Mr. Speaker, there were more recent surveys done by CMHC and we based it on the most recent survey. I can give the Member the year and the month the last survey was done.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Personnel. The government has had a hardship allowance in place for some time and I understand we do not call it that any more, we are supposed to call it a "shelter allowance." I believe that this allowance is based on gross household income. Can the Minister indicate whether the definition of "gross household income" covers the situation where dependents and extended families are being cared for out of that income?

Mr. Speaker, the definition of "gross household income" is largely arrived at knowing what Revenue Canada is going to use when you have to do your tax at the end of the year. It lists what "gross household income" is and I am providing the detailed definition of "gross household income" to Members. My understanding of it is the gross household income does not reflect some of the social fabric of our own family arrangements here in the NWT. I think it will become more clear if the Member looks at the definition we are providing.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In many of the communities in the territories, for instance, the income from aboriginal employees is derived from the wage economy and is supplemented by local harvest or food that is shared by other hunters in the community. How does the Minister's calculation of gross household income account for the impact of that domestic harvest?

Mr. Speaker, because there are some questions about it, I will try to speak quickly. I will read the determination of gross household income.

"The following forms of income for each member of the household are considered income for the purpose of determining shelter assistance.

"All forms of income, such as salary, self-employed earnings, wages, commissions, rents, investment income, part-time earnings, tips, alimony, maintenance payments, child support received from a separated or divorced spouse, court awarded child support payments, unemployment insurance benefits, old age security pension, guaranteed income supplement, CPP and QPP pension, private pensions or annuities, regular payments from WCB, insurance plans, legal settlements, employees granted housing allowances, and vacation travel assistance provided by the employer that is not used for vacation travel expenses by the employee.

"The following forms of income are not considered to be part of the income for purposes of determining shelter assistance.

"Child tax credit payments, maintenance payments for foster children, boarding allowances for students, living out or travelling allowances for any household member, lump sum payments received from insurance settlements, inheritance, disability awards, sale of effects, capital gains, legal settlements, windfall gain such as lotteries or bingos,"

That should interest all of you.

---Laughter

"Gifts of cash, retraining allowances, loans, grants and bursaries for education and business, all income with the exception of employees on paid education leave of any household member whose full-time attendance is at school, treaty payments, social assistance payments, VTAs provided by an employer which are used by the employee for vacation expenses and settlement allowances.

"The following items are considered deductions from gross household income.

"We deduct $2500 per year or $208 per month from gross income earned by any household member who is receiving CPP or QPP retirement benefits. We also deduct the amount of alimony payments from the income of any household member who is paying alimony."

Yes.

Mr. Speaker, for those units that do not have their own separate metering, we will make adjustments and charge a flat rate based on the community average for a unit the size of which is being occupied.

Mr. Speaker, there will be two things done. Where tenants are complaining about the energy efficiency of units, people from Personnel and DPW will set up a time to meet with each tenant to do an energy audit, and there will be some assessment of whether it is worthwhile to repair and how much it will cost to repair. If the tenant is interested in purchasing it, the cost of how much it would take to bring it up to standard would also be established. There is another process which we will set up for any tenant who wishes to purchase the unit, we will send in an independent appraiser by contracting a company or individuals who do this professionally. The appraiser will go to the unit and meet with the tenant and, with the tenant's involvement, complete an appraisal of the unit to arrive at a sale value of a particular unit.