Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to again talk about an issue that continues to be the biggest concern for most constituents of Tu Nedhe: housing.
In Tu Nedhe there are many families living in units with all kinds of technical problems, such as mould, leaky roofs and outdated furnaces, fuel tanks and much, much more, but in a general sense, it’s most likely individuals and families that do not make enough money to do repairs and renovations to their homes.
Mr. Speaker, I’ve stood up in this House many times to raise issues and although the corporation has responded to many of my concerns, there’s still a long ways to go. Having three Housing Ministers in the last 24 months has not helped the problem. Each time this happens there are delays and it adds to the frustration of those in need in the communities.
Mr. Speaker, I am fully aware of the corporation’s obligation to address the Auditor General’s report and its recommendations and I appreciate the efforts they are making in this area. However, there still seems to be a problem that is not getting addressed such as basic maintenance and upkeep of their units, and how their clients are being dealt with also continues to be a problem.
The people in Tu Nedhe have mortgage arrears, land and tax lease arrears. This has prevented the NWT Housing Corporation from doing the sensible thing of saving their homes before their entire home needs replacing. They cannot seem to get around their own policies, Mr. Speaker. In a sense, Mr. Speaker, a policy now decides whether or not a person is in need, rather than the assessment of their current situation.
I know the NWT Housing Corporation has been staffing new positions in response to the issues, but more needs to be done. It needs to get creative and start looking at other ways of effectively dealing with the constituents. When clients are approved and sign on the dotted line, the corporation must be assured that they fully and completely understand the implications of what they are signing. Only then can houses become comfortable homes for these clients to live in.
Later today I’ll have questions for the Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation.