Merci, Mr. Speaker. In the last few weeks, I have had the opportunity to join two Yellowknifers in running a petition to get more affordable rental housing legislation in the NWT. To date, Barry Newman, Mark Zimmer and I have collected more than 300 signatures. I will be bringing this petition into the House in early March, Mr. Speaker, so there is still time for people to sign it and show their support for this critical need.
But you know, besides this show of support, I have been very pleased with the amount of discussion and debate that this petition has helped create in the midst of a very, very tight housing market in Yellowknife.
One of the recent commentaries was an editorial in that fine newspaper, The Yellowknifer. The paper clearly supported one of the petition's objectives, which is to urge government to help the construction of more affordable rental housing in the communities, not just in Yellowknife.
But the paper took the wrong direction, Mr. Speaker, with its hasty and mistaken conclusion that the legislation we are looking for amounts to rent controls. This is a simplistic view and it is simply wrong.
What we are seeking, Mr. Speaker, is a better way for our rentals office to be able to help landlords and tenants to iron out disputes concerning rent hikes that are too darn high and come too darn often for people to cope with.
When I was in one of the shopping malls collecting signatures, Mr. Speaker, I spoke with an elderly gentlemen who has his grandchildren, who are now young adults, staying in his apartment because they can't afford to be on their own.
I spoke with a young couple about to start a family who are now paying $1,430.00 for their three bedroom unit. Two years ago, Mr. Speaker, they were paying $905.00.
I spoke with a woman who has been living in Yellowknife for two years but says she just doesn't feel established as a resident because she can't get a place that she is ready to call home.
Mr. Speaker, these are the messages that I am getting and I know other MLAs are getting these messages, too. I know there are better ways to deal with rental issues than our 15-year-old act and I hope our petition will help us get there. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.