Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I spoke about homeownership repairs for elders in Tu Nedhe. I’d like to follow up my statement with questions for the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. As mentioned in my statement, when you look at the numbers of units in Tu Nedhe owned by elders, they are not many. I also mentioned the housing issues in this sector of our population should be treated with more urgency. I would like to ask the Minister if he would commit to separating elders core need from other families so that the Housing Corporation can focus on elders’...

Mr. Speaker, considering the difficulties, I believe that this expansion or the partners in this expansion are going to have to go through the area, the eastern route, to negotiate anything with the Lutselk'e First Nations. I can’t see any of that being settled ahead of the land claim, and I can’t see that being settled after the land claim because of the position as taken and the value that Lutselk'e First Nation considers on the land. I would like to ask the Minister what examination has occurred for other potential users insofar as in relation to where the transmission line runs, actually...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, will talk about the Taltson expansion. I’ll try to ask some questions that are different than the questions that the Minister responsible for the Power Corp has already answered. My first question is: what is the GNWT’s overall management role in the Taltson Hydro expansion? Who has the lead management role in this expansion? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me if the Taltson Hydro expansion has potentially viable partners? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, another question I have for the Minister: what is the GNWT’s long-term financial plan insofar as the Taltson Hydro expansion goes, including any corporation owned by the GNWT aside from and including the diamond industry? Thank you.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, today I weigh in on the proposed Deze project. I realize we are just in the process of approving the Deh Cho Bridge costs by taking over the debt as the GNWT. Furthermore, the revenues that flow from the Deh Cho Bridge are largely predicated on the fuel haul to the diamond mines. Meanwhile, we are contemplating the Deze proposal, which will reduce the need for that fuel in those same mines. In addition to that, Mr. Speaker, I understand the route favoured by Deze is not acceptable to the Lutselk'e First Nations.

Mr...

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, today I wish to talk about elders in Fort Resolution and Lutselk'e that have their adult children and adult grandchildren living with them. In a lot of cases these children are providing a service to the elders in the area of health care, home care and other basic services elders are no longer able to do.

Mr. Speaker, because of the support provided by the elders’ grandchildren and children, it essentially absolves the GNWT of their responsibilities. Many of these services, even things as simple as taking medication, are...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a committee motion. I move that this committee strongly recommends that the Premier of the Northwest Territories take immediate action to seek federal authority for a temporary increase to the territorial borrowing authority limit for a 10-year period rather than the five-year period as is currently contemplated.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I want to go back to the 35-year loan. I am going to have to assume that the rate on the 35-year term must have been a very good rate in order for the government to support the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation from signing a loan that has one huge long term in it. I’ve been told by the deputy that’s maybe industry standard, but if we go back to using a scenario of a mortgage right now, today a two-year mortgage is 2.7 but a five-year mortgage is 5.2 roughly . So, you know, as the term gets longer, the interest rate usually gets larger so that the lender is...

I wasn’t provided with the details of a loan. I don’t think we were provided the details of the loan, or I don’t recall seeing the details of the loan. Actually, I would like to see the documents that have put us in this position, because this is putting the government into long-term debt with no possibilities in there at all for any explorations of any terms.

Earlier on in response to the general comments from the committee here, the Premier indicated that this was like a mortgage, in a sense. Now, in a mortgage you get terms, one year, two years, five years, 10 if you want, whatever, but...