Robert Hawkins

I’d like to thank the Minister. Is the Department of Finance planning to hire more summer students by the end of summer and are they looking to expand into the regions?

No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying it should be clearly stating that rent is coming in at whatever capacity, and separate it from the arrears. Because what it does is give you a blanket number, so we don’t know who’s paying the rent on time and we don’t know who’s paying the arrears on time. That’s ultimately the goal on this particular issue. I want to make sure, the 161 percent sounds good but we don’t really know what 161 percent means in the bigger context.

I want to give credit for the Minister’s previous answer, and what I’d like to ask him in this particular case, then, is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m sort of hearing a comment for consideration here from the Minister and I want to take advantage of that opportunity by saying would the Minister be willing to assess this particular proposal, because I think it would provide a lot less work to clients, provide a stable environment for them in the sense of payment schedules, as well as be less work for the LHOs to manage once a year to re-evaluate the whole line. No different than when you’re taxed. I mean, you’re not taxed one month by CRA, high one month and then not the next. I mean, it’s a formula base. Let’s...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a similar vein as my colleague Mr. Yakeleya, I have concerns about the Housing Corporation on how they do view this particular problem and deal with arrears, whether they’re rentals or, certainly, mortgage arrears.

In my Member’s statement today I talked about 76 percent is the collection rate at housing LHOs across the board, that is, to be honest and fair of course, and they need 90 percent in order to break even. Of course, housing arrears under the context of mortgages are at 40 percent. If you add those two stacks of arrears up, that’s about $26 million in...

No, no, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m saying it should be clearly stating that rent is coming in at whatever capacity, and separate it from the arrears. Because what it does is give you a blanket number, so we don’t know who’s paying the rent on time and we don’t know who’s paying the arrears on time. That’s ultimately the goal on this particular issue. I want to make sure, the 161 percent sounds good but we don’t really know what 161 percent means in the bigger context.

I want to give credit for the Minister’s previous answer, and what I’d like to ask him in this particular case, then, is...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Rental arrears in public housing is a chronic problem for the Government of the Northwest Territories. When we reviewed the main estimates earlier this year, average rent collection was only 76 percent at a debt balance of $13 million outstanding. Collection needs to be at 90 percent in order to maintain the LHO, and that’s from the Minister as well as the department, Mr. Speaker. Clearly, we need action on these rental collections and certainly the arrears. However, if you think that’s bad, Mr. Speaker, well, mortgage collection rates are at 40 percent, so...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In a similar vein as my colleague Mr. Yakeleya, I have concerns about the Housing Corporation on how they do view this particular problem and deal with arrears, whether they’re rentals or, certainly, mortgage arrears.

In my Member’s statement today I talked about 76 percent is the collection rate at housing LHOs across the board, that is, to be honest and fair of course, and they need 90 percent in order to break even. Of course, housing arrears under the context of mortgages are at 40 percent. If you add those two stacks of arrears up, that’s about $26 million in...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Rental arrears in public housing is a chronic problem for the Government of the Northwest Territories. When we reviewed the main estimates earlier this year, average rent collection was only 76 percent at a debt balance of $13 million outstanding. Collection needs to be at 90 percent in order to maintain the LHO, and that’s from the Minister as well as the department, Mr. Speaker. Clearly, we need action on these rental collections and certainly the arrears. However, if you think that’s bad, Mr. Speaker, well, mortgage collection rates are at 40 percent, so...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’ll have questions to the Minister responsible for homelessness today. In my Member’s statement earlier today I talked about the issue of the Betty House and how particularly it is important to addressing the need for women who need transition housing. It’s a significant step forward in addressing this particular problem and I recognize the important work provided by the YWCA as well as the City of Yellowknife, for moving this initiative forward.

BHP Billiton has generously offered and given a cheque for $700,000 to this association so that they can work forward to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize the Grade 5 class from Sissons that’s here today in the gallery and has been visiting the Assembly. The students who are visiting us here today are: Kienan Ashton, Aliya Aumond, Nicolas Bennett, Grace Clark, Sophie Clark, Daniel Enge, Noah Hache, Delilah Hashi, Sean Irwin, Jack Panayi, Jacob Schubert, Lauren Seabrook, Jesper Sorensen, Niva Stephenson, Sarah Taggart-Miles, Anne Thomas, Elizabeth Thomas, and their teacher, Monique Marinier.

Finally, I would also like to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, a worthy recipient of today’s Education...