Denny Rodgers

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer further consideration of activity early learning in the main estimates for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. And, again, like, I appreciate the work that your department's done on this. Again, you know, from all indications from the Children's First Society in Inuvik, you know, they're very appreciative of the work that's been done by you and your department. And that's not what I'm saying. I'm saying I want to give you more money. I think you need more money. We need to continue this. We need to make sure that we got it looked after. That's great, that people in public housing can open day homes. I encourage people all the time, hey, if you're at home, open a day home. Hey, it...

Thank you, excellent. So my obvious question is, then, why is that not in here? Because I think it should be if we need it. So if we need that, let's get it in the budget.

Would that then so are we talking, then, about being able to provide more spaces based on that or just that's what we need to maintain our current levels of 1,956?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, the Committee of the Whole wishes to consider Tabled Document 9320(1), 20242025 Main Estimates, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, would the chair please rise and report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. And thank you to the Minister. Again, it's important that we get this information out there and that residents understand, because myself as well, as I'm sure as many other MLAs, do get a considerable amount of phone calls on the issue and to get this information out there, I think is great.

One final, Mr. Speaker. The Minister signed a collaborative agreement on housing with the Gwich'in Tribal Council, which I think is amazing and it's the kind of work we need to be doing. Can the Minister describe how the department is also working with the Inuvialuit Regional...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in order for people to live financially independent from the government, there needs to be local economic opportunities. There needs to be business activity and a local economy in order for people to earn wages and prosper. When there's a lack of business activity, Mr. Speaker, like we see in the Beaufort Delta region, families have no choice but to turn to income support. And when families are limited to income support to pay their bills, providing healthy nutritious meals becomes even more of a challenge.

Mr. Speaker, the population of Inuvik is 3,383. The...

Mr. Chair, I move that this committee defer the further consideration of the main estimates for the Department of Health and Social Services at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

I'm not arguing that. I'm saying is that what's low income? You have two people that don't qualify for the other benefits that you just mentioned. They're making 80 grand a year. You have a couple making 80 grand a year each, or a couple making that living in Inuvik. Not a lot of money left over at the end of the month, believe it or not. If you look at the bills and you know yourself what you have to pay up there. And if you had a couple of kids in that household as well and, again, what I understand and I get it. And when I've talked to people in the department and I've talked to other...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Again, and correct me if I'm wrong, but given what I've heard and what I understand of the new EHP, the program, would it not solve some of the issues at least if we were to look at increasing the income threshold to a higher income threshold?