Kieron Testart

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress.

What I heard is the Minister confirm that the policy still applies, whatever the language of the document says. That is a good thing because, in this case, there were three registered manufacturers, and the policy quite clearly says that they have preferential treatment in this case. Now, I will share the details of this case with the Minister, and he can look over it, but will he undertake to correct this deficiency between what forms are going out and what the policy clearly states, so that we can have certainty for our manufacturers and continue to support them?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has come to my attention that there is an apparent conflict in the Manufactured Products Policy that this government operates. There was a tender put out. It was very specifically applied to registered manufacturers under the policy, and it seems that certain details of the policy were not followed. I have a question for the Minister. Have there been any changes to the approved NWT Manufactured Products Policy in the past year? Thank you.

Before anyone assumes that this is a Yellowknife-based issue, it is not. The Norman Wells Chamber of Commerce has published a letter that is asking for the GNWT to allow fair market rent to be established by the market supply and demand and for the GNWT to base its programs around that through the Housing Corporation. Is that something the Minister is willing to do in the community of Norman Wells and in other regional centres?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation spoke about the sometimes challenging circumstances with limited resources that the Corporation operates under. I have a solution for the Minister. That is to let the private sector come in and help unburden some of those resources for the people who don't really need them. In many communities, GNWT employees are being given Housing Corporation-owned property. Will the Minister agree to enter into market lease agreements for 50 percent of private market inventory owned by the GNWT Housing Corporation...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a difference between self-governments, community governments, and private sector, and that is really what is at the heart of this. You know, it is not about building the units. It is about allowing the private sector to offer that market space and to provide a private sector solution. I am hearing more of a top-down approach, more of a maintenance of the government monopoly. Let's let the private sector come in here. Will the Minister at least reach out to the NWT Chamber of Commerce, to the various chambers of commerce and businesses that wish to...

So, no. I think what I am hearing is that there is this new funding made available, that there is an opportunity for co-investment, but what does that really mean to people who want to get into market rent, for people who want to build equity through their properties to potentially resell them, potentially rent them out and turn it into a business opportunity? Is that something that this fund will facilitate?

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to speak to the concerns raised by constituents and the business community concerning the GNWT's market housing program. The framework is, in effect, shutting out local businesses and entrepreneurs from being able to enter and stay in the property rental and real estate business. It goes without question that the GNWT must have a strong housing policy which supports lower income residents and families, yet there must be diversity in how this goal is achieved. Maintaining a government monopoly is clearly not effective, nor does it ensure no one is left out in the cold...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I move that the chair rise and report progress. Thank you.

Surely, the Minister is happy with the quality of the consultations and is happy with what the bill is going out there. I acknowledge that differences are what makes this House so strong and what makes our society so strong, but to hear that from the Minister makes me question whether he is satisfied with the quality of the legislation. Can the Minister clarify that?