Thank you, Mr. Chair. I think the Housing Corporation, just in the short time I’ve been here, are just trying to set up some signposts in terms of a quick evolution. I think last fall we heard it quite clear, the overwhelming concerns about people in terms of trying to aspire at the end of the day to maintain a living in communities and, at the same time, become homeowners in their own home community. As a result, it was an ongoing effort in terms of trying to remedy the rental system to make it fairly equitable so people in communities found it at least doable at the community level, and trying to survive the high cost of living and the depressing job opportunities. People are challenged at that level.

So there was a level during the shelter review policy to try to change the system. As a result of that, we also had a moratorium in terms of evicting people. Now we have an effort in terms of our new rent scale.

I applaud the Housing Corporation for taking those steps, but I still feel there is still some contrast. At the end of the day, people that want to should be given an opportunity to own their own homes. We all live in almost like a market system. At the end of the day, you try to encourage people to buy their own homes. That’s the way to go. That’s how the Canadian system works.

The circumstances of the Northwest Territories are fairly unique. People are challenged at the local level to try to purchase their own homes. They have to rent. They don’t have much choice.

One of the points I wanted to make is I drew up an example earlier. People who have lived in a house and rented for the past 30 or 40 years, raised their families in there, are still paying rent to this day. At some point would the department consider perhaps some creative options? They are fiscally challenged. If you are fiscally challenged, surely we should try to look for some solutions in terms of meeting the needs of people in delivering programs

and services. Perhaps we will have to look upon other people for their ideas. So be it.

There has to be some options of trying to encourage people to own their own homes. If people do own their own homes, of course they will have some responsibility of maintaining their house and in turn they will have a level of assurance that one of their basic needs is covered and they are free to move about in the community and become positive contributors to society in general.

Speaking of contrast, we still have some very stark contrasts in communities. People continue to go through the challenges of being evicted. But at the same time, we still have empty houses in the communities. It’s something that perhaps the department has to consider, at least be aware. I mean, truly you must be aware. But it’s just contrasting in some communities where people try to survive, try to measure up to paying their rent and at some point if they default, they face the ultimate consequence of being evicted, but then you see an empty house that’s unoccupied and they have to make ends meet.

So those are just some points that I’ve kind of noticed. The point is that I think we have to try to be creative and have to try to at least inspire people to own their own homes and see if there are ways about how we could make it possible.