Debates of October 19, 2007 (day 2)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to speak to the matter in regards to the social housing reforms and the restructure of programs and services. Mr. Speaker, the department of the Housing Corporation gave $30 million to the Department of Education, Culture and Employment by way of income support. That $30 million was in place to subsidize housing in the Northwest Territories. We did not have a problem with arrears, the increased amount of rent in our communities, before this took place, but yet, Mr. Speaker, we have a crisis on our hands in all of our communities across the Northwest Territories in regards to the way this program has been delivered.

I think we should consider if something is broke, let’s fix it and if something is not broke, well, then, let’s use it. But in this case, we have an issue that is broken. We have to fix it. I suggest to the Premier that we consider going back and admit we made a mistake to the way things were where we didn’t have these problems. I would like to ask the Minister, can you commit to enforcing the Housing Program as it was prior to revising the programs where we gave $30 million to ECE which now it does not work?

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Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Roland.

Return To Question 4-16(1): Social Housing Program Delivery Issues

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we know, we have a long history in the Northwest Territories, returning Members as well, and maybe some of us have short memories.

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The fact is, even from the 13th Legislative Assembly, the whole area of our package of supports we have out there for residents of the Northwest Territories has been looked at. I recall even back in the 13th Assembly as a Regular Member on Social Programs, the topic of better coordination of our programs was critical because we had elders, those in low income housing, going to four or five different doors in a community to access support from the Government of the Northwest Territories. That itself was uncoordinated, not cost effective and was leading to some confusion for people who needed the service. Since that day, there was work done in trying to come up with a more coordinated fashion. I believe we need to look at how that coordination is happening. If we have to as we review, were those initial steps the right ones to take? The fact is, a lot of our programs we have out there, well over $100 million goes towards providing support for people in the Northwest Territories that are in need. We are going to have to continue with working on how do we best put that forward and how do we best utilize those limited dollars to ensure those most in need get the help they need. We also need people across the Northwest Territories to accept some of the responsibility and getting some of that programming that is available to them. We are willing to work with people across the Territories. We are willing to work with Members in building a better solution for the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 4-16(1): Social Housing Program Delivery Issues

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, again, I would like to ask the Premier, as we know, the majority of people that are now paying rent in social housing are paying economic rent. The $30 million that was there was supposed to subsidize and offset that rent so the individuals will pay a certain amount towards shelter, not the total amount of rent. That is the problem that we have with this program. Would the Premier consider looking at and evaluating the number of people that are in arrears in all of our housing authorities throughout the Northwest Territories? Were they ever in arrears? Exactly why is it that there has been such a major increase in that number since this program was implemented?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Roland.

Further Return To Question 4-16(1): Social Housing Program Delivery Issues

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don’t know if this is the first time in the history of a new government that on the first day one person should have all the information.

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Mr. Speaker, I am willing to take on that challenge and so does the rest of Cabinet. I have committed already that we will re-evaluate how this is going, the implementation of that. As soon as we go through the assignments of portfolios to Ministers, they will be tasked with a number of items. Then one of the first things we will have to start doing is building that strategic plan that we will, together as 19 Members, put forward and the business plan, the budget that we will put in place for the first budget of this government and working with Members. We are going to have to identify what is working and what is not working and where we put our priorities. I have committed to work with Members on this specific issue. We will sit down with Members as soon as we can. Thank you.

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Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Supplementary To Question 4-16(1): Social Housing Program Delivery Issues

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe this is a crisis situation. We don’t have time to come back to the Members, work through the business plan. This is a crisis situation that we are in in the Northwest Territories. As a new Cabinet and a new Premier, I suggest that this is the first step that you take in regards to finding a solution to this major problem we have in the Northwest Territories and report back to this House in our next sitting in November.

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