Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the main component of the new mandate change is getting away from focusing on social housing and social issues, and getting into property management and expanding the properties that we do have. We want to find ways of partnering with different groups, individuals, and corporations, to try to leverage more funding from federal program dollars, CMHC. One of the main components we are working on is to ensure that we do have resources to manage. Because we are running this as a business, we have to be more proactive. I think the Member's concerns are valid. Through presentations to yourselves as committee members with regard to our mandate change, hopefully with the input of the Members, we can see where we are going. One of the biggest challenges we are facing across the Northwest Territories is trying to find land to do property development. That's an area that's crucial to look at. Again, we are taking into consideration how we are going forward, and with the input of the Members of this House, we have to move in a different direction with the mandate change. We are open to that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The time for oral questions has expired. The Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am seeking unanimous consent to return to item 6, oral questions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 6, oral questions. Are there nay nays? There are no nays. We will return to item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, late this summer, somebody in Yellowknife came to me and said they were having difficulty providing service, and they provide medical supplies in the Northwest Territories. They were concerned that they were getting the cold shoulder. So on September 21st, I wrote a letter to the Minister of Health and Social Services asking four brief and simple questions. As of today, I haven't had any response from this Minster. Before I put my questions to him, I have to point out that it's these types of businesses who are asked to support the hospital and the hospital foundation. They say they would love to support these organizations, but if they are not given the chance to bid on contracts, even if they lose them potentially, but not even given the chance to try, how can they afford to help support these organizations? This letter is almost a month old. When can I expect a response so I can tell this person who is trying to run a business in the North? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before the end of session. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This person in Yellowknife who does the medical supply business says they never seem to know or see any purchase tenders go out in the newspaper. Again, they come from the perspective that they would just like a fair opportunity to apply and bid on these contracts, but they feel that they continually get the cold shoulder. What's the policy on public tenders, or do you just go straight to sole source in the South? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have some arrangements with some organizations and businesses in the Northwest Territories. I will make sure that we have a comprehensive reply for the Member by the end of session.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate hearing that news from the Minister. Mr. Speaker, my next question for the Minister is, does he have a policy that supersedes all policies about going south for sole source? Can I get some clarity on that to make sure that our northern contractors have an opportunity to bid on these? Again, if they lose them, that's fine. They want to be able to compete and try fairly. Do we have that policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As a department of this government, we follow the contracting guidelines that are there for all government departments to follow. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask some more questions of Mr. Krutko, Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. It concerns an initiative that is now in its second year, the market housing initiative. Mr. Speaker, this was something that this Assembly initially supported because it was designed to assist those communities that were having trouble attracting and keeping essential employees for GNWT services, especially Health and Education. We are now into the second and final year of delivering a total of 42 units to communities. What is the status on the delivery of the second lot of units, and are we on time and are we able to get things in under the weather radar here, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the majority of the units are in place. We have units going to Aklavik, Deline, Norman Wells, Rae and Gameti. The only one that still hasn't been placed is the one in Gameti. It's going to have to go on the winter road this winter. With regard to Rae, there are three units that have not been in place. We have one unit that is presently being constructed. We have two units still at the plant, and one unit is on site because we are presently in the process of developing the properties that they sit on. In Norman Wells, they are presently being constructed. We are hoping to have them ready to go by the end of November. The one in Aklavik is presently being put on site, and we are hoping to have that ready by the end of November. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to focus on the original objective of this, which was to get employees into units that were appropriate for them and affordable. The uptake on this in the first year was not all that great. I wanted to ask the Minister, of the 42 units that are either on site or in the process of being finalized, how may of them are being occupied by those essential workers, the initial target group of tenants? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to phase one, the 22 units, we do have 18 units occupied. There are four units that aren't occupied. Sixteen units are occupied by professionals, but we have sold two units in Tulita and one in Fort Resolution. Interest has been shown for other units in Fort Good Hope and Fort Liard.

Mr. Speaker, people have taken up housing units in those communities. Because they are available and people realize they are there, they understand what the cost of renting these units are. With the promotion of the Department of Education and ourselves, people will realize when you go into the communities that there is a cost associated with the rent. In order to rent these units, they will have to pay a certain price. We are able to bring down those costs; we are seeing an intake of different professionals. We have seen a major increase with regard to the rental of those units. Thank you.