Robert C. McLeod

The money that Tsiigehtchic’s getting is mostly on the O and M side, but the Member raises a fairly good point going into future years. That’s something that I’ll commit to the Member that I will take up with my officials and see, well, first of all, about the need in Tsiigehtchic and… But I will commit to the Member that I will take it up with the officials and have a discussion with them, because we can’t be going three or four years into the future and not see an investment of any kind in any of our communities. I’ll have that discussion with the officials. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, obviously, we’d have to look at the regional rates first and see how they work out. There will be, in some areas, where the rents in some of the communities will be higher to balance off the rental rate. I would suggest we look at the regional model first and see how that works and if there’s an appetite further down the road to look at a territorial-wide model, then that may be something for Housing in the future to consider. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is referring to the regional rates that I was referring to earlier. This is something that we are just in the process of considering right now. It’s something that we have to explore a little further. I mean, we’ve heard the argument on the difference in the rental from one small community to one that’s 20 minutes away. As far as using the Beaufort-Delta as a pilot project, once we decide if this is one that’s worth pursuing, then maybe we have to look at something like that, because the rental rates in the Beaufort-Delta are a lot more inconsistent and a lot higher...

I’ll have Mr. Anderson respond to that.

I’m getting tired.

---Interjection

It has to meet standard building construction practices. It has to meet industry standards, but it is not one that is preventing us from getting it out there. We just need to make sure that we get a quality product. Thank you.

As far as the community’s need for a four-plex, I would have to have a discussion with Mr. Jacobson. I think I am going off on a rabbit trail here and maybe I got lost somewhere, but as far as his desire for a four-plex for his community as public housing, I have told the Member that if there is an opportunity there or if some changes happen or if there are things that change, and if we feel that we are able to assist the Member in securing a unit for his community, then that is something that we would be willing to entertain. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize in the gallery some LHO managers, some tenant relations officers, some assistant managers. I had the opportunity to meet with them yesterday. I’ll tell you one thing, they’re not shy about sharing their views. That was much appreciated and it helps me do my job a lot better.

Joining us in the gallery today are: from Ulukhaktok, Sadie Joss; Elaine Blake, manager in Tsiigehtchic; Jim White from the Yellowknife Housing Authority; Stephan Folker from the Yellowknives Dene First Nation; Agatha Laboucan from Lutselk’e Housing...

Well, it would be set in Sachs Harbour as it would be set in all other communities. Obviously, the cost of operating a unit in Sachs Harbour is going to be a lot more than it is for a community in the South Slave. That’s where they would set the rate.

I have to add that there are very few tenants across the Northwest Territories that actually pay the maximum rent. I think we may have 12 or 13 people across the Northwest Territories. The last time I heard it was 19, but it may have gone down since then. Those are the people that we’re trying to graduate out of public housing and into...

The one is a HELP unit. It’s a one unit detached. The second one is another HELP unit or land development. Two of them are land developments. So two are lot developments and one is a HELP unit, the one unit detached. Thank you.