Wendy Bisaro

Thanks, Mr. Vician. Next on the list, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m going to give the Minister of Education a bit of a break and address my questions to the Minister of Human Resources today. During Committee of the Whole consideration of the Department of Human Resources, Members were able to make comments and I was able to make some comments. I appreciated that, but one of the questions I asked during my comments kind of slipped through the cracks and I don’t think I got an answer from the Minister. I’d like to ask the Minister that question now. I’m not sure where the information came from, but I believe the Minister of Human...

Thanks to the Minister. I guess I would like to know, I appreciate that there’s a focus on wood pellet boilers, but I’d like to know, from the corporation’s perspective, whether or not there’s any focus on replacing these electric hot water heaters in thermal communities. It makes more sense to do it there than it does to do in hydro communities. Is that something that the corporation recognizes is a good energy initiative and it is on the radar? If they agree with me that it’s a good initiative, how soon will it get enacted? Thank you.

Madam Chair, to the Minister I guess I want to say that the defeatist tone or the defeatist words, I guess, that he’s saying are a real problem for me. Outfitters have generated millions and millions of dollars. It’s in the order of 30 or 40 million dollars, I believe, and yet we are talking $300,000 a year which is peanuts when you compare it to the 30 or 40 million dollars.

I think for the Minister to say we have to let these businesses go, this department is in the business of encouraging industry and maintaining industry. We have umpteen contributions throughout this particular department...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As mentioned, this is Education Week and I’d like to acknowledge the 800-plus teachers across the NWT working to make a difference in the lives of the students in their schools. I especially want to acknowledge the over 200 teachers and teacher aides working in our 14 Yellowknife-area schools.

Research has proven many times over that the single most important factor in a child’s success in school is a teacher who cares, but there are challenging barriers that are outside an individual teacher’s control, barriers that hinder and impede students’ learning.

In a recent NWT...

Thank you. That was the answer I was hoping I would hear. So my last question has to do with the amount of flexibility in these policies. I understand that policies are set in place to try and restrict certain things, but if it’s a unique circumstance or if extenuating circumstances crop up, does the corporation have any flexibility in how they apply their policies? Thank you.

Madam Chair, I have a question in regard to this sport hunt outfitter marketing support. I mentioned it in my opening remarks. In 2011-12, the actual amount was $494,000. This current fiscal year and intended for 2013-14 is $300,000. I would like to know why the amount has gone down. Thank you.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I’m not sure if this question belongs here, but I think so because it talks about policy. I’ve discovered over my few years here that we, unfortunately, as a government, have way too many policies that contradict each other between one department and another, particularly with regard to Income Support, Health and Social Services, and Housing.

I just wondered whether or not the corporation does any review of their policies with a view to how they conflict with other policies in other departments, with a view to ensuring that housing, people applying for housing or people in...

Madam Chair, thanks to the Minister, I think, for that response. It’s kind of like, trust me, it’s going to be great, just wait, wait until you see it, it’s going to be really good. Pardon my cynicism, Mr. Minister. I believe there’s money in the budget for energy policy development, I think; I’m not exactly sure. I wonder if the Minister could explain to me if there is money in the budget for energy policy initiatives or development, and if so, what is the intent of the use of that money? Thank you.

Mr. Chair, thanks to the Minister for the response. I do appreciate it. I think other Members also appreciate the information we have gotten from the corporation. We have had updates quite regularly and that has been very helpful.

I guess my thinking of a plan is the Minister said in his remarks that this budget has a million dollars in it to offset declining CMHC funding for 2013-14. What I would like to see as opposed to the initiatives that the corporation has planned, because I know that they are there, I would like to see the dollars that are associated with these initiatives that will say...