Robert Hawkins

I’m glad the Minister points out that annual report by the rental officer because, I’ll tell you, it doesn’t point to that. He’s quite correct because it’s not under the authority of the rental officer. So how would he monitor, gauge, or deal with anything of that nature? That’s the whole problem. There’s no way to deal with this under the mechanism. If somebody came to the rental officer and said my rent was raised twice within 12 months then the rental officer would have a case to stand on. If somebody came to the rental officer and said the landlord doubled my rent once this year, the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be supporting this motion. As I have come to be aware over the last few years of the government here, it is not unusual for the department to put houses in communities that we can’t put anybody in and so these houses sit empty. It becomes a real eyesore to the community. It bothers them that they are sitting there and nobody is in there. If this adjustment by playing with the threshold we can get one more family into a safe and secure household, then I certainly think it is certainly worth looking at. It is a noble effort. Mr. Chairman, that is all I will be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This Assembly, like many others, will always try to find a special hallmark to hang its hat when they’re finished their business at the end of their term. Helping the working family would certainly be a highlight of anyone’s career and a certain Assembly. I talked about rent control and my questions are directed to the Minister of Justice, who will be in charge of the overseeing of the Residential Tenancies Act rewrite. Would the Minister be willing to make sure that there is some element in that act that provides protection for renters out there?

My apologies to belabour the point. What was the position that the Auditor General had, and did they have correspondence to that effect and, if so, would the Minister be able to forward on a copy of that on to my office? Thank you.

I would like to talk today about an issue that affects a lot of Northerners. It is an issue about trying to be able to afford basic living here in the North. Whether you are a one-income family or two, everyone needs to be able to afford to live somewhere. In many cases, and not all, but many of these people can’t afford to buy and own their own homes so they do what everyone else does in this situation, they rent. Now over the last few years, I have seen rent rates jump 16 percent or more each year here in Yellowknife. I have learned that even in some small communities around our great North...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Specific to debt repayment of course, what is the actual outstanding debt that Canada is picking up for us in total? As I understand it, I think it is in the range of $80 million dollars, but I will let the Minister say it for the record, the actual debt amount. I see what we are doing as a repayment this year, but that money is funded through Canada. So if the Minister could put it on the record, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I know that this is probably more of an FMB question but I’m just curious from the Housing point of view, from the Housing Minister. The debt in the department of Housing is carried on the territorial overall debt, or debt wall. I’m just wondering what work, if any work, is done from the Housing Corporation point of view to see if that debt will come off our debt wall as reportable debt that the territorial government carries. As I understand it, it’s money that’s being funded directly from Canada to pay for that. To me, it’s an in and out and I’ve often wondered why...

What would be the average usage per household? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that this committee recommends that all standing or special committees of the Assembly consider allowing the use of BlackBerries in a manner similar to cell phones; that is, disruption of Members’ activities is not allowed;

And further, that the use of laptops be permitted by committee members and staff.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s so important to recognize everyone here today. It’s difficult to recognize individuals due to the size of the crowd. I’m seeing people from the riding as well as from the Territory that I know. It should not go unnoticed the significant contribution of public display and effort here today. I want to thank everyone for coming. Thank you.

---Applause