Caroline Cochrane

The departments have worked really hard on this issue. We do feel that we have a coordinated approach to dealing with it currently. I do hear the Member's concerns that we are not doing enough. I can't give a timeline on it, in all honesty, but I can commit that I will talk to the departments and see if we can provide a response to the Member on what kind of timeline we are looking at.

Thank you. I take that as a comment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm assuming that'll count for two of the questions then. The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is actually very active in trying to support seniors. We recognize that we need to address more and not only from seniors but from cradle to grave, and so we need to address the whole spectrum of sports and recreation within our territories.

So on that end, I mean we do provide some support currently. We support the Elders in Motion Program through the NWT Recreation and Parks Association and the Canada 55+ Games which is provided through Sport North. Of the 55+...

When I met with the Auditor General, we went through the report thoroughly. I agreed with all of the recommendations, and I did make a commitment that I would work towards addressing the recommendations that are in the audit.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, homelessness in our communities is a critical issue that we need to address together. Homelessness is complex and affected by many factors. People who are homeless often have traumatic past and current lives, most struggle with mental health issues, behavioural concerns, and/or addictions that need to be addressed. Because homelessness is complex, approaches that don’t include collaboration, or that are not sustainable don’t work.

Collaboration begins with those with lived experience, it extends to all sectors of government, and to each of us as individuals...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, that is correct. These units are to accommodate the RCMP members. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The lifespan that we're working towards with both, either modular, stick built or panel, all of them is a 50-year lifespan, so we are working towards that. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

The Member is correct in many means. I mean, the Auditor General does work with the department very closely to address the areas. They look at the plan. They address the areas where they are going to look at. They ask questions. They ask for research. They get documents back. They ask more questions. So it is quite a process. The department does have some knowledge, preliminary, even guesstimates, preliminary, on where the audit is going to go. They are provided a draft. Then they are allowed to put recommendations in that. I believe it is a last chance to appeal any of the decisions that are...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Since 2006, the Housing Corporation has invested approximately $50 million towards home ownership, not renovations, but actually purchasing homes. I too have issues with the co-payment allocations. That is one of the areas that we will be looking at in depth to try to assist people. Today I was having a conversation with one of the MLAs, and he spoke to me and said one of the elders actually had been paying for years and was wondering why he didn't own his house. That really resonated with me and told me that we need to look at alternatives so that people can move into...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. All the applications or proposals are reviewed on the same criteria, although we are conscious that we do want to support northern businesses and preferably businesses in or close to the communities that are providing the services. Thank you, Mr. Chair.