Thank you, Mr. Chair. Before I begin I will just apologize and just reiterate anything I said yesterday just to kind of speed up the process.

Looking at the opening remarks, I just wanted to make a comment on the expenditures that were put forth for the budget here in the amount of $43.9 million. I do recall in previous discussion we talked about the lack of arrears. When arrears are not being collected, it does affect the maintenance program because that money actually goes directly into maintaining the units. When we do these expenditures and if we’re looking at putting some new units in the communities, I hope it does go on a needs assessment or areas where possibly there are some clients who are not paying their arrears because they feel that their units do need the maintenance and they don’t feel comfortable doing that. That’s one comment I wanted to make.

A good comment is the $325,000 for the homelessness position. Speaking with the Alternatives North group that came in today to give a presentation to us earlier in this government, they had mentioned that housing was one of the contributing factors to homelessness in the NWT. Looking at the business plans we see before us, or actually that we had during the business planning session, a lot of good action was taking place and I did make comments back then when your department came and sat before the committee. It’s really nice to see that you have taken the initiative with this and are going to move forward.

The Rent Supplement Program, the $1.2 million, I’m glad to see that it does say in here that there is $500 per month for a two-year period, so that really will help some individuals out, especially in some of the communities that are really going to need it shortly. I’m thinking specifically of Inuvik, of course, and the situation we’re in. I’m not sure when the starting date is on that, but I’ll let constituents know back home about that funding program. I guess based on the applications the department receives, they’ll be looking at increasing that or not.

The funds that were allocated to the SAFE program are a really good move forward.

In terms of the home ownership program, I know I did have some discussions with some constituents

back home who have been previously approved for the home ownership program, and then having to revise their application and then not being able to get a home because it didn’t require the needs of that certain individual or family. I think there needs to be some change in how that’s developed, especially if they do meet the requirements but there’s no place open for them. I do know we do have some vacancies in some of the communities. If they are vacant, there should be an opportunity to utilize those units.

From last night there were a lot of good comments made by my fellow colleagues. I just want to touch on those as the main ones I wanted to discuss without having to reiterate some of my fellow colleague’s comments. With that said, I just want to thank the Minister and his staff for coming back today and for getting through this department. Thank you, Mr. Chair.