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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife Centre MLA Robert Hawkins said the price at the fuel pumps in Yellowknife continues to be high because they are being taken advantage of by the local retailers.

"I'm not a fan of needless, useless, continuous government regulation but we need, maybe, regulation in this particular case to ensure that Northerners are protected and defended from price poaching," he said in the legislative assembly Monday.

He said he raised the issue about a month ago and since then, Northerners are still telling him "they feel like they're at the mercy of the local market controlling the gas prices, which are truly not reflective of what should be considered fair market price."

In his member's statement, he said NWT residents need consumer protection that "speaks for Northerners," and that government-developed regulations might be the answer to ensuring gas prices in the North follow suit with the Canadian Consumer Price Index.

Later in the afternoon, Hawkins tabled a document containing a picture of regular gas in Yellowknife, which has sat at $1.389 per litre for months.

Crematorium legislation needed: Range Lake MLA

Range Lake MLA Daryl Dolynny said the Northwest Territories and Nunavut are the only two jurisdictions in Canada that lack legislation for providing regulations for a crematorium. He added that the City of Yellowknife has a bylaw that covers how cemeteries operate and how remains are disposed of but there is nothing written about the operation of a crematorium.

"Without the proper legislation means we cannot have a functioning crematorium in the Northwest Territories," he said, adding the costs of cremation are usually cheaper than embalming, purchasing a casket and burial.

Municipal and Community Affairs Minister Robert C. McLeod said there were approximately 113 burials and 34 cremations in 2012. He said the department has not received requests from the funeral industry or from community governments to establish cremation services.

"In order to establish this industry we would need to complete further research to better understand the legal requirements or the need for enabling legislation," said McLeod last Thursday.

He said if there was a request, the department would have to look at the options before deciding to develop new legislation.

Bromley questions vacant homes in Dettah and Ndilo

The waiting list for public and market rental units is long in the Yellowknives Dene First Nation communities of Dettah and Ndilo, coupled with the fact that unsold units are standing idle.

Weledeh MLA Bob Bromley questioned NWT Housing Corporation Minister Robert C. McLeod on Monday, asking how many home ownership applications were issued as of Jan. 31, and if the houses not sold will be used as public housing units and market rental units.

Bromley said "income rating and debt restrictions prevent people from meeting program eligibility. A more individual approach is needed."

McLeod responded that although he didn't have the information concerning Dettah and Ndilo, there have been changes to the home ownership program - changes which he will announce in the legislative assembly in the next week or so. He said right now if an applicant for home ownership is "a dollar over" the core need income threshold, they will be automatically declined.

"So we're still trying to come up with ways that we could get people into home ownership," said McLeod.

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