Robert C. McLeod

The Member is correct; there is an evaluation of the four Housing programs to see how they’re working and if there’s any adjustments that need to be made or recommendations, everyone will have a chance to have some input into the evaluation and see how it’s working at the regional and the local level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is the basic shelter policy that Housing is looking to update as we speak. They did have some work done on it and then we realized that we needed to make some adjustment for it to fit within the CMHC guidelines for the basic shelter. So that’s where the process is at right now and I will follow up on the Member’s question as to the status of the elders program and what became of that. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to welcome two residents of Inuvik into the gallery. One is a constituent. I am not sure where the other one lives. I believe she is a constituent too. Mr. Richard Binder and Mardy Semmler. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, safety is always one of our biggest concerns as a Cabinet. The Member makes a good point. We all here have communities that would potentially benefit from a 911 service. I have said on a few occasions that the communities have it within their power and they have the means to provide the service to their residents if they decide it is a priority for their community. I have also said that there are a couple of communities that are working on trying to enhance their emergency services before they take the next step into planning and implementing 911. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we are trying to be as flexible as possible in putting people in units. These are homeownership units. If clients cannot be found and if every avenue is exhausted, then we will need to have that discussion as to what to do with the units. If there are some creative ways we can work to get people in the unit, then obviously we’d be more willing to have a look at that and work with the Member.

The boarded up units are ones that there is an issue going on with those. I am not at liberty to speak about them right now. If there are no clients identified for some of the homeownership units, I can tell the Member there are six public housing units that will be going up in Fort Liard too. If there are no clients for the homeownership units, then we will need to have that discussion with the Housing Corporation and see how best we can put people in the units. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, washing our hands of anything is not something that we do. We provide money to the communities to look after their infrastructure. They have that authority. It is an authority that a lot of communities have wanted. We will work with the communities as far as coming up with the plan. We are always willing to work with the communities, Mr. Speaker. For us to come back and say, well, we are going to do this, I think it defeats the purpose of devolving a lot of responsibility on to the community. So, Mr. Speaker, the communities have it within their means to implement 911 service when...

Mr. Speaker, in a lot of jurisdictions across the country it is the municipal government that provides the 911 service and funds it themselves. That is a position that we have taken, is that the communities have the financial ability to implement 911 if they choose to do so. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife South, that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Commissioner’s Land Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill includes amendments that would require the posting of security on a lease of Commissioner’s land for a commercial or industrial use.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we understand the Member’s concern; it has been a concern raised by many Members before. We are trying to come up with and working on a strategy to work with clients to address some of the arrears and they can then qualify for some of the housing programs. One thing we want to be sure is that we need to have the engagement of the clients to come up with a repayment plan that is workable for them and workable for the Housing Corporation. Thank you.