Debates of October 27, 2006 (day 17)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak on the state of housing through the eyes of experience. Mr. Speaker, I spent 22 years working for the local housing authority. We have always had to live with decisions that were made in Yellowknife or in headquarters. A lot of times these decisions weren’t very good. We were asked to perform miracles, to do a lot more with a lot less. I have said before, my crones would have a field day up here.

The government nowadays has some money coming in. They are talking about a $100 million investment over the next three years. They are talking about 530 units over the next three years. They have a unique opportunity here to make good decisions, to make decisions that the community wants and they have an opportunity to put some good houses on the ground because that’s what they keep saying they are supposed to be doing is putting houses on the ground. They have an opportunity now over the next three years to put those words into action and we are going to hold them to it. We don’t want them to botch something as important as this.

Hear! Hear!

The units are getting older and older and the maintenance crews are asked to do more and more, like I said, with a lot less. Is Novel the answer? I don’t know. I wonder about that. We are talking about a huge investment here. Maybe it’s time we went and asked the communities and listened to what the communities have to say.

Let’s start making some of the decisions based on what the community wants, not what the Housing Corporation and government thinks is best for the community because what is good for one community in this region may not be good for another community in that region. So I would urge this government to talk to the communities…

---Laughter

…listen to what they have to say and let’s start paying attention to the needs of the communities and not the needs of headquarters. Thank you.

---Applause