Mr. Chairman, we still have social housing problems on the reserve. I don't have the needs survey in front of me, but I have done my own survey of the number of houses that require repairs. There are 42 units that either have to be replaced or repaired. The district office has advised me that there is no use spending the amount of money required to repair those old units, because we would be throwing money away if we continue to do that. So, we have to replace those units.
I haven't mentioned that single people are now living with their parents because there are no units. A lot of the parents are trying to make do with what they have in order to accommodate their children who are married and still living with them. But this year, the reserve gets nothing; absolutely nothing. No repairs, nothing.
Since I have become a Member, I have tried to resolve the issue of social housing on the reserve because of their status. Because it is a reserve, they cannot get public housing. For this reason, we have a situation where, even though people are on social assistance and old age security, we really don't have any programs for them. They cannot afford their own units and the upkeep on those units. There is a need on the reserve.
Unfortunately, I can't make an argument because there is no scale. They said the scale was done, but wasn't right. I don't know how to convince the Minister that there is an urgent need to address the situation on the Hay River Reserve. At one point, the federal Minister was willing to give what they call a ministerial guarantee to build social housing units, on the condition that this government gives the federal government what they call an indemnification. It is sort of a guarantee from this government for social housing.
The Minister hasn't addressed it, nor did Mr. Butters address it when he was a Minister. So, we still have a group of people on the reserve who are not being addressed. The only way to address them is through the public housing needs survey, Mr. Chairman.