Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the core components of our initiatives is to look at the affordability, adequacy and suitability of housing for people in the North. I think the biggest element of that is affordability. We hear about people trying to get mortgages, people trying to get into homeownership, but the problem that we're running into is the costs of stick-built homes in the Northwest Territories are excessive. We do have a manufacturing directive that looks at manufacturing products in the North, and in the last 10 years we've spent $18 million in that area. All that goes back to the homeowner. I think it's important that through those three initiatives, looking at the affordability questions, the suitability and also the accessibility for people to be able to access these programs and not have these restraints in place. So right now through the mandate review, those are the three goals and objectives we're trying to meet through the new mandate change that we're going forward with.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that answer. It gives me a very clear picture of where he's going because there is always that debate over more houses for our money or fewer houses, but now adding all these other things onto it. What I want to ask the Minister, is it conceivably compatible that we could deliver more affordable housing while at the same time creating northern economy through it? I think of the market housing initiative, bringing in units from the South. Can we accomplish that here in the North? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to the question that the Member asked, as it sits right now, nobody in the Northwest Territories has the certification to provide these types of mobile homes. In order to meet national standards, Canadian National Building Codes, and getting the certification that's needed to build these units, right now no one has that certification in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it would be ideal to be able to provide affordable housing while, at the same time, creating jobs and economy in the North. Would the Minister, through the Housing Corporation, be prepared to pursue with potential interested parties the possibility of manufacturing certified homes in the North for northerners? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that's the goal we are facing. We have spoken to respective companies that are considering working in that area. They are companies that are looking at the possibility of establishing such a business. But again, there are proposals that we are suggesting going forward with through the Business Development Corporation, the Business Credit Corporation and working with those other arms of government to help the entrepreneur or the business community that we've spoken to companies in Yellowknife and Hay River and also in Southern Canada who are considering making such a move. But again, it has to be economically sound and, at the end of the day, it has to be affordable. We have to develop a product we can afford at the end of the day to sell to our clients. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, there are several initiatives we are working on. One is looking at the mandate of the corporation and we're hoping to have it ready by April 1st to take to Cabinet. Another area that I touched on earlier is the whole area of developing a northern housing strategy to deal with the federal government. In the federal budget there was a whole bunch of announcements looking at the whole area of conservation and looking at energy-efficient homes and whatnot. We have to build that into our building methods in the North, but also look at access to federal programs. So those are some of the initiatives we are working on.

There's also another initiative we're working on with my colleagues in looking at the whole idea of the pipeline and how are we able to access some of that infrastructure that is going to be built, or even have the ability to put this infrastructure together through partnerships or arrangements with communities and industry. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's my belief that some of our government policies date back to the invention of the wheel. Mr. Speaker, this government, in my opinion, does not have a coordinated housing policy for seniors and persons with disabilities. Will the Minister answer the question, do we have any type of coordinated plan and policy? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working closely with the Seniors' Society. We do have a universal arrangement with them where we've funded them to work with us on different promotion packages, such as the seniors' disabled maintenance programs. We do have a lot of programs directed towards seniors with regard to the housing proposal. Again, we are working in conjunction with the

different organizations: the Council for Disabled People and the Seniors' Society. So we are working with them, but we also have programs that are directed to seniors and people with disabilities.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I further rise with a bit of concern because it's working with here, working with there, working who knows everywhere. I feel like Dr. Seuss, for goodness sakes. Mr. Speaker, I know we can do something like this and, by George, we have the paper, we have the hot air. Can we get a coordinated policy that organizes independent, respectful, dignified living for people who are seniors and people with disabilities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if you look at the programs and services that this government delivers, especially in the area of seniors and working with people with disabilities, we do have a lot of good programs. I'm not going to say they are all bad. We do have good programs out there. They do improve the living conditions of a lot of our seniors with regard to our repair programs and our maintenance programs. Also we are looking at the whole arrangement with regard to barrier-free access. The Member touches on that but, again, it's a national standard. We build houses in the Northwest Territories using Canadian Building Code standards. We have to follow those standards, it's a national standard. So again, because of the national implication and guidelines we follow, we have to be directed by those guidelines right now because we don't have those guidelines in house right now from the Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd really like to know if this government believes that policies need to evolve with the time. Mr. Speaker, will this Minister agree that dignified independent living should be a priority of this government? Do we believe that's an important issue? Do we believe the quality of life is linked to good living for our seniors and people who have disabilities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.