Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services, we highlighted a number of success stories, stories where we found people had faced community problems and found ways to deal with them. I'd like to tell the House today about a success story that is just coming together.
Mr. Speaker, there is a subsidized housing development in Yellowknife known as Sissons Court. There are 48 units owned by the Housing Corporation and administered by the Yellowknife Housing Authority. A large number of the residents are single parents and there are 98 children, under the age of 16, living in this subsidized housing. Many of the parents do not have cars to take their kids to organized sports and many of the organized sports, such as hockey, are just too expensive. So, the Yellowknife Housing Authority has put up a basketball court to encourage children not to play in the parking lot, which is the only other place for them to play, and this is well used.
Otherwise, there is just nothing for these children to do. Of course, the by-product of this was a lot of vandalism in the neighbourhood. Mr. Speaker, about six months ago, an energetic young woman by the name of Monica Fusick-Leonard is decided that forming a tenant association would be the first step in improving the life of the residents of Sissons Court. She canvassed her neighbours, drummed up support, and a non-profit tenant association has now been formed.
While working at getting this association going, Monica also worked on another idea, a community centre for the tenants. She wanted a place, and I quote from her letter, "...where all the tenants here in Sissons Court could come to get help with the problems we face, a major one being that our children have no organized shelter and place where they can receive help when they need it, whether it be to discuss stressful problems with a counsellor or just to do arts and crafts. It will keep them off the streets and reduce vandalism by giving them something constructive to do with their time and energy."
Mr. Speaker, Monica also consulted with Social Services and thought they would be willing to hold workshops in the Sissons Court community centre on topics such as budget planning, social assistance, time management and so on, as well as to counsel people on such issues as child welfare, family violence and sexual, mental or physical abuse. In her drive to get a community centre, Monica put together a comprehensive proposal and then lobbied the Housing Authority, the Housing Corporation, Social Services and anyone else she thought might help.
Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.