Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would have to seek the information. We were expecting these trailer units to last for the term that we have amortized, and for years longer than that, and that is a 20-year period. I don't have any estimations to refer to, I don't have that information in front of me. So I don't know, I can't say in any certainty. Our amortization and full cost recovery is based on a 20-year period, I can offer that much. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is the Minister aware that mobile home units depreciate in value at a much faster rate than a stick built home? Thank you.

---Applause

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have to guess, but I would say yes. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister also concur that normally construction technique for mobile units would be different than that used in a normal stick built construction? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I couldn't say to a great certainty that it is different. We are having a number of developers interested in coming forward. First of all, the facility has to be mobile so that we can move it, however, for the rest of it there are some interesting concepts and designs being put forward that would allow us to build these units fairly close to what a normal stick built house would be, smaller and 16 feet wide, but it would also be mobile. So I think the concept that they are totally different, the building construction methods are different, and I think we are moving away from that considerably and it is coming closer to being one and the same. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is an interesting amount of detail for a tender that went out with no specifications. Mr. Speaker, I think it would be safe for the Minister to assume that the construction technique is somewhat different for mobile home units. I am responding to this because of the response to Mr. Villeneuve. It kind of suggested that somehow mobile homes are substandard. They are not substandard, but they are different. Life expectancy on a mobile home could be half of that of a normal stick built home, and that is just an industry knowledge that is understood. For example, the ability to insure mobile homes is quite different than stick built homes. So it goes to that point, and I just hope that all of these, and I had asked the Minister, if all of these variables have been considered in terms of investing taxpayers' dollars in these quick-fix market units. We may say they are cheaper than going with the stick built technique, but I want to know if the Minister has considered all of those things, the shorter life expectancy, the higher maintenance, the higher insurance costs, all of these other things. Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes we have made a lot of estimations on these units. We recognize they are not the same as a house. That is something that I didn't mean to indicate, that they are one and the same. There was a reference made that they are substandard for accommodations and that is the point that I was trying to make, that many people are residing in mobile homes across the North and they take pride in these units. We have looked at and realize that there are cost factors, and that is one of the reasons that we've gone to a mobile home. They may be a little bit more expensive to heat, and the lifespan is different. We recognize those things and we've taken those things into consideration. However, it is our goal to provide housing in the communities, as we have said many times, to respond to the public outcry in the Deh Cho, the Beaufort-Delta, the Sahtu, Nahendeh, and this is what we are putting forward. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just received a letter from the Inuvik alcohol committee with regard to Turning Point. I just want to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services if he can give this House an update as to the status of Turning Point as it relates to the alcohol and drug program, as well as the facility for the homeless. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I could ask the Member to repeat the last part of the question, I didn't catch it as he was sitting down. Thank you. I'll get my earpiece out here.

Mr. Allen, could you repeat your question? You will not lose any of your supplementaries.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll rephrase my question and put it in one sentence. Would the Minister update this Assembly on the status of the Turning Point facilities that relate to his alcohol and drug programs and how it will affect the issue of homelessness in Inuvik? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that as of today they are still operational and will continue to provide the services they do in both areas referenced by my colleague. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Allen.