will commit to the Member that we will take up the discussion. It is one where there is going to be some consultations that need to be done. All interested stakeholders that have something in this will have to be consulted and I’m not sure if during the life of this Assembly we would have time. It’s one issue that we could put in the transition document for the 17th Assembly to have a look at.

Mr. Speaker, we will be able to have a fairly good idea of what it may have cost in the communities themselves and municipal governments to do a lot of the work that happened as a result of the storm. Clearing the snow and that are part of their daily activities that they would take care of after any type of snowfall, but I will do what I can to try and get the numbers as to what it may have cost the municipal governments after this particular storm and relay them on to the Member. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we have had our share of storms in the past. This seems to be a more common occurrence. It is one that I think communities will have to take steps in addressing. I have always been impressed with the resilience of a lot of communities that are able to dig their way out of a storm immediately after it happens. I will commit to the Member that I will have a discussion with senior management and we will see what we can do about forming a group to take stock of the situation that happened and how we can best be prepared for it in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Monfwi, that Bill 19, Municipal Statutes Amendment Act, be read for the third time.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome Stephanie Heidl to the gallery, formerly of Inuvik, I think now taking a social services course here in Yellowknife, I believe. Welcome.