Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently the government announced that the NWT Housing Corporation would receive additional funding from the federal government to spend over the next five years to increase the amount of affordable housing in the Northwest Territories. In the media interview, NWT Housing Corporation representative explained that some money has already been set aside for Yellowknife, Hay River and Inuvik, where it is determined housing difficulties are most notable.
Furthermore, the representative from the Housing Corporation stated that private market enterprise has been working to identify housing solutions in Yellowknife for many years and it would be unfair for a government agency to jump into the market at precisely the time when the private sector can develop opportunities for expansion.
Mr. Speaker, this new funding should focus on the smaller or non-market communities. Market forces such as supply and demand can take care of our larger centres because in those communities there is a large private sector. These regional centres could stand on their own, especially when it comes to development or more affordable housing.
Walk down the street here in Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker, and you can find a number of developers ready to build. In most of our smaller communities, this is not possible. There, we have a shortage of private industry, housing, infrastructure, financial as well as human resources. It is there we must devote most of our attention.
Mr. Speaker, decent, affordable homes have a major impact on the quality of our lives -- not only in terms of improving health and education achievement, but also in strengthening our communities for everyone. On February 15, 2002, our Prime Minister, in his speech at the Team Canada luncheon in Moscow, stated:
"We will continue to make strategic investments that contribute to building our long-term economic strength, building an advanced infrastructure of knowledge and skills for our people."
I suggest, Mr. Speaker, that in order to have that advanced infrastructure that the Prime Minister referred to, we must first begin with the basics. One of these basics is affordable housing -- affordable housing for all of our smaller communities in the North, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.
-- Applause