Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Does the Department of Education, Culture and Employment have any documented objectives to address this issue of low employment rates in small communities?

Over and above the money allocated for employment programs in rural and remote communities, what is the plan to address the issue of low employment rates in small communities as it pertains to this department and other departments?

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I too would like to recognize individuals on the Aboriginal Languages Revitalization Board and Official Languages Board: Georgina Biscaye from Fort Resolution and Vance Sanderson from Fort Smith. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

The last area I’d like to talk about in the needs survey is the area of groups. I’m wondering if the corporation has put more resources into evaluating or assessing the needs survey in the sense that you’re putting seniors, couples, singles, and families of three or more in the family, if the Housing Corporation has done that type of grouping from the 2010 needs survey. I’m wondering if that grouping has happened since the needs survey document was presented to the House.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to ask questions on the needs survey on this page. I don’t know where else or what other area. I know it’s in programs, but I thought this would be an okay spot under the corporate summary to ask about the needs survey.

Mr. Chairman, I’m wondering if the Minister could provide some detail on the needs survey, and by that I’m referring to some sort of work plan I suppose as a result of the needs survey, because I want to see if there’s an intention to not use the numbers. I know that if we’re just using numbers, the greatest need by number would be Yellowknife...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Committee wishes to continue the review of Tabled Document 133-16(5), NWT Main Estimates, 2011-12, and today we’re going to start with the Housing Corporation, and if we get through the Housing Corporation we may be ready for opening remarks for Municipal and Community Affairs.

I’d like to ask the Minister if the government has done what’s referred to as a 360 evaluation to determine all the benefits that could be accrued by raising employment rates in the small communities.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. In my Member’s statement I again spoke about employment rates in small communities. To get a feel for whether or not this topic is on the government radar, I’d like to ask the Minister of ECE if there is any dialogue between departments specifically on the low employment rates in the small communities.

I cannot lay out what the Employment Strategy could consist of, but I feel that the very first step to providing much needed employment and income into the small communities is a strategy for the betterment of the entire NWT.