Mr. Speaker, I spoke a number of times about the various issues regarding housing in Fort Resolution and Lutselk’e. Today I’d like to summarize issues surrounding this important topic.
During my short tenure as MLA issues surrounding housing have been raised time and time again. Also, I have heard many of my colleagues raise the housing issue.
Mr. Speaker, I think it’s pretty safe to say there is room for improvement on many fronts within the whole housing area. Coincidentally, the findings in the Auditor General’s report confirm that, yes, there are a number of problems with the NWT Housing Corporation and the way the housing programs are being delivered. However, I think that with this government we have a real opportunity to effectively address many of these issues or at least to establish a concrete work plan to address these problems. I believe this has already started, with the release of the Housing Corporation’s Framework for Action 2008–2011 and, more recently, the approval of a committee motion to reallocate funds to new construction to much-needed repair programs.
The amalgamation of the previous 14 housing programs into the current four programs, and the transfer of public housing programs from the Housing Corporation to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, certainly caused a number of new issues, mainly because of learning curves that go along with substantial changes seen with these programs.
However, Mr. Speaker, I have hope that this government and the Ordinary MLAs working together should and will resolve many of these housing issues, and that we will soon begin to see positive changes for the people of the NWT.
Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.
