Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, just back on the rent scale, did I hear correctly that the rent scale is now maxed out at 14.5 per cent? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, to the sale of public housing, also on page 353, I would like to ask the Minister if the Minister actually had a target on the amount of public housing they wish to divest in this coming year.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, housing is a very, very big issue in my riding. Housing is a very big issue across the NWT. One of the things that I have talked a bit to the Minister about, recognizing that the Minister is currently gathering data, maybe to make good decisions moving forward on what is really needed in the communities.

What I think is really lacking in the NWT Housing Corporation is a good plan by per community. The NWT Housing Corporation at one time had quite a few programs. I think the number is like 18 or 14 programs comes to mind, and it was reduced in many of the...

We on this side of the House have plans for how difficult it is going to be even to access a Small Community Employment Program under its current rules. We are trying to talk to the government about changing some of the rules so that we can access that program as an employment program, not something where we have made a request somewhere, and if we do not get that request, we are going to take that money and place it in there. This is a separate request.

I think the Minister should keep those requests separately. If this Minister is then going to say, well, this would be a good way for the...

Marci, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, there are two things I want to touch on. I know the Member from Yellowknife North touched on it, but just to add a bit to what he said.

The first one is on the Community Access Roads Program. The Community Access Roads Program is a program that is in place as a program that Regular Members are trying to get government to add money into. I believe that this money that is spent in the communities is very beneficial to the communities and has an element of people who could be doing labour work. It has people who could do slashing, chainsaw work and also people who...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I talked about all 14 departments working together. How does the GNWT's vision for reducing and eliminating poverty in the NWT include a plan for eliminating silos between the departments? Thank you.

In the GNWT, which Minister in what department is responsible for tackling and coordinating the various government initiatives that fall under Working Together?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Regular MLAs are the ones who want to do just that, through increases in the Small Community Employment Support Program.

However, the government wants to try to deliver that program with no changes in the policy, which means they will continue to have problems getting the money out the door. The program is just not deliverable in its current form, Mr. Speaker.

At the end of the day, to truly tackle poverty, we need a well-funded, well-coordinated government-wide approach to guide investments and programs showing the best returns.

We must empower Northerners to take jobs...

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that committee defer further consideration of the estimates for the Department of Infrastructure at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

No, that is good for me. Thank you, Mr. Chair.