Wendy Bisaro

Just a comment. I would like to say that I think this is an area in which we need to be well aware that it’s one of our priorities. It’s an area which will only serve to make us more efficient over the long term. I’m glad to hear the Minister say, I think I heard him say that it’s a priority for him to try and reinstate some of the funding, the $60 million funding that we had in the last Assembly. I would encourage him and all departments to take him up on his advice and make sure that we do have a major funding for energy projects in the full budget that’s coming up in May/June.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I’m sorry; I am a little confused. I did want to know, when I look at the spending for ITI I realize it’s for a three month period but the spending for energy is $112,000. It’s an extremely puny amount compared to what we have been used to spending annually over the last four years. I’d like to know from the Minister if that is an indication of the funds that we’re going to be spending on energy projects in the next fiscal year, or is there a particular reason why this is such a small amount?

Thanks to the Premier. I’m pleased to hear that Alternatives North and the Y are very pleased. There are a few more organizations than that, though. I believe the Anti-Poverty Coalition has some 25 or 29 organizations and I would hope they would also all be very involved.

The Premier mentioned a committee of Ministers or DMs. I’ve lost the thought now, but I’d like to know, most initiatives that we have within the GNWT have a lead Minister, and I’ve heard no reference to who the lead Minister for the Anti-Poverty Strategy project will be. Can the Premier advise me of that? Thank you.

Thanks to the Premier. I think my question was more to the details as we go forward. I’d like to mention that Nunavut is well into the process of developing an Anti-Poverty Strategy and one of the things that they did was to have a public engagement process culminated in their strategy. It basically took them about a year and I’d like to know from the Premier whether or not our process is going to be similar to the Nunavut public engagement process. They had a team which was representatives of government, Inuit organizations, non-profit organizations and the business community. They travelled...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m becoming increasingly concerned with how this government defines consultation. Not the high-profile, legal definition of duty to consult; no, I’m concerned that we as a government are ignoring the spirit and intent of consultation with our residents and NWT organizations. I’m feeling a shift in the way that our government does business. That a we-know-what-we’re-doing, we-don’t-need-your-help, leave-us-alone attitude is even more prevalent than the last Assembly.

The government seems to have fallen into the habit of preparing a policy, a framework, or a strategy in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are addressed to the Minister of Finance. I mentioned in my statement that I truly believe that there is something that this government can do to assist the residents of my riding who happen to live in Northlands Mobile Home Park. I also mentioned in my statement that I feel that there’s a different mindset required by this government with regard to this particular situation; maybe not for this situation, but also for other issues which have come before us.

I would like to ask the Minister whether or not he will commit to working with his Cabinet...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m compelled to use my first statement of this session to speak to an ongoing issue affecting my riding. Only a few weeks ago this government refused a request from the City of Yellowknife for a no-interest loan, a loan that would have been used to assist the residents of Northlands Mobile Home Park – some 1,100 Frame Lake constituents – to assist them with the replacement of the water and sewer infrastructure in their neighbourhood.

I have spoken many times about this predicament that these Northerners are in, and I really thought that a no- or low-interest loan from...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank the Minister for at least telling me that if the city comes back with something, they’ll consider it. I’d like to know from the Minister, then, as well, that if there will be other suggestions that will come forward, perhaps from other Members, perhaps from myself, will the Minister be willing to consider those in the same vein.

The Minister well knows that because this issue has been ongoing for a long time doesn’t necessarily mean that we shouldn’t continue to be involved. It’s an extremely difficult situation. It has many variables and I believe that this – and I know the Minister doesn’t agree with me – government needs to take some moral responsibility for the Condominium Act and for assisting residents. We assist many residents in our territory and I don’t know why the residents in my riding should be any different than residents in any other riding.

The Minister says that they know what they can do but I don’t...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s my great pleasure to recognize a colleague who I haven’t worked with for quite some time, but we still do pass by each other periodically. I’d like to say Mr. Ed Jeske recently had a birthday in January. He has recently turned 85 years young. Thank you.