Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present to the Legislative Assembly, the 2000-2001 Interim Appropriation for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Mr. Chairman, as you know, and Members of this House are aware, two of the most basic needs are food and shelter. It is the second basic need that the Housing Corporation works to provide.

The corporation is requesting a contribution from this government of $17,886,000; $9,789,000 for capital programs and $8,097,000 for operations and maintenance. The capital of $9,789,000 constitutes 45 percent of the 2000-2001 main estimates. It is normal for the corporation to spend almost half of its capital budget within the first four months because the majority of the building materials are transported during that time.

The operations and maintenance total of $8,097,000 is 37 percent of the 2000-2001 main estimates plus forced growth of $113,000 due to pension reform.

Over 90 percent of the operations and maintenance capital being requested will ultimately be spent on projects that will be community based.

Mr. Chairman, the corporation is at the final stage of the 2000 housing needs survey, which I expect to table later this sitting. The corporation will be using the needs survey as one of its key documents in developing a strategic plan to decrease housing needs in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chairman, the corporation is at the beginning stages of developing new goals and strategies that better incorporate community input. The president and I have traveled to many communities to see first hand what the housing problems are. We will continue to travel until all communities have been visited by either Mr. Beaulieu or myself to seek their input in addressing their housing needs. We have already begun discussions with several communities on ways that we can work together as partners in developing a strategy to address housing needs at the community level.

Mr. Chairman, the corporation will continue with its provincial and territorial counterparts to lobby the federal government to at least maintain the current federal funding provided by the federal government.

Mr. Chairman, the corporation plans to work with the communities and other government departments to ensure that the money spent first addresses housing needs and secondly, creates some positive economic impacts for the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes my comments and we will be pleased to answer any questions the House may have. Thank you.