Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am prepared to review it in the context of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation Act, under the specific section. I am committed to doing that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the act already permits certain portions of the question the Member raised. We can provide loan guarantees, we can provide grants to the communities and to non-profit organizations. I believe the act does allow us to do certain parts of what the Member has asked. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to let the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation off the hook and ask the Minister for Justice to take this next question.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Residential Tenancy Act provides for certain provisions of notice to tenants about increases in rent. When the harmonization program was announced a few weeks ago, notice did indeed go out, but it did not, Mr. Speaker, have any indication of the size or the actual amount of the increase the tenants were going to face.

Indeed, the act goes on to specifically exclude agencies responsible for public housing from giving -- in fact, I think even giving notices, the way I look at it. My question, Mr. Speaker, is why does the Northwest Territories Residential Tenancy Act allow housing agencies to avoid telling tenants the actual amount of proposed increase? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am familiar with the required statutes that would require the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation to advise its tenants that there will be an increase in rent, but it does not say the exact number. I am just going back to the Member's question. I understand that we are entitled to advise the tenants that they are eligible to be increased up to the economic grants that are established for a specific community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know if that actually gives tenants the information they really need, which is to know the exact amount of increase they are dealing with.

I want to ask the Minister, is it fair and in the spirit of the act that housing agencies are permitted to avoid telling tenants what the extra cost is going to be? Is it fair?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with the Member on the spirit and intent, although I do not have the specific details to the question. I am prepared to provide a detailed answer as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the indication that there is some imbalance here, perhaps some mistreatment, would the Minister then consider changes to the act to give a better notice and fairer treatment, Mr. Speaker, to tenants in public housing? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am prepared to do a comprehensive review of the statute, ensure that our public housing tenants are well aware of their rights, and then communicate that back to the Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This will be welcome. I note that here in Yellowknife, I think we have about 275 tenants in public housing. More distressing than that is there are about 150 on the waiting list. This is something that I think is overdue.

Would the Minister be able to advise, is this something that we could see before the conclusion of the term of this Assembly? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden.The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will acknowledge the request and make a concerted effort to respond to the Member prior to the conclusion of this Assembly.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. The time for question period has ended. Item 8, written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to the opening address. Item 11, replies to the budget address. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.