Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to follow up on one of the questions asked by Mr. Robert McLeod from Twin Lakes, and it has to do with the fairness of the support we offer to seniors when it comes to housing generally. My questions are for the Minister Responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation.
Mr. Speaker, we know to live in public housing as a senior over 60 there is no rent charged. With the changing demographics, the aging demographic in the Northwest Territories, is that offering on a universal basis sustainable?
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Sorry, I missed the Minister here. The honourable Minister, Mr. Miltenberger.
It will be a challenge.
Mr. Speaker, on the other hand, we know that we have many seniors who are over the age of 60 who live in their own accommodation independently and who would benefit greatly from some greater support. Is there a plan in the NWT Housing Corporation or a way that somehow we could close the gap between giving one segment everything and giving others such a small amount that it really isn’t going to make the difference for them with the rising cost of utilities?
Mr. Speaker, like many things we do as a government, there are things scattered across different departments. We talked about some of them here today. There’s the tax relief from MACA; there’s a fuel subsidy from Income Support. For the Housing Corp, it’s people paying no rent.
Clearly, the issue of aging in place and working to keep people in their own homes as long as we can is, in the long run, the most beneficial for us. While the Housing Corp has no specific plan, it’s clear, as we move into a business-planning process, that it’s an area that does need attention. There are things I hear constantly in my own constituency; people talk to you about the fuel subsidy, where they’re short by $10 or they’re just a little bit over the limit and they’re struggling to make ends meet with all the other high costs.
So I believe there are a number of things we could do — we do have a Minister for seniors — but I think there’s a need for us to look at aging in place and keeping people in their own homes as long as possible. We have some supports, but are we as coordinated as possible? I would say we could probably do better.
I appreciate the fact the Minister agrees we could do better, and I think time is of the essence in trying to come up with something. I believe, as I said in my comments yesterday, that with the increased cost of fuel and electricity, this is going to become an urgent matter for seniors. You’re going to see many seniors unable to cope with these costs as they come upon us this winter.
Mr. Speaker, another anomaly within the support to seniors is the fact that some of the support is means-tested, some is not. For example, if you are living in public housing, it does not matter how much money you make — some people are even working — or how much money you have in the bank. However, if you want to do a home repair program through the Housing Corporation in order to make your home more energy efficient or just to maintain it, that particular program is means-tested. In fact, seniors would then be called upon to offer up a mortgage on their house.
I’m just trying to think again about the equality. Some are means-tested; some are not. Is that something the Minister’s department or the Corporation is going to look into?
Mr. Speaker, these are all political decisions that can be made, have been made: the issues for no rent.... There is a contradiction or a discrepancy with, as the Member’s indicated, meanstesting on one hand and not on the other.
The whole definition of a safety net — which is what we’re trying to provide for all our citizens — does not imply universality. It implies that if you hit the safety net, we should be able to help you so you don’t fall through into poverty. If you have the good fortune to have enough income to live on your own, then that’s a credit to you, and it’s a credit to us as a system that you don’t require our services as a last resort.
But clearly, the issue of public housing and the issue of seniors paying rent in public housing is an issue that’s been discussed a number of times in the Assemblies I’ve been in. There’s been no resolution. The issue has stayed the same. I know the NWT Seniors’ Society is also on the record, year after year, suggesting there should be some rent, however modest, charged to all inhabitants of public housing. That, once again, is a policy issue and it’s a political decision.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is right in saying there is no resolution. It gets talked about year after year. And in support of, and in fairness to, all seniors of the Northwest Territories, what is it going to take to arrive at that political direction? I believe it is an urgent matter of this government. It should be a very high priority.
Mr. Speaker, as soon as we conclude this budget, we’re going to roll over into the full and first opportunity as this Legislature to have a look at the full development of the business plans for the rest of this term.
I would suggest that if the political will and appetite is there, the government stands ready, as well, to engage in that discussion. It is going to be one, like most things we do, where we tackle issues in our programs that are long-standing. There’s going to be a lot of concern. But clearly, politically, we’re ready to have that discussion and work with the committees. If there is an improvement we can come up with in terms of services and programs for seniors, we’re prepared to work with the committees to do that.
Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.
