Alfred Moses

Yes. Thank you. At this moment, we don't, just to let the Member know, but that would be an interesting discussion when we have the Northern Housing Summit. It is going to be an opportunity for all leadership community members sitting in one room talking about the considerations and challenges that they are seeing, but we definitely will be looking into something like that. We have a great partnership with the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation, and I think one thing that is coming out of this Northern Housing Summit is we are going to have one voice of hopefully the whole territory to send to...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I know we have all been eagerly awaiting these agreements, and definitely yes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As you know, elders play a very important, vital role in our communities. They have helped build this territory. They have given us a lot of experience, education, promoted our languages, our traditions, our culture throughout the North. Today I would like to recognize one particular elder, and I do hope she is watching, Mr. Speaker, and it's my mom. It's her 76th birthday today, and I want to wish my mom a very happy birthday, and hope Members can join me in wishing you a very happy birthday. Thank you, and happy birthday, Mom.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled "Follow-up Letter for Oral Question 613-18(3): Workers' Safety and Compensation Commission Rate Structure." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Housing Corporation currently owns six vacant lots in Hay River. Four of these lots comprise, as the Member said, the Disneyland property, which is earmarked for the replacement of the Riverview Lodge. At present, this land is required to support the NWT Housing Corporation's capital planning needs, and we'll continue to focus on that. Should any land or property be identified as surplus at a later date, the property will be disposed of in accordance with the NWT Housing Corporation's disposal policy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is right. Currently, there are no public housing units in the high-rise. It is on our agenda to take a look at, obviously, if something should happen in terms of if the building should be condemned. We need to have a plan. We are working with the leadership in Hay River to address that. Obviously, under the National Housing Co-Investment Fund that I've made statements in this House about, that provides an opportunity for partners to collaborate and work together to develop possibly a new rental construction.

We do know that that is an issue in Hay River. Like...

In short, we're always looking for land that will support our future capital planning and the projects that we are looking at developing. Obviously, in short, we are just looking for land that we can look at developing. As I said, the community housing plans that we are going to be working on, working with the leadership and stakeholders in the Town of Hay River, will help address the priorities that are needed. Yes, just in short, we're just looking for land that is going to help support our capital plans for the Town of Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, we are going to be looking at a replacement within the next five years for that building. The Housing Corporation plans to construct the replacement seniors' complex on existing NWT Housing Corporation's own land, avoiding the need to displace the current senior tenants. We do have a plan in place moving forward. I can get more details for the Member, but there is a plan in place. As I mentioned, we're looking at a replacement within the next five years. Obviously, we don't want to displace our seniors. We want to make sure that they are in an existing infrastructure, and we will keep the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. From my understanding, in terms of the staff positions, it is less than one position, so it is something that we do need to look at and address. As I have said, moving forward, we do have a lot of responsibilities. We have taken a lot of work on. This is the most legislation we have done, so, you know, our resources are stretched, I would say, pretty thin, but we are doing the best with the resources that we do have within this department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

If any of the Members want to see the allocations for the riding, just send us an e-mail. Actually, we could just get this out to everyone, just so you know where the allocations are going and what projects are in their communities. Thank you.