Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. All communities are treated equally. It is how the Members of this Legislative Assembly directed me to allocate units. Prior to my becoming the Minister of the Housing Corporation, units were allocated with a lot of politics involved. There were different ways of allocating that didn't make a lot of common sense. When we came in during this term of office, we realized that the dollars were very scarce and they were getting scarcer so we carried out an extensive needs survey that documented the need in every community.

I brought that needs survey to the Legislative Assembly. I discussed it in SCOF, I believe and I discussed it with ABCs. All the Members of this Assembly agreed that that is how we are going to allocate units. It isn't up to me. I wouldn't change what the majority of the Members of this Assembly gave me direction to do. That is what I am doing. I am allocating the units according to the 1992 needs survey and I haven't changed that.

The Chair Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

I appreciate that response, but that isn't consistent with the statement you are making. If you look at the allocation that was done last year and this year, Enterprise gets nothing but Fort Liard goes down one; from three to two. Fort Providence goes down from five to three. Fort Resolution goes down from four to two. Fort Simpson goes down from 11

to six. Fort Smith goes down from 14 to seven. The bulk of the communities are going down by one-half, but for Hay River; it goes down from 14 to 13. Hay River goes from two to nothing. Jean Marie goes from one to nothing again. Kakisa goes from one to nothing. Lutsel K'e goes down half again, from four to two. Nahanni goes up one from two to three. So there are some consistencies. If all the communities are being cut by half, I don't know why Hay River isn't.

The Chair Brian Lewis

Are you finished, Mr. Gargan? I don't know if there was a question there, Mr. Gargan. Mr. Morin, do you want to respond?

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In most cases, the units went down. You must realize that last year, the majority of the units allocated were allocated under the rent supp program. There were 133 of them. We do not have those units in this year's budget. We only have home ownership units and we only have 313 in this budget. Accordingly, that reflects on allocation. I don't have the money for the rent supp units. It is as simple as that.

The Chair Brian Lewis

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

But that excludes the Hay River Reserve, who don't get rent supps. If all the rest of the communities were excluded with regard to that, then the reductions should be equal.

The Chair Brian Lewis

I believe that was a question. Mr. Morin.

Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I can't answer his question, Mr. Chairman. I don't have the figures in front of me and I don't have the information with me on exactly why one community gets one less or two less. My understanding is these are allocated according to need. The Housing Corporation allocated the units according to need.

I previously offered a full briefing to the Member on the needs survey and allocations.

The Chair Brian Lewis

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Mr. Chairman, could you recognize the clock?

The Chair Brian Lewis

I will recognize the clock. I will rise and report progress. Thank you, Mr. Morin, for your help and your witnesses.

The Speaker Jeannie Marie-Jewell

I will call the House back to order. Item 20, report of committee of the whole. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.