Statements in Debates
Mr. Chair, your committee wishes to consider Bill 7, Bill 8, and Bill 12. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, just with respect to Fort Liard, I believe it was identified as a special concern to the Housing Corporation because of the recent mould problems. I would just like to ask the Minister again if there was special consideration taken to retrofitting and renovating the homes that had been identified with the mould problems last fall. That is what I was addressing, Mr. Speaker. Has the corporation identified some extraordinary funding to help the community of Fort Liard?
Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Recently, the Housing Corporation undertook an assessment for Fort Liard. I am just wondering if the Minister can comment whether that assessment has been completed for the community of Fort Liard. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, adequate and affordable housing continues to be a major problem across the territory and in smaller communities particularly. I refer to the 2004 survey of our community housing needs released by the NWT Housing Corporation. The report states that 29 percent of the territorial households have some form of housing problem. About half of those problems are identified as core need, meaning that the cost of repairs exceeds the ability of the homeowners to pay. The situation is more acute when we look at regional statistics. In my riding of Nahendeh, 42 percent of householders...
That’s fine.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I thought you said clause 7.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight met on June 25, 2004, to review Bill 8, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 2004. The act makes minor amendments to a number of statutes. The committee asked for an explanation of clause 7, which will repeal the Economic Development Agreements Act. The Minister and his staff advised that there are currently no agreements under this act, and that any future agreements with the Government of Canada would probably not require legislation.
Members also asked for an explanation of clause 13, which will repeal the...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if he can make some time and provide that so we can sit down and discuss some of the preliminary plans that they have for Fort Liard. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I thank the Minister for that response. I was under the impression that they were addressing the special needs of Fort Liard. With that being said, it was highlighted as a key community. I was just wondering what the corporation plans to do about Fort Liard, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my honourable colleagues for allowing me to conclude my statement. There is still a long way to go, and I look forward to hearing from the government as to when we will be going the rest of the distance. I am pleased, Mr. Speaker, that the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation will be coming to Fort Liard in a few weeks' time to hear from the residents firsthand. This is a very positive gesture on his part, and I am looking forward to him coming and being ready to listen to the community, because people in this community most definitely will be...