Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a few years ago I was elected as the representative for the Sahtu region. In the past couple of years, the highest area of concern in my region has been affordable housing units, along with the number of houses being built in our communities.

Mr. Speaker, there is an old saying, "Home is where the heart is." People have a lot of concerns in regards to...

---Phone ringing

I'm certainly hoping that that wasn't for me, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

I was very surprised, Mr. Speaker, when I saw the recent housing survey results in the Sahtu region, that the Sahtu had the highest core need of all the regions, at 28 percent.

The good news, however, Mr. Speaker, is that the Housing Corporation has dropped that from 35 percent since 2000. For example, in Colville Lake, 76 percent of homes are still in core need; by far the highest in the Northwest Territories. Wrigley is next, at 50 percent in core need. One hundred percent of Colville Lake homes have problems with adequacy. There is lots of work to do in our homes in the Sahtu region. Core need in Deline is at 42 percent; 37 percent in Fort Good Hope; 36 percent in Tulita; and 9 percent in Norman Wells.

Mr. Speaker, we have a long way to go; however, there is some good news, I understand, from Housing Corporation, that we have a fully staffed up district office to help our communities, and that programs now need to be looked at that will fit the communities' needs and their various ideas in how to best bring down these numbers.

Mr. Speaker, I know there is a lot of work to be done in housing; however, in my time, I have seen the numbers decrease. There is some support in the Housing Association, so as much as I want to talk about the work that needs to be done in housing, I also want to say thank you to the Minister and his staff for bringing down these numbers in the Sahtu region. Again, I want to thank the staff there. Thank you.

---Applause