Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. [Translation] Mr. Speaker, what I am going to talk about is regarding housing in the Tlicho region, Behchoko, Whati, Gameti, and Wekweeti. And I'm going to talk about the rental prices. There's a lot of people that has debts with their rentals. And the whole process of rating their monthly rent. And sometimes some of these people are evicted from their units. I will be talking about that today. But today I want to talk about people's arrear and what happens to them in the future if they were to ask for a new rental again. So these are some of the questions I will be bringing forward.
I have so many concerns from my constituents regarding this. And also it is also is rated with your last year's taxes, the amount of money that they make the previous year, it's based on what they pay this year. Sometimes this year the person is not working, and some of them are saying that they're paying over a thousand dollars a month with no income. So I will talk about that and ask questions [Translation Ends].
Priorities as the Member for Tlicho region is to ensure that each resident in Behchoko, Gameti, Wekweeti, and Whati has access to affordable housing. Mr. Speaker, one of the barriers to accessing affordable housing is arrears. Residents have experienced evictions from public housing units due to arrears and are ineligible to reapply for public housing until those arrears are paid off. Mr. Speaker, far too often, the conversations is focused on what arrears are owed and not why arrears have accumulated. Mr. Speaker, my constituents have shared with me many reasons they have accumulated arrears that reflect the economic realities of the Northwest Territories, not the desire for someone to pay their rent on time. Mr. Speaker, can I have unanimous content to conclude my statement. Thank you.
Unanimous consent granted
Mr. Speaker, my constituents have shared with me many reasons they have accumulated arrears that reflect the economic realities of the Northwest Territories, not the desire for someone to pay their rent on time. Mr. Speaker, I assure you that residents want to be able to pay their rent. Mr. Speaker, many of my constituents rely on seasonal employment and therefore lack consistent or stable income. Currently the practice of the local housing authority is to use the Government of Canada notice of assessment to verify income and determine a tenant's rent. Tenants are not given options for income verifications that reflect the economic realities of the North and reliance on seasonal employment.
Mr. Speaker, many elders have expressed they have not had respectful or meaningful communication to verify their income, which results in arrears. Additional accommodation need to be made for elders. Housing staff at the LHO level need additional training in culturally respectful communication and encouragement to meet elders in their homes or places they are comfortable, not insist elders go to NWT or to LHO offices. Mr. Speaker, Housing NWT verification of income policy states, quote, "annual or periodic verification is required. Housing NWT need to develop an option for tenants to use verification of income methods given the high number of people who are seasonally employed, a verification of income would respond to employment and income status at a given time. With more accurate income verification, arrears could be reduced in the longterm because people would be able to pay their rent. According to the latest housing annual report, Housing NWT has accumulated millions of dollars over the years in arrears. This is a serious accumulation of arrears that indicates poor Housing NWT management and not the decision of individual rent. I will have questions for the Minister of housing. Thank you.
Colleagues, before we continue, I'd just like to remind Members when you seek unanimous consent, usually it's to finish your statement. But because it's the first day, I'll let this slide. But when we continue, once you seek unanimous consent usually you have 30 seconds to actually, I'll just explain.
When you're starting in your official language and you switch to English, you actually get 30 more seconds. And then if you seek unanimous consent, that's another 30 but that's to finish your statement, not the whole two and a half minutes. But like I said, today's the first day. Going on, we'll just be mindful of others. Thanks.
Okay, Members' statements. Member for Nunakput.
