Thank you Mr. Speaker, welcome back. Mr. Speaker I would like to speak a little today about Program 2000. When first announced I was in support of the goal to house 2,000 families by the year 2000. In my riding of Iqaluit we are short over 70 social housing units. I think that the program can still help alleviate that shortage of housing but the guidelines that are in place are too lax.
Mr. Speaker, the guidelines are so loose, they are probably loose enough to drive a truck through them. Many constituents in good faith, Mr. Speaker, have applied for the program and have qualified but because of the demand and the amount of funds available many may now be turned down. The Housing Corporation in Iqaluit has been under tremendous pressure with the number of applicants and all will not be able to partake of the program.
The program was announced in response to the shortage of housing and because the federal government has withdrawn support to provide financing for new social housing construction. Maybe we rushed the program before all the logistics were in place. Now we are in a no win situation. Applicants will be upset, so will contractors. Our staff will have to bearers of bad news. Is there any possible way to rebase the fund to allow more people access? Has the government tightened up the criteria for qualifying? What will happen to the applicants that qualified earlier and now will not qualify if the new regulations are passed? Are we changing the rules after the game has started?
Mr. Speaker, the Housing Corporation is trying to alleviate the housing shortage but there have been some mistakes made. Later today I will be asking the Minister for Housing about the program and the regulations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.