Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I cannot argue against the idea of considering what options there are, or could be considered by a government, and I assume that is part of the work that is necessary. I have to agree on one point with my colleagues on this side of the House, and that is this, we cannot support, at this particular juncture, the removal of other capital projects that are essential in our communities.
We do not take it for granted that firehalls are going to be available next year to protect those houses that you now have in the communities, or that capital infrastructure that is already there. Now, most southern Canadians can take this for granted, it is available to them now. In our situation, that is just not the case.
We cannot take it for granted that we are going to have a new fire truck, or arena, where people can vent their frustrations, or participate in healthy events. I think that it is wrong for us to take the view, that is an initiative that we are going to have to consider. The same way that I do not think, at this particular juncture, and maybe I take an opposite view that we should be looking at reducing benefits to our public servants.
The argument here before us, is simply that the Government of Canada is withdrawing from a normal responsibility that they have to provide housing to the people of the Northwest Territories, especially, and I say this with respect to all people of the north, to the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories, both the Inuit and the Indian.
It is frustrating sometimes when you get into a debate like this that we lose sight of the fundamental principle that we are trying to get at. Leave all of the other issues out right now. The fact is, our argument right now is that the federal government must provide the ongoing responsibility that they, themselves, agreed to. That is the key.
I know that we all, in the end, probably will try and find solutions in terms of the negotiating process. We have to make sure that the Government of Canada is responsible for their legislation and, in our opinion, some of the constitutional responsibility that they have. We cannot allow them to get out of that, that is clear.
One other fact that I want to say, and I do not oppose the argument that has been proposed to, that aboriginal people use their claims money to invest in housing, but that is still no substitute for the responsibility of the Government of Canada to provide money to this government, and to the people of the north for housing. How you use it in the end is your business.
If you agree that the aboriginal people, the aboriginal organizations, can invest in real estate, and you will rent from them those units, that is your business. That is the business of the government. To suggest for one moment that investors should substitute the responsibility of government, particularly the federal government to provide housing, is totally wrong. It is a good initiative and we all support it, we all do. Let us not use it as a way in which the Government of Canada can get out of what we consider, a responsibility, that is theirs.
Our fight is with the federal government right now, it is not internal. I think that the aboriginal leaders will accept that challenge, they will support us, I think that the Members of Parliament will support us, and I think that even the national native leadership will support us. I know one thing, that all of the Members in this House support the argument that we are not happy, and we condemn the efforts that the Government of Canada has undertaken, to reduce their responsibility for housing.
We can all agree with that, but let us not allow them a way to get out of their responsibility. Our fight is with them, and let us fight that fight together. Let us not find ways of allowing them to get out of their responsibility, that they are legally responsible for. How we do it is our business, and I think that it is a matter that we have to develop.
Unfortunately, we are trying to talk about what might be the strategies here, or the options available to us, and my argument is that I am still mad at the federal government for trying to get out of their responsibility for providing housing to the Northwest Territories. That is my fight, that is my argument, that is a concern that we all share, and I think that we should go after the Government of Canada.
One thing we do not want to do, as I said, is allow them the opportunity to get out of their responsibility. It may, in the end, be less than what we are asking for, but we cannot let them get out of their responsibility. I agree with some of the arguments and concerns that have been raised by my colleagues, but, at the same time, I am not going to let the Government of Canada get out of this issue. I do not think that our government, our Cabinet should ever allow them to get out of this issue. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
---Applause