This is page numbers 55 - 89 of the Hansard for the 12th Assembly, 5th Session. The original version can be accessed on the Legislative Assembly's website or by contacting the Legislative Assembly Library. The word of the day was violence.

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Supplementary To Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Brian Lewis Yellowknife Centre

To the same Minister, despite the many visits that he has made to Ottawa and due to the obvious unwillingness

of the federal government to fulfil its legal obligations, what is the position of this government? What is this government going to do with a federal government that refuses to accept its legal responsibility?

Supplementary To Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have always said that it is the responsibility of the federal government and that they have the legal obligation to supply housing for aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories. We continue to tell them that. We have encouraged aboriginal groups to deal directly with the federal government on the housing crisis in the Northwest Territories. We will do everything possible to assist aboriginal groups, to make sure the federal government does live up to its responsibilities. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Question 39-12(5): Federal Government's Legal Responsibility For Social Housing
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. To the Minister responsible for Housing, what efforts has the Minister made to meet with the Minister responsible for Indian Affairs and Northern Development to ensure that DIAND picks up where CMHC has left off, in terms of funding for social housing, particularly to aboriginal and treaty people?

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 40-12(5): Minister's Efforts Re Social Housing
Question 40-12(5): Minister's Efforts Re Social Housing
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have made it very clear to the federal government that Indian Affairs does fund aboriginal housing in southern Canada, to the tune of $130 million a year. I have raised the issue, personally, with the Minister responsible for Indian Affairs of the federal government. My colleague, the Honourable John Pollard, has raised the issue. Our Premier has raised the issue with the same Minister, as well as with the Prime Minister. Stephen Kakfwi, the Minister for Intergovernmental Affairs, has raised the issue when he has met with them. As well, we will be attending a meeting in Edmonton on February 16, with Mr. Irwin and we will raise the issue again. Thank you.

Return To Question 40-12(5): Minister's Efforts Re Social Housing
Question 40-12(5): Minister's Efforts Re Social Housing
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. The Minister has repeatedly reassured this House and its committees that he is pursuing the federal government to re-establish the cut funds for social housing. We all acknowledge and commend him on his efforts in that respect. However, there is a possibility that no funds will become available. What does the Minister plan to do to address the crisis in social housing, when no further federal funding is available?

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Besides praying, if there is no funding from the federal government, we have attempted to address a portion of the needs. We would be dreaming in technicolour if any of us think that with the existing dollars we have, we can solve the social housing problem in the Northwest Territories. This problem is far too big. It's too huge, it's a crisis. If you think that this government, with the funds that it has, can solve it on its own, then we are dreaming in technicolour. We have to find a source of outside funds, or find some other ways to be funded because we just don't have the money. Even with the money we had last year, we're not even meeting ten per cent of the need.

If we had continued to get around $40 million to $47 million a year from the federal government, then we could have slowly closed the gap on social housing problems. But as it is now, the gap is getting bigger and it may mean we'll have to make some hard decisions. All 24 of us, not just myself or Cabinet. It's going to mean we'll have to make some hard decisions on how we spend our money. Thank you.

Return To Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Mr. Ng, supplementary.

Supplementary To Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Kelvin Ng Kitikmeot

I think we recognize that the sale of the GNWT's housing in this current year has gone toward providing some of the social housing for this year, and possibly for next year. Does the government or the Minister have any plans to sell off any other assets of this government to meet the social housing needs?

Supplementary To Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Right now, the government is doing an inventory of the other assets we own. There are no immediate plans of myself, as Minister, to sell off anything to solve the housing crises. That would have to be a Cabinet decision, and a decision with recommendations made of this House. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Question 41-12(5): Minister's Plans To Address Social Housing Crisis
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

February 9th, 1994

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is

to the Minister of Housing with regard to the allocation of public housing. With the shortage in almost every community, everyone is concerned that a fair allocation of public and social housing units should be made. Without getting into the actual allocation of units, can the Minister explain the logic and process used to allocate the available units to NWT communities?

The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Return To Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Two years ago, the NWT Housing Corporation, in partnership with the communities, made a comprehensive needs study in all the communities of the Northwest Territories. Through that needs study, it identifies those people in need of units, what type of units are needed, what type of programs are needed to address their need, that's how the allocation is based.

Right now, your allocation for your communities is meeting, I believe, less than ten per cent of the actual needs. So if you need 100 units, you're going to get approximately ten or less. But the allocation is distributed fairly that way.

Return To Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Supplementary To Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I can only speak on my constituency, but one of the things I have noticed this year in my constituency is a substantial reduction of public access to social housing. I believe that allocation far exceeds the needs assessment. In other words, I realize in my constituency perhaps I didn't even get the ten per cent required. I would like to ask the Minister what he is doing in order to address the needs assessment and the allocations required by that needs assessment.

Supplementary To Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Further Return To Question 42-12(5): Process For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

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Don Morin Tu Nedhe

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Like I said, the allocation is based on the needs assessment. We are trying to make the best use of the dollars, the best mix of the use of the dollars that we have. When we build public housing stock or rent supp, we can build approximately seven, I think it is, home ownership units compared to the one. We try to use the proper mix. The mix we are using this year is 70 per

cent home ownership and 30 per cent rent supp. Then, we allocated that according to need. Thank you.

Further Return To Question 42-12(5): Process For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

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The Speaker

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Supplementary To Question 42-12(5): Process For Allocation Of Housing Units
Question 42-12(5): Process Used For Allocation Of Housing Units
Item 5: Oral Questions

Page 61

Samuel Gargan Deh Cho

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Before Christmas, I wrote a constituency newsletter with regard to dealing with housing, only. In that newsletter, I did identify a lot of the old northern rental units that have to be replaced. I believe there are 12 of them. There are also about 24 young parents, single parents, who need houses and don't have any. I have also identified bachelors who also have no units. The way I see it is that the allocations that have been made to my constituency only address maybe a couple of families, when you know, in fact, they should be looking at the other people. What I'm saying to the Minister is that the allocation doesn't meet the needs assessment that was done in my constituency. I'm saying that if the requirement is for 20 units and I only get four, then how is he addressing the other 16 that are required based on that needs assessment?