Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A flexible transition period really makes sense and I’ll tell you why. It’s my experience very few people would rather choose the option of not working, staying at home and waiting for something better to come along than when the possibility of a job will inspire them to get out there and help put their life together and keep it in order.

Mr. Speaker, working creates independence, but our housing policy does not. Mr. Speaker, we want people on their feet and running; not running from the Housing Corporation, we want them running in support of their families and on their own.

Mr. Speaker, this creates motivation for people who want to work. Even short-term work is better than no work at all. Unfortunately, who are we fooling? The housing officers know the exact extent of this problem. They know that if their tenants go out and work that they’ll be slapped with huge increases within a few days and, as colleagues here have said, those increases come when there’s no money left because of that short-term work. So who are we fooling? We’re fooling ourselves by leaving the policy in its existing state. We’re encouraging people not to work, we’re encouraging people to stay home, we’re encouraging people to be dependent on the system. So, Mr. Speaker, what kind of government are we if we encourage people to not be themselves, not to find ways to better

themselves, not to find ways to get out there and create independence for themselves as well as their families?

Mr. Speaker, a flexible transition period does everything we want them to do. We talk about creating independent people. That’s what this does. Mr. Speaker, it’s kind of like the old saying of going zero to 60. The rent policy says, well, you pay very little, if none; you work today, you go up a whole lot when you’re not prepared for it. The rent transition means we are going to stagger it. I am well aware and have seen it myself, that the government has developed models on sliding scales. This is something that could encourage people to say, wait a minute, we are just going to make a little bit, you know? We are going to charge just a little bit more this month because you are making more this month. I think people would be encouraged then. The more you make, the more we will be part of the solution to help you.

Mr. Speaker, it is encouraging that this motion comes forward, because this really again speaks to the need that we need to find ways to empower people. We know that people working are healthier people. We know that when people are working, their families are stronger. We know that if we create a system where they are dependent on the system, that they are much happier to be at home. That is not healthy for anybody.

So, Mr. Speaker, this motion creates independence and I think that is why we are here. I would like to see that go through. I certainly hope Cabinet could find its way to support this motion, but I know they’ll sit and watch it go by in their abstaining kind of way. Mr. Speaker, I just want to say how, in advance, I am going to be disappointed by this Cabinet because I know exactly how they will vote. And that said, I will support the motion and I look forward to seeing this motion pass with uniting this side of the House and we will show Cabinet how it really needs to be done. Thank you Mr. Speaker.