Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to speak about the mandate and programming review of the NWT Housing Corporation. I would just like to remind this House, the corporation was enacted by legislation in 1978 and this is an old act. It is from a distant, archaic and colonial past.
The way that the program and policies run is that we tell our people we know better than you; we will do it for you. It removes freedom and flexibility from any clients in the Housing Corporation. I think today, in 2006, we should make homeowners true homeowners, Mr. Speaker. Often we give mortgage loans to clients, but we have to build it for them. I think today that, like any other loans we give to anybody, with ITI or BDIC, we offer loans and we provide them the loans; we don't tell them what trucks to buy or how to purchase investments for their businesses. It should be the same. The client should make the decisions on the type of home they get and they should be getting their own general. They should be hiring their own contractors to build their own homes to their satisfaction, Mr. Speaker. Their own choice. That's all they are asking; to have their own choice to have adequate construction and inspection proceeds for their houses.
That is all our constituents ever asked, is to be heard and to be in control of their own futures. In fact, I had one constituent with a new home being built next door and that person has no say in construction, but they are there. They see there are some inconsistencies, yet they really can't do anything, Mr. Speaker. Anywhere else in the world, when you're given money, you have control over your money and you can say what is built, what is inadequate or what is adequate. Once again, Mr. Speaker, I urge this House, this Minister and this government, to have flexible current policies for our constituents. Mahsi cho.
---Applause