Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Michael McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I’m just trying to figure out what the Member is referring to in terms of stripping benefits and services from the Housing Corporation to the seniors. I don’t believe any of that has happened. In fact, the last couple of years we’ve expanded our programs to accommodate seniors and remove the cap that limited the assistance that was provided to seniors historically. Now our seniors can access the same programs and services as anyone else.

The Member also asked a second question as part of this as to providing facilities for seniors. We do look at and analyze requirements for seniors in all our communities as part of our consideration. However, we do not provide seniors facilities that are considered to be institutions. Certainly we can have a discussion with the Department of Health. The facilities that we provide are usually in the area of existing upgrades or replacement units and the focus is on independent seniors, seniors that can look after themselves.

Would the Minister, you know, since he brought it up about existing units, everything’s been given to the bigger communities. Nothing’s been ever given to the smaller communities such as in my riding of Nunakput. So how could he say that in the first place? Everything’s in the South Slave. Or in your riding. Sorry. All I’m asking for is if this government could try. It doesn’t have to be a full-fledged elders facility; it could be a four-plex for elders.

I would have to undertake to put a list together for the investment that’s been made in the Member’s riding to show that there has been no intention or no neglect of investment in his communities. We certainly will, and could, and, as was requested, follow up and look at seniors facilities. We in the Housing Corporation cannot put a seniors facility that is a higher level than independent. That would have to

be done through the Department of Health and I can convey his request to her. But I can assure the Member that we have additional dollars that are being negotiated right now. We are putting a list together of needs. We’ve heard from his communities. We have seen petitions from the Member and members of his community. We’re taking that into consideration. Until that’s finally signed off with the federal government, it’s difficult to provide him an actual listing. He will have an opportunity to review it and see what the investment will be in those communities that he represents.

Absolutely, we’d be pleased to work with the Member. We make a commitment to share the information of investment that’s going to be made as a result of the new agreements with the federal government on the Northern Housing Trust. There are certainly conditions that we would have to keep in mind. Of course, first of all, as I mentioned before, we need to ensure that these houses are independent units; houses for seniors that can look after themselves. We also are not in a position to add to our public housing stock, so we do not have any operating dollars as of yet. That’s our next political challenge, to have those discussions with the federal government. I would be pleased to work with the Member and I’ve already committed I’ll share the information to him and the rest of our colleagues across the way here to ensure that they’re completely aware of the dollars that are being spent in their riding and their communities.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Jacobson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for that answer. I look forward to seeing your design. We could work together in going over them. All I want to bring up today, we want our elders to stay home. We don’t want to send them out of the community. We want them to stay home and live a happy life and not send them out to Inuvik and the stressful environment where they never get to see family. That’s all we’re asking. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. I didn’t hear a question there.

It was a good point.

The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.