Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Housing some questions. I just recently got a call from Trout Lake and a lot of the elders are getting letters asking for more information, T-4 revenue statements. These letters are directed to the elders, but they’re actually non-English speaking. Slavey is their first language and they’re getting these letters, and Housing, for good reason, is getting non-responsiveness. So when that happens, programs are in jeopardy of being cancelled or else transferred to other people. The band manager said can Housing at least cc the band office so that they can help and assist them with filling out the necessary paperwork that Housing needs and/or at least have staff visit the elders and translate these letters. I think it’s a very valid point. To expect an elder to reply to a technical request is I don’t think a fair way of doing things. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, Mr. Robert McLeod.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member makes a valid point and I think it’s a concern that we’ve heard on a few occasions. If there is an issue with the fact that some of the elders in his riding are unable to understand the letters, then I think we can work with the band or whoever we need to, to make sure they have a very good understanding of the letters so then they’d be able to respond back to the department. Thank you.
How much work would it take to, like the band manager suggested, if they’re going to write a letter to an elder, to cc it to the band office so that they can at least know that there’s a request for more information to the elder or even, indeed, if it’s an approval letter, the elder is not even going to know that either, Mr. Speaker. Often -- and I’ve brought it up in the House before -- elders will receive a letter and they’ll just put it on the table until somebody comes along that understands English, had some schooling, et cetera, then they’ll open it up and ask what that letter is. Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, I’ll commit to the Member that I’ll have that discussion with the department as to whether we can cc the band or not. If it’s confidential information, then I’m assuming that we’re not going to be able to. The elder could take the letter to the band, I suppose, and have a discussion with them, the interpretation. But I’ll follow up on the Member’s request and see if we’re able to cc the community government on the letters that are sent out to the elders. Thank you.
Another issue that the elders are raising there is the department officials usually ask for T-4s, Revenue Canada statements. So they’ve filled out applications before and they just don’t understand why they’ve got to keep filling out applications every time they ask for a program. Their situation is not going to change very much over a year, especially if it’s a senior. It’s like a fixed income. So they don’t understand why they have to keep filling out applications, Mr. Speaker. Do they have to fill out one application or for every program? Thank you.
Mr. Speaker, usually the process is they would fill out an application for each program that they apply to. The only one that I know of that they don’t have to apply to every year -- their name is basically kept on the list -- is the Seniors Preventative Home Maintenance Program. Once they’re on that list, then they would just continue to receive the service year after year. But as far as I know, they do have to apply for each particular program. The Member is correct, though, the senior’s income usually doesn’t change very much and we may have to take that into consideration. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Your final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.
Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. In this community’s case, I think the request is simple, that the elders need a better understanding of how the programming works. So can the Minister look at, I don’t know if it’s an elder workshop with a particular focus on the programs that they have for them? Can the Minister work towards that? It’s probably something that many, many small communities have challenges with throughout our North as well. Thank you.
That is a concern that’s raised across the Northwest Territories. Housing has taken some steps and they do have training workshops for folks that apply for particular programs. There was some concern that some of the seniors didn’t understand how the programs worked and would somebody else be able to take it in their place. The answer was yes. We made those arrangements. But we’re always willing to see how we can improve our services, especially to elders that don’t understand the English language very well. It’s not their first language. So we’re always willing to look at ways that we can improve our service to them. Thank you.
Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.
