Thank you. Honourable Minister.

Thank you. On March 11, I wrote to the Minister responsible for housing in Ontario to agree to attend a special meeting to address the caucus. When I was at that meeting in April, I presented that in no uncertain terms, the special and unique situations that the Northwest Territories have for housing. Like I have said earlier today in this Legislature, "you cannot compare the territories to the south at all. It is just like comparing apples to oranges" and I brought that to the attention of those Ministers, and made a presentation to the Aboriginal Affairs Committee, and the House of Commons. They all agreed.

They were supportive that it is unique. I also went to Ottawa in June and met with the Honourable Elmer MacKay, Minister of the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation and I had a very good meeting with him. He did understand, he was very supportive.

He does understand our unique situation and he does support us to be reinstated. I also attended a federal/provincial meeting of Ministers in Toronto in June. The press release that came out of there and the support that we got around that table was unanimous, that they asked the federal government to reinstate the N.W.T. and the Yukon, because of the unique and special needs for housing, immediately back to the 1991 level.

Plus there have been many letters written. There have been some from myself, as well as some from our Premier, and our Minister of Finance. Our Minister of Finance met with Mr. Mazankowski. In June, I met with Mr. Siddon to explain our unique situation. And yet, all of the way down on the line on this issue up until yesterday, we have had a very positive response.

Then it went to the Federal Treasury, the Cabinet, and they rejected it and basically said they had no money. So, that is what has happened in the past.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just in respect to the Minister's comments in regards to looking at his survey needs that he has tabled today. I have not had a chance to look totally and thoroughly through it but I have identified that on page seven, he has indicated that the housing needs survey has identified a need for 3,584 affordable, adequate, and suitable housing units which is an increase of 14 percent.

Now we are being told that we are going to be cutting back well over 100 percent, not even thinking of trying to meet or attempt to meet the 14 percent. The Minister knew back in June that we were going to be cut back, and hoped to appeal to the Minister, and hoped his colleagues would support him at the federal level to address some of the unique needs in the territories. Has he developed, a strategy or option to address what he will do, now that we have dealt with this?

Mr. Chairman, maybe I have not made myself clear, and I do not want to move any motion to conclude this because I think that it is an important item. I would like it to stay on the order paper. I would like to know whether the Minister has developed a strategy recognizing that we were going to be at a three percent cap, or an option for us to be able to assist him in advising the federal government that they do have a certain responsibility to particularly the aboriginal people of the north.

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Since we are discussing this very important item and since every Member, each region, each community will be devastated by this if we do not do something about it, I will ensure that it stays on the order paper. Mr. Morin. We seem to be running out of time.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We received word on the Federal Government's rejection to reinstate yesterday. I met with the Housing Corporation people as well as Members of Cabinet. The strategy is basically to let the ordinary Members know as soon as possible. To sit down in this House and discuss it and to work with ordinary Members as well as native groups, and through the Premier's office, to the Prime Minister and work with ordinary Members to try to solve this issue.

We are also, within the Housing Corporation, developing a strategy on how to meet the people's needs of 3,584 units within the next few weeks, what percentage of that need we can meet.

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Chairman, unfortunately by the time I finish asking my question, the sitting hours will be concluded. So, therefore, I move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. There is a motion on the floor to report progress. The motion is not debatable. All of those in favour raise your right hand please. All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

I will now rise and report progress, thank you.

Item 20, report of the committee of the whole. Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's statement 90-12(2) and tabled document 89-12(2) and wishes to report progress. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of the chairman of the committee of the whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Seconder for the motion, Mr. Nerysoo. The motion is in order. All of those in favour. All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 21, third reading of bills. Item 22, Mr. Clerk, orders of the day.

Mr. Speaker, meetings for tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. are the Ordinary Members' Caucus. Orders of the day for Thursday, September 17, 1992.

1. Prayer

2. Ministers' Statements

3. Members' Statements

4. Returns to Oral Questions

5. Oral Questions

6. Written Questions

7. Returns to Written Questions

8. Replies to Opening Address

9. Replies to Budget Address

10. Petitions

11. Reports of Standing and Special Committees

12. Reports of Committees on the Review of Bills

13. Tabling of Documents

14. Notices of Motions

15. Notices of Motions for First Reading of Bills

16. Motions

- Motion 31

17. First Reading of Bills

18. Second Reading of Bills

19. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of Bills and Other Matters

- Tabled Document 9-12(2)

- Tabled Document 10-12(2)

- Motion 6-12(2)

- Committee Report 10-12(2)

- Tabled Document 62-12(2)

- Minister's Statement 82-12(2)

- Committee Report 17-12(2)

- Bills 33 and 9

- Minister's Statement 90-12(2)

- Committee Report 18-12(2)

- Tabled Document 89-12(2)

20. Report of the Committee of the Whole

21. Third Reading of Bills

22. Orders of the Day

Pursuant to Motion 33, this House stands adjourned until 10:00 a.m. Thursday, September 17, 1992.

---ADJOURNMENT