Bob Bromley

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are also for the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister’s transfer of the responsibility for public housing rent collections from ECE back to the Housing Corporation. While a modest beginning, the Minister must now act to clean up the wreckage left behind by that failed and destructive policy.

There are now tens of thousands of dollars of debt for most of each family that is now in rental arrears, yet that debt is an illusion resulting from an income documentation process that was unrealistic, unworkable and, in many...

This isn’t about theory or process or policy reform; this is about misery and a broken home this government caused with poorly considered, ultimately destructive operational changes.

I will be asking the Minister questions on how any of us can hold our heads up and what we plan to do about this. I will ask the House to consider a motion later today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Chairman, that is good news indeed. I understand it allows the planning. You have to reserve space for shipping and do the planning for ordering and so on. Does it allow negotiation of contracts for construction? Thank you.

Mr. Chairman, I realize there are challenges and in negotiating a construction by local businesses I hope that is a policy of the Housing Corporation throughout the Northwest Territories. I certainly appreciate any progress on that front, because I think that work is obviously quite critical to the communities.

I also understand that crucial delays can happen in Cabinet decisions during the prime construction season. I think that is something that the Minister might take up to see if progress can be made and the timing of those decisions. What are the cost implications for construction during...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I want to just ask a few questions about the plans for Dettah and Ndilo and the situation there. I understand, from the material provided by the Minister, that there will be 13 retrofits planned and four new units for Dettah/Ndilo next year, 2011-12. Are these units on this plan completely separate from those scheduled for the 2010-12 year? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues in the House for your comments. I’ve been listening closely and I appreciate the degree of support and criticisms that I’ve heard.

There is, indeed, a critical need to support our communities, particularly given our high and rising cost of living, particularly in the base of low unemployment for many of our public housing tenants. It is an enabling policy in a very direct way. It provides an opportunity to help people get into homeownership and to keep away from arrears, to support their families in the full participation in our society that we all...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS adequate and affordable housing is the most important concern of many Northerners;

AND WHEREAS without adequate, affordable and accessible housing, individuals and families lack the basis for healthy living, successful educational participation, security of employment and participation as full members in the economies, health and development of our communities;

AND WHEREAS the NWT Housing Corporation’s program guidelines set a rent scale which can result in a rental rate of 30 percent of assessed gross income and which normally results in rent comprising more than...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was going to ask about the 30 percent of gross income being unrealistic and crushing, but I think I will hold off on that and just ask the Minister in respect to these rental arrears.

It is stressful. It is urgent. What sort of time frame are we talking about for these people that are living under these crushing debts of tens of thousands of dollars with very modest incomes? They need relief. When will it happen? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I understand the theory. The Minister has given us the theory but, as I said -- and perhaps the Minister didn’t hear in my statement earlier today -- I have constituents that have taken all of their pay stubs months ago into the Housing Corporation at least four months ago. They are sitting there waiting. They are paying $200 per month in rental arrears deductions, taken from the $800 left each month of disposable income. That is after rent and food for a family of seven. My constituent needs relief, Mr. Speaker. That is what we are talking about here. Can the Minister tell me if...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to welcome Captain Tony Whitford to the House and hope his home renovations are going well. I would also like to recognize Mr. Bruce Stewart, the instructor for the social programs staff -- he’s a constituent of Weledeh -- and also all of his students and the LHO representatives from everywhere. Mahsi.