Thanks to the deputy minister, or president, for that information. I’m glad that the Shelter Review Policy has been mentioned. I guess I need to say, first of all, that it’s a little unfortunate that the rent scale review is taking so long. I can understand why it’s being tied in with the Shelter Review Policy, but it is unfortunate that it’s something that Members have been asking for for probably three years now and it’s still not ready to come.
The Shelter Review Policy I fully support. I think it’s something which is long overdue and I think we have many policies with regard to housing that create roadblocks and inhibit people from accessing housing easily and to getting the housing that they need or should have.
I would like to ask about the coordination of the Housing Corporation with other departments when they do this shelter review. I’ve said a number of times in the last while that we need to coordinate our policies across departments, and housing particularly ties in with income support. It ties in with Health and Social Services in terms of parents who’ve had their children apprehended and lose their home because they no longer have their children, they get the kids back and they don’t have a home where they can accommodate the children. There’s any number of situations where the housing policies and/or the policies of another department impact on housing that people need and are trying to get.
To the Minister: what kind of coordination will there be through all departments of the government when you’re doing this shelter review?