Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, we did do a needs survey assessment in the communities that we considered. All communities outside the market communities and the outcome of that initiative was there was a need. There were some communities who indicated that they didn't require it. We did target and allocate the different units to different communities. We did talk to all affected communities as I indicated before. We talked to LHOs, different agencies and we did talk to the Construction Association. The point that Mr. Delorey brings up is something that was voiced to us that maybe we should have taken a little bit more time to consult in terms of ways that we could have allowed the northern producers or companies to be more involved. The time factor in this case didn't allow us to do it. We are planning to meet with a number of different companies to talk about the options for the next fiscal year, the next round. There is a lot of interest. We know the numbers of tenders that were picked up that there is going to be no shortage of bids. We also know that there are a lot of companies interested in looking at ways to produce these right here in the North. So we are quite excited about that. I have to agree, maybe there could have been a little more done in terms of consultation with producers. However, we did consult with the communities that were going to be affected. We did communicate that and we did take the first opportunity we had after receiving the authority or the permission to go ahead with this initiative. We did use the first opportunity to provide information to the committee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, I realize once again that the Minister has an initiative to put as many houses on the ground and there is no denying, I suppose, having consultations with the communities for their needs and getting as many units as they possibly can, they are going to be totally in favour of that. But it was not so very long ago, Madam Chair, that the Minister was on our side and I remember him speaking quite clearly about the lack of consultation when our government decides to do a move like this. I know he wouldn't settle for time constraints and the need to do this right away. I know consultation is a big factor in this thing. I just want to mention that I talked to one contractor who was looking at bidding on the contract we are talking about -- the 22 trailers -- he said to me that everything included was in the bid, the pad, the skirting, the fully set-up trailer on pads and skirted and it was all part of the contract. Now from what I am hearing from the Minister, that's not the case. I would like to get clarification on that. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The pads are separate, as I indicated before. It's a separate part of this whole project that will be handled by the LHOs. I believe that was the question.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Delorey.

So how much is separate from the contract, the pads, the skirting? I would like to know if the contract just called for the units to be FOB the community they were going in and that's all there was to it? That's not the impression I got from one of the contractors who were looking at putting the tender on this. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Mr. McLeod.

That's correct, Madam Chair. The contract is only for the units to be FOB, Hay River if they are going to be on the barge system and also FOB the communities that they are designated to. I just conferred with my officials and they inform me that's how the contract is laid out.

Thank you. Next on the list I have Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, that was the first thing we did look at was the cost-effectiveness and resale value of stick built versus trailers and also the ability for us to charge competitive rents in the different communities. I think the percentage rate was from 25 percent to 35 percent from the North to the South. So we did consider it, but we ruled it out as being a lot more expensive. We didn't think we would be able to be competitive.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I don't know if that was the question. I am looking in terms of the efficiency of heating with regard to the trailers. I know they make nice trailers nowadays, but I know there is a difference between the two. I am just wondering if that cost was considered. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, that's correct. Because the units are expected to be full cost recovery, we were looking at northern packages that tend to be more energy efficient. Of course, they will not be as efficient as the stick built units, but we had to take that into consideration as the costs of operations is included in the level of rents that are going to be charged. The rents are intended to have a full cost recovery. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Going back to his earlier comment, Madam Chair, he talked about band managers, SAOs, et cetera, that may require housing units in the smaller communities. I thought nowadays we are training our own people to be teachers. We do have local SAO people. Although they might not have the capacity to have these people in place, I know what they are looking at in terms of staffing. Looking back at my community of Tuk, a lot of the teachers we have are local. There are a few from the South. Will the 22 units accommodate the whole region or territory? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Madam Chair, for the Member's information we are not putting any units in the community of Tuktoyaktuk. We did talk to the community. There was an indication that there was no desire to have these units there, so there is none targeted for this year or next year. We did have indications from the other communities. Whether or not 42 units are sufficient to meet the needs, we are starting to get a number of responses from the communities. They are now all aware of the units that are being targeted for the communities and for the most part, they are saying it's not enough. They need more. There are communities that have sent lists of who in the community, which positions, don't have adequate facilities. We have, by all accounts, reports of people, teachers, staying together having to share accommodations that are run down. There are teachers renting bedrooms off of families. There is a lot of overcrowding taking place across the North. There is a real need out there. We recognize it and we are hearing it from some of the different departments. We have to encourage market development in the communities. This is not the only avenue we are utilizing. We are trying to encourage different corporations and companies in the communities to look at doing their own. We have been successful in some cases. We do provide corporate loan guarantees to companies and some communities have decided to go that route. In some cases, we've provided bridge financing for them to meet winter road deadlines and providing cost-efficient units. We are looking at three-bedroom units and the one community is looking at two-bedroom units. So this is not the only initiative. We are looking at all angles to try to meet the demand. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I am going to make a few comments with regard to the corporation's goals. I would like to know what the department is doing to educate people who get into the homeownership program. Right now, there are a few people in my constituency who got into this program without any education from the department with regard to the upkeep. What is our department doing to educate homeowners with regard to the upkeep of the units? Thank you, Madam Chair.