Tom Beaulieu

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I made a Member’s statement on the Housing Needs Survey. I'd like to ask the Minister some follow-up questions. Yesterday I indicated the last survey I had was 2009, but it's actually 2014. There was an update done. The NWT Bureau of Statistics has worked with the NWT Housing Corporation to do a survey on housing. This survey began decades ago, and it's done approximately every five years, most recently in 2014. The survey reports on nationally acceptable indicators such as suitability, adequacy, and affordability. This is how they determine the...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I move that consideration for Tabled Document 2-18(2), Interim Estimates, 2016-2017 now be concluded and that the Tabled Document 2-18(2) be reported and recommended as ready for further consideration in formal session through the form of an appropriation bill. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I indicated the problems we are having currently with having people become eligible for housing programs, largely because there are wrong programs out there and in some cases because individuals are just clearly not eligible. They have a core need, but they don't have all the right statistics to fit into the programs the Housing Corporation is currently offering. It is a huge issue. I would like to ask the Minister if they are going to look at programs that will directly address the housing needs in the NWT. Currently, the programs do not address the needs...

That’s rather disappointing. The 2009 Housing Needs Survey is the last survey that was completed by the Housing Corporation and has all of the core needs, by community, laid out in there. Is the Minister actually contemplating doing something different? Changing the way we collect information and then, by going directly to the people, finding out what it is they want? I think the survey does that. Is the Minister actually contemplating a different way of capturing core needs in the NWT?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to recognize Chief Eddie Sangris from Detah. I'd also like to recognize my interpreter, Tommy. Thank you.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. [English translation not provided.]

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to start off with a story of a few elders in Lutselk'e and their housing issues. About seven years ago, I began to advocate for the elders to have the northern territorial rental public housing units transferred into their ownership. About a year or so ago they were transferred into their names. They were very happy, but their happiness was short-lived. These units were built in the late ‘60s or early 1970s and when the elders applied for repair programs, they were hit with a barrage of reasons why they were...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I wish to report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the committee wishes to consider Tabled Document 2-18(2), Interim Estimates, 2016-2017.

Yes, I guess that would be seven years.

---Laughter

In any event, I don't think that it has changed that much, so the question for the Minister is: is the Minister aware that the largest proportion of core need is adequacy?

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member’s statement I talked about some housing problems faced by the elders in my riding. My question for the Minister is: has the Minister written out any sort of plan to address housing problems as identified in the 2009 Housing Needs Survey. Thank you.