David Krutko

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have seen a lot of communities going away from these seniors’ facilities and trying to get independent housing for seniors to keep the seniors in their homes as long as we can. I think, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Social Services also, that there is a cry from communities that they want to ensure that their seniors are housed in their communities and not sent away to long-term care facilities. I think we’re balancing between keeping elders independent and in their own homes as long as we can. Also, we’re trying to ensure that we...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this process has included regional staff, people at our local housing authorities, and there has been information provided to front line workers to ensure they are aware of how we are going to devolve and include them through that process. So we have made attempts to meet with our local housing authorities, our district staff, and making sure that people in headquarters are aware of how we are going to roll out with regard to those new mandate changes. We have met with those different agents that we are responsible for.

I will also mention that this has...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to doing another survey, we just completed two surveys. Our surveys are usually done in conjunction with Stats Canada, and we usually do it every two years. So we have done two surveys in the last four years. What I could do for the Members is pull the report identifying those people in your riding, so we can see exactly where they are and where the surveys have pinpointed the core problem areas. We can work with you to resolve that. I will commit to that for the Member.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, We are presently in the process of redefining the mandate of the Housing Corporation. As we all know, the social housing responsibility will be devolved to Education. We are preparing a presentation for Cabinet with regard to the mandate change which will be happening later on this week. Hopefully, we will have something to take to committee by the end of the month. We are hoping to be able to move forward on that. With the mandate change, we are hoping to see how we fit into the scenario of programs and services and, more importantly, focus on property...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as you know, we have concluded different needs surveys. We have been able to pinpoint a lot of these areas where we do have very low standards in regard to living conditions where people live. I think that whole thrust behind the reports that have come forward is we have identified some 20 communities that are in core need, and I think through those needs surveys we are able to identify those communities that need the resources. As a department, we are making sure that all the resources that we do have are going to those communities to get down those...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, we have reduced in the area of, as we all know, the human resources section. That has now been centralized, so there has been a decline in the human resources positions of the department due to the centralization throughout government departments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, we have to realize that we are dealing with different parties dealing with the social impact benefits. What we are hoping to do is have some verbal, if not written, commitment made prior to the decision to go forward with the pipeline, and also making sure that when the decisions are made on wherever these camps are going to be, that at the end of the project, we will have the ability to take those over at a negotiated price, working with the federal government to get the resources we will need for this project in the next five years. We need to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t have that detail in regard to the actual operational costs, but I know in regard to Somba K’e we had winterized that facility, which basically shut down last winter. We are in the process now of talking with the band and other corporations, and I know that the facility in Tuk was occupied with a few elders last year, but they are being used. So, Mr. Speaker, I don’t have the total operational costs of those facilities, but we are looking at alternative uses for those facilities, and we are trying to occupy them. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the headquarters and the operation of the Housing Corporation, roughly the total budget is in the range of seven percent, which is a lot lower than other departments. A majority of our expenses are spent in the communities, and we have a district staff roughly in the range of five percent of the budget. So between the district offices and the headquarters office, you’re looking at just a little over 10 percent, which, compared to other departments, is very low. I think that you have to realize that almost 85 percent of our budget is expended...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the project goes according to time schedules, we are hoping to look at this project proceeding somewhere in 2010.