Thank you, Madam Speaker. As I understand it, Madam Speaker, the Housing Corporation also proposed to lift the ceilings now in place for social housing in Iqaluit, on the basis of fairness and equity. However, Madam Speaker, I want to say this about fairness and equity. Social housing tenants, in my constituency, do not have wood to build houses or to fuel their stoves. Social housing tenants, in my constituency, do not have all-weather or even winter roads to reduce the highest cost of living in the country. The rent ceilings were put in place many years ago, to recognize the high cost of living of communities off the road where there are no local fuel supplies. Since the cost of living and supply of local wood has not changed, how can it be fair or equitable to now remove the ceilings on rent?

Madam Speaker, I cannot emphasize enough the sensitivity of this matter in my constituency. I fear that if these arbitrary increases are imposed -- and I understand the deadline may be as soon as July of this coming year, when federal funding is cut off -- many of my constituents, including large families, will have no choice but to move into deplorable shacks and qammaqs before they will pay these sharp increases in rent. A number of them are already living on the beach in my constituency, as Members of this House know.

My constituents will expect the Government of the Northwest Territories and the Minister of the Housing Corporation to take more forceful action with the federal government in the face of this treacherous action, not to repeat the treachery with my constituents, who have no alternative. Thank you, Madam Speaker.