Jane Groenewegen

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Minister says that it’s the wish of his department and this government to keep seniors in their own homes living independently, that just leads into something I referred to earlier in my Member’s statement, which is how can there be such a gap between offering social housing to seniors, zero rent, and offering virtually no support for seniors who are trying. That’s a contradictory statement, Mr. Speaker, to say we’re trying to encourage. What specific programs does the NWT Housing Corporation have today, or are they planning tomorrow to offer...

Thank you. Bill 3 is now ready for third reading. I would like to thank Minister Bell, Ms. Cooper, and Mr. Rutland for attending. Thank you.

What is the wish of the committee now that we have dealt with Bill 3 and Bill 9? Ms. Lee.

Thank you. Is the committee agreed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am seeking unanimous consent to return to item 6, oral questions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Bill as a whole?

Thank you, Minister Bell. At this time, I will ask Ms. Lee, the chair of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, if she would please deliver the comments on the review by the committee. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Also, in my first set of questions, I referred to the contracting out of certain functions from the Housing Corporation. I have a few notifications for tenders that have gone out from the Housing Corporation here. One is for the development of a financial skills program, a two-day homeowner education course, and the other one is for a home purchase, a one-day education course. The people responding to these tenders should submit to the program development specialist in house. I am thinking if you are contracting out for one and two-day programs for people to learn how...

Clause 2.

Agreed. Thank you. Does the committee agree that Bill 9 is ready for third reading?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have more questions for the Honourable David Krutko, Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, as a preamble to this set of questions, I want to say that on our pre-budget consultation, and what we’ve heard for years in the North, is that we have a critical shortage of adequate, affordable housing. It is a mandate of this government to address that need. I have no problem with investing money; however, I have a huge problem with wasting money. That’s the crux of the questions that I am asking today. For the Minister’s...