Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for years, this government and the federal government have encouraged Aboriginal people to move away from their houses into social housing and encouraged people to move into the communities. It's always stated that we would provide them with affordable houses and, in many cases, Aboriginal people are very cautious and didn't want to do so, but they were reassured that they would have houses. Now we are telling them that you are going to have to start paying, and your Aboriginal rights no longer matter. Our students are going to have to pay rent based on their income. We don't have an alternate plan for seniors to move out of their social housing into independent housing. There is no program in the smaller communities. I understand there's been a program in Inuvik this year in the Minister's riding. I don't believe that's available in my riding. We are trying to get students back into school. We are trying to get more students involved in post-secondary school. How does this program fit in with that? How does this program help us bring more students to college?

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to take some time to respond to this because I think it's important that people are aware that we do have an affordable housing strategy, and a seniors' housing strategy was developed in the year 2000 that would put 96 senior units on the ground in the life of this term. We also wanted to introduce a singles' housing strategy that would also address the singles' needs and we have done that. Also, we amended or else we've introduced or modified existing housing policies that addressed 16 different programs delivered through the NWT Housing Corporation. We have deliberately gone into all the communities to discuss housing issues, raise the profile of the Housing Corporation, raised the profile of the LHOs, raised the profile of the housing needs and my evaluation to date is the fact that there has been a serious lack of follow-up. I must say that we have gone and worked diligently with all the Members of this House to address all the key local housing problems. Hopefully with the approval of the affordable housing strategy, we will put some 761 housing units on the ground within the next four years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have to agree with the Minister that there has been some breakdown in the line of communication. I don't believe it's been clear what the whole harmonization initiative is all about and that hasn't been relayed to the communities. I am glad there are units available, 96 units available and I am hoping we will see some in my riding. There has been no consideration taken in for social conditions or the actual conditions of the units. Many seniors are very upset about that. My final question for the Minister is in light of the fact that many seniors want to move out of social housing and into independent units. How many of these 96 units that he's building will be in my riding? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The base of the allocation was made in the year 2000, based on the housing needs survey. Yes, as we go along and we find there is a great demand for seniors or singles, then we address that at that point. Each year, through our allocations, we have been able to deliver a number of units throughout the Northwest Territories and it's based on demand and on need. I am certain, Mr. Speaker, that according to the information we have, we have delivered a number of different housing projects in each Member's riding. We have not been doing this indiscriminately. We want to make sure that the Member is aware that we have given every community equal opportunity to participate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 7, oral questions. Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

I must first of all thank the Member for Yellowknife South for being so gracious to me yesterday. Now I see I am paying the price today. Mr. Speaker, as I expressed earlier, I have continually worked with all communities to ensure that one of our 16 programs would fit the needs of that community and I am prepared to evaluate the outcomes. If the Member needs more independent housing programs in Hay River, yes, we may be able to modify the expanded assistance down payment program to meet the IHP demand. We are prepared to balance the level of delivery we do in that community. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, based on the Housing Corporation's 2000 NWT housing needs survey, there were 182 households in core need in Hay River. The criteria for acceptance to purchase or build a home under the independent housing program is a household income between $24,000 and $48,000. There are a lot of households in Hay River that would qualify for the IH program, but it's not offered in Hay River. Would the Minister please indicate to this House if he is aware of how many households could be helped in Hay River if the IH program was offered and, of that figure, how many are the Housing Corporation having to turn down because the IH program is not offered in Hay River? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have the specific numbers with me, but I want to make the Member aware that besides the IH program, we also have a mortgage assistance program that we offer to clients who may fall through the cracks. We have been working with several of those clients and we will continue to do so. The important point is that this mortgage assistance program assists loans for new construction or purchase of existing property, extensions, renovations and repairs related to health and safety and energy efficient devices. That is another program that I am not sure has been communicated widely, but that's another option to our IH program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I am not mistaken, that program the Minister is talking about was able to help three clients in Hay River last year. They were the only ones who fit into that program. So the needed program in Hay River is the IH program. Mr. Speaker, if there is a caveat built into the independent housing program to protect the financial investment and equity of the private market, it stands to reason the program could be introduced in Hay River to help those in core need. Will the Minister agree to institute the independent housing program in Hay River thereby assisting a large number of low income households in Hay River to obtain modest housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, more than likely I am prepared to recommend and suggest that we reprofile some independent housing funds to facilitate other means of delivery and construction, and I agree that we may be able to institute some of those next fall. But we do continue to support the high school home builders program and have delivery models that are affordable to manage IHP clients. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad for the Minister's answer on that and I assume that the Minister is not taking into consideration and then introducing this program in Hay River and causing market disruption and he is prepared to move forward on the IH program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am prepared to do that on a case-by-case basis. I think we need to really evaluate the clients' needs and certainly, in respect of what the Member is saying, I certainly want to sit down with him as well as our district office to ensure we are not causing any market disruptions through the introduction of the IH program in the community. Thank you.

Item 7, oral questions. Mr. McLeod.