Rocky Simpson

I think that the people appreciate the beds that are made available to the homeless right now. Problem is that some of them are removed every once in a while, and they have nowhere to go. They had a shelter in the old part of Hay River, and it was closed. This morning there was somebody peeking out the window, so they moved back in. I told the guy, "Just keep the door open. Let them use it until something else comes up."

The next question I have for the Minister: it's not only the homeless that we need shelter for in Hay River. We need living accommodation for singles, couples, and families...

I just want to echo MLA Johnson's frustration with the lack of financial support for the small regional cargo airlines. My concern is that we're going to end up losing them, either to bankruptcy or to having them move South. I've heard that from a local airline in Hay River, one that actually wants to expand into the passenger side of things. I'm just wondering: I'd like to ask the Minister how close we are to actually providing them some funding. It sounds like we're not going to see anything from the feds in the near future, so how close are we, as a government, in getting them a package...

Thank you, Madam Chair. I know when she says "not long" it's usually a week. Thank you, Madam Chair. That's all.

Thank you, Madam Chair. When you say contracts are in place, have the contracts been let for those already, then? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is good to hear. It does, however, bring up another question. In the past, I have raised concerns over the number of staff that we have to enforce the rules that we have in place. I would expect that we will need more boots on the ground to ensure that everyone who enters the NWT adheres to their approved self-isolation plan with these new rules. Can the Minister assure this House and my constituents that we have enough staff at the border working at Protect NWT to do the job properly and keep residents of the NWT as safe as possible from the threat of COVID-19? If...

Can the Minister confirm who will be allowed into the Northwest Territories under the new border rules? Can anyone just come in to the NWT now? Is it going to be a free-for-all, or do we have different people identified?

Thank you, Madam Chair. The Minister of ITI mentioned the processing, as well, and I am just curious, I guess, as to the impact that the processing facility will have on the fish that come in. Is this government looking at processing as much as they can and not sending as much through FFMC? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Committee appreciates the work of the Department of Finance to increase support to low-income workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The GNWT made it possible for businesses to increase wages for employees 15 years and older earning less than $18 per hour through a temporary wage top-up. NWT minimum wage legislation states that employers must pay workers a minimum of $13.46 per hour. In contrast to the minimum wage, living wage is what full-time workers must earn to afford basic living expenses, based as closely as possible on the actual cost of goods and services within...

Thank you, Madam Chair. My understanding is that the original design was for something like an 8,000 or 10,000 square foot building, and now we are down to half of that. I am just wondering: I know that we ended up buying the equipment before we even had a design. What's happening with the equipment that is there if we designed for a building twice the size? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that $9.1 million is staying in Hay River. Thank you. No, actually, at the end of the day, what I look at is doing the right thing, and I think that we have to revisit this and see what is the right thing and what is really required, because things do change a bit. I guess, in saying that, I would like to know where we actually are with respect to the design aspect of this. Are we just kind of started? Are we just talking to somebody, or are we kind of partway through it? Thank you, Madam Chair.