Robert C. McLeod

Everything is affordable with some input from the government and, again, it would be quite, is my understanding, an expensive undertaking for the company to provide service throughout the Northwest Territories and how long it would actually take. So, Mr. Speaker, I continue to go back to the fact that -- and I know Members are tired of hearing it – if it’s a priority for the communities, then they do have the funds to help bring this priority about. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the people would contact the regional superintendents of MACA in the five regions that are out there. They, in turn, will discuss with their staff and see who would be going into the community to assist the community with their proposal. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I’d have to follow up on that and see if there was some contact made. I’m assuming there was, because I know it was an issue and this was quite a while ago that the issue was raised. So I’ll commit to the Member that I will follow up on that and get the information to him and the new council in Fort Simpson as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department is always willing to work with the communities and at the community’s request, we’ll go into the community and work with them in identifying some of their projects, and some of the financing options, and some of the technical options that are available to them. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, this is not a process that any LHO likes to be a part of. It is often the last straw when it comes to this particular process. I know from history, Mr. Speaker, that they are always willing to work with the tenants of the housing authority. At the same time, we need a commitment from the tenant that if there is a ruling, that they will abide by that ruling and work out a repayment plan, then Housing is usually pretty accepting of that.

It is a huge cost, obviously, if they have to put them up in a shelter or move them to shelter, but there is also a very huge cost in the amount of...

Mr. Speaker, Housing doesn’t choose the time of year when people are evicted. It is not something that Housing enjoys doing, but there is a process that has to be followed. Part of the process involves paying your rent or making arrangements to pay your rent, coming up with a payment plan. Usually they are pretty accepting of any tenant that wants to come forward and work out a payment plan and then they will have the opportunity to stay in their unit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I would have to dig up the actual ruling, but my understanding is they would have to put in the ability to locate the cell phones. They would have to put that inability in or it is available. It doesn’t obligate them to install cell phone service throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

There is nothing holding us back, Mr. Speaker, from doing a current assessment. We can speak to the communities to see how many of them are interested and how many are ready to implement 911 and remind them again that we provide them with a lot of money through the capital formula funding and gas tax to implement 911 if they wish to do so. Thank you.

The Housing Corporation is always trying to fit people into the programs. They’ve expanded the scope of the programs sometimes to try to fit as many people in as possible and we are always looking to find ways that we can address those that are most in need. We have to understand, Mr. Speaker, that a lot of the people that are in need, they have to meet the criteria of the housing programs to be eligible to participate in some of the programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are just in the process of doing our housing needs survey and this goes a long way in determining the core needs of the communities, and if there are adjustments that need to be made so infrastructure or units are put in those communities with the highest core needs, then those adjustments will be made then and hopefully that will adjust some of the core needs of the communities most in need. Thank you.