Debates of February 21, 2024 (day 7)

Bill 2: Missing Person’s Act

Sheryl Yakeleya

Dehcho

Topics

Member’s Statement 75-20(1): Medical Travel

Member’s Statement 76-20(1): Health Care Sustainability

Member’s Statement 77-20(1): Holdover Wildfire Assessments

Member’s Statement 78-20(1): Indigenous Languages Month

Member’s Statement 79-20(1): Social Passing and Education

Member’s Statement 80-20(1): Representation of Indigenous People in the Public Service

Member’s Statement 81-20(1): Water levels and Climate Change

Member’s Statement 82-20(1): Elders and Housing Northwest Territories Mortgages

Member’s Statement 83-20(1): Funding for Non-Governmental Organizations

Member’s Statement 84-20(1): Family Doctors

Member’s Statement 85-20(1): Paul Stipdonk Memorial Soccer Tournament

Member’s Statement 86-20(1): Eulogy for Vince Sharpe

Minister’s Statement 13-20(1): Celebrating NWT Official languages

Minister’s Statement 14-20(1): Our Commitment to Caribou Stewardship

Minister’s Statement 15-20(1): Tenant Handbook and Program Updates

Minister’s Statement 16-20(1): Minister Absent from the House

Question 63-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Policies on Mortgage and Rental Arrears Recovery

Question 64-20(1): Use of Private Agency Nursing in the Northwest Territories

Question 65-20(1): Use of Private Agency Nursing in the Northwest Territories

Question 66-20(1): Education Policies, Curriculum and Social Passing

Question 67-20(1): Aurora College Governance

Question 68-20(1): Delivery of Essential Services by Non-Government Organizations

Question 69-20(1): Wildfire Season Preparation and Holdover Fires

Question 70-20(1): Increasing Indigenous Hiring within the Government of the Northwest Territories

Question 71-20(1): Low Water Levels in the Mackenzie River

Question 72-20(1): Medical Travel Policies and Practices

Question 73-20(1): Senior Home Heating Subsidy Program

Question 74-20(1): Healthcare Staffing

Statements

Question 63-20(1): Housing Northwest Territories Policies on Mortgage and Rental Arrears Recovery

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a question for the Minister of Housing. Can the Minister explain the process that the department follows when a mortgage client has fallen into arrears on their payment? Is the collection process different for people with a mortgage or people renting units? Thank you.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Member from Monfwi. Minister for Housing NWT.

Mr. Speaker, the process for collecting on a mortgage and rental arrears with Housing NWT is not different. It's the same institution, Housing NWT, same corporation. So the process is not different, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. What supports are in place to assist elders as they deal with Housing NWT?

There's many supports in place, Mr. Speaker. We have tenant relations officers. We have district office. We have the local housing associations. And we also have government services officers in the communities. So we have many supports in place, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know this is long overdue, and I want to ask the Minister, will the Minister do the right thing and commit to doing a mortgage write off of its clients? It's been there since for over 20 years. Some of those are from early 1990s. So I just wanted to ask the Minister if she will do the right thing and do a mortgage write off because those are the people the people that we're talking about are 65 and over now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my heart of hearts, I wish I could write everybody off, but I can't. We're a housing corporation and we use this revenue to provide more housing throughout the Northwest Territories. But we look at individual cases every year. Housing NWT does look at individual cases, and we follow the Financial Administration Act. And if there is cases that the Member would like us to look at, we can look at those. We can review things but, again, we have to follow the law and our regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Speaker: MR. SPEAKER

Thank you, Minister of Housing NWT. Member from Monfwi. Final supplementary.

Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if a client is referred to collection, a law firm represents Housing NWT. Housing NWT has a law firm to represent them, but the clients have no extra support to represent their interests. Can the Minister commit to a liaison person who can support Housing NWT clients in the collections process? Thank you.