Tom Beaulieu

Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to increasing much needed funding to the communities to specifically address the issue of sports, recreation and youth?

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to talk about the need to support our smaller communities with sport and recreation youth programs.

When we were younger, many of us were able to participate in a wide range of winter and summer sport and recreation activities here in the Northwest Territories. Among them were a very successful skiing program in Inuvik, a floating swimming pool that made stops up and down the Mackenzie River, above-ground swimming pools, and vibrant outdoor rinks in many of our smaller communities: all of this in the 1970s. What happened? How were we able to provide all...

Mr. Speaker, I, too, will be supporting the budget. I supported the budget on second reading, and I support the budget here. I felt it was a budget that, because of the way the budget process went, gave us an opportunity to see all aspects of the government, all aspects of every department. We had an opportunity to have an impact and some influence on all aspects of this budget in all the departments.

Initially, when we had voted on the budget to go to second reading, I voted for the budget then. I was confident that the Members of this House could work together to come up with a product that...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister if he has considered looking at or reviewing the total allocation system to put efforts where the needs are greatest, not by numbers but by percentage of core need.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I spoke about housing issues in the Northwest Territories. I have questions for the Minister of housing.

Has the Minister given direction to the Housing Corporation to establish a long-term plan that specifically addresses the issue of the CMHC’s declining fund?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a housing industry. I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister is willing to work with the industry, where an industry is available, toward lowering the need across the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister kind of answered my second question, about what the federal commitment has been so far, but I’m curious. I’m assuming that the decline is going to happen. I’m assuming that CMHC is not going to come back with long-term O&M dollars. My question is: has the Minister given direction to the Housing Corporation to address this issue of the CMHC declining fund?

Mr. Speaker, I spoke a number of times about the various issues regarding housing in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. Today I’d like to summarize issues surrounding this important topic.

During my short tenure as MLA issues surrounding housing have been raised time and time again. Also, I have heard many of my colleagues raise the housing issue.

Mr. Speaker, I think it’s pretty safe to say there is room for improvement on many fronts within the whole housing area. Coincidentally, the findings in the Auditor General’s report confirm that, yes, there are a number of problems with the NWT Housing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Premier for his support in this important cost-of-living issue for the Member for Tu Nedhe.

Will the Premier commit to placing the cost-of-living item on the Cabinet agenda so his Cabinet representatives can keep the committee informed and keep the cost-of-living issue on the front burner?