Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the area of communications with the Nunavut government under housing, to date, the department has not made contacts with them on the ability to secure any of the contracts. I am aware that Public Works out of Nunavut is handling the construction process for those housing units. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. What involvement, if any then, is the NWT Housing Corporation going to have with respect to the delivery of housing in Nunavut?

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As stated earlier when questioned by the Member in the House, that we would be looking at what we can do as a Housing Corporation to see if the Nunavut government would be dealing with us, but a lot of it hinges on the Nunavut government itself and how it intends to procure its contracts. A number of areas we are entering into are more in the area of financial services such as the design and maintenance end of things. That is the type of service contracts that we have entered into in the area of contracts with the Nunavut government.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Anything to add?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Further to add, we are also waiting for the Nunavut government to sign off on a contract with us for as and when services, but they have not signed off on that to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There has

been a motion passed with respect to the rent scale. Over the last couple of years there has been some discussion about the difference between what seniors living in their own homes versus seniors living in public housing pay for their accommodations. It comes up under areas of taxation and tax rebate for seniors, different programs. At some point there had been discussion about not necessary applying a means test to seniors in public housing but perhaps to revert to the program that was in place prior to the change in the rent scale which was, I believe seniors over 60 years of age were paying $100 per month. It was raised by Nunavut Members at the time, I believe, it would impose hardship on seniors in Nunavut, but being as there is no means test when seniors apply for public housing, and some of them have in the past been capable of and have been desirous of paying something, has the corporation given any consideration to the issue of reinstating some small amount of rent for seniors in public housing?

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As part of the rent scale review that is ongoing to date and actually goes quite well with the committee's motion, a number of areas are being looked at but, to date, there has been no decision or decision paper brought forward regarding changes to the rent scales. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

So I take it the Minister's answer is that there is no consideration being given to seniors' rents specifically? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In the area of seniors' rent it is part of the process that is ongoing with the review and we will take note of what is mentioned here. As well there has been some discussion in the past with the NWT Seniors Society and they have noted, as well, their concerns with the changes that happened in the past. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, Mr. Erasmus raised the issue of seniors' housing units. A number of years ago the NWT Housing Corporation had come out with a prototype and ideas for incorporating seniors' housing on the same property with extended family and I believe there were even models of that type of housing that were built at the time where it would be an add-on to existing housing so that, in fact, elders could live in close proximity but have privacy. I wonder whatever became of that program or were any of those ever implemented and did they work? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The program the Member is talking about was not incorporated into any of the plans of the Housing Corporation and has not been the subject of discussion or planning with the corporation for some time.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. I remember there was a lot of talk about it at the time. Was it not well received by the communities? Is that why it was not implemented? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That is an area that we are unfamiliar with at the present time and we would have to do some research to see when it was brought up and what was discussed and what became of it. To date we are unfamiliar with the issue the Member is raising. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.