Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Minister Bell. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Is committee agreed?

We haven’t been able to even partially close the gap of free rent for elders over 60 in public housing, and there is virtually no support for seniors living in their own homes trying to maintain independence and make ends meet.

Why are we spending millions of dollars on seniors’ complexes like the one we toured in Tuktoyaktuk that is heated and lit 24 hours a day, seven days a week, costs thousands of dollars to keep the lights on, and no one has ever lived in it? Unless they reprofile the facilities, the same could be said of Fort Resolution and Deline. Mr. Speaker, could I seek unanimous...

Thank you, Minister Bell. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My written question is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.

What has been the total cost of the market housing initiative to date?

How many market units are in place at this time and, of those, how many are occupied by the original target clients; namely, professionals such as teachers and nurses?

Thank you, Minister Bell. Are there any general comments? Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister named off a number of subsidies and supports that are available -- tax relief -- things that are available to seniors in their own homes. All of those particular supports are means tested. In other words, if your household income is over a certain threshold, you do not qualify. However, if you are fortunate enough to get approved for public housing, there is no means test. You could be a millionaire and live in social housing as a senior for nothing, as long as you are over 60 and you are in need.

---Laughter

Seriously, you can have a big...

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The motion is in order. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Thank you, committee. I will now rise and report progress.

Agreed. Thank you. Then I will ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to please escort the Minister's witnesses to the witness table.

Minister Bell, for the record, would you please introduce your witnesses? Minister Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will continue on asking questions of the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. It’s when I hear my colleagues like Mr. Lafferty talk about real and core needs in the community that it just becomes so offensive that we could somehow misdirect millions of dollars in funding. I saw the Tuk seniors’ facility too, and it cost millions of dollars to build that. It’s a beautiful facility that overlooks the ocean; the units are gorgeous. I want to live there, but the people and seniors in Tuk don’t want to live there. How the Housing...