As the Minister of Finance spoke, we are still in the middle of looking at the budget allocations. We do know that the federal government is looking at social infrastructure as a priority. Until that federal budget is allocated, we're expecting at the end of the March, we won't know exactly what we'll be looking at putting on the table.

My final question for the Minister is whether the government is prepared to increase the level of clinical support available to people whose mental health and addictions have made them homeless? That's the staff to go with the housing piece.

Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. During my Member’s statement, I talked about building capacity, so I'd like to ask the Minister, could you please explain to us the process for selecting mission staff regarding the Arctic Winter Games?

Mahsi, Member for Nahendeh. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We have an agreement with Sport North that manages our games. They put a call out for advertisements in the paper for mission staff for the games that are coming up. Apparently, this year they had 80 applications, and they chose them. My understanding is they wanted to get a bit of a regional balance and that too, so that's the process that they use for the selection of mission staff.

Regarding regional balance, six communities out of the 33 have 11 spots. Could you please explain to me what the regional balance is, what they're talking about?

At this point, I'll remind the Members to direct your questions through the Speaker. Thank you, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

I would have to have a discussion with Sport North. If you look at the names that came forward and the communities that they were from, I mean the Member's correct, there were a number of communities that weren't included in this. A lot of the folks chosen were from some of the regional centres. I can have that discussion with them and see if there are ways that we can include a lot of the smaller communities. They look at, as I said before, they want a regional-type balance, a gender balance, and they try to get as many people that have been involved in sports before. But I take the Member's point and I will have that discussion.

Mr. Speaker, I apologize, and I’ll direct my questions to the Speaker. I thank the Minister for that response. Is there a rubric that they use to identify how they select their candidates for the mission staff?

I will follow up with Sport North and have a discussion with them as to the criteria that they use for the selection of their mission staff, and again, they are paying attention to the conversation that we're having in here today, so I'm sure that they will take steps to ensure that there's a greater regional balance and small community balance in the future.

Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In follow-up to my Member's statement, I have questions for the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Through my last constituency meeting in the community of Tsiigehtchic, my constituents wanted to know why the Housing Corporation is planning to start bringing in modular homes. For many years, our residents in our communities have built the units in each community, so my question to the Minister is: can the Minister explain why the Housing Corporation has chosen to switch to the shipping modular housing units instead of building basic homes in our communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi, Member for Mackenzie Delta. Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just to start with now, all market housing within the communities were put out to public tender. All of the market housing that the Housing Corporation are currently contracting with are northern contractors, and they were approved through the Business Incentive Policy. The modulars that you speak of are designed to meet the Housing Corporation design guidelines, as well as national building codes which are the same standards used for stick-built units constructed by the NWT Housing Corporation.

It sounds to me like the department is supporting taking jobs away from our communities, and that's exactly what is going on here. My question is why is the department not building these homes in our communities instead of shipping them from Alberta?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, within the Business Incentive Policy that the GNWT utilizes, northern manufacturers must not be more than 25 per cent of the cost for the same purchase to be purchased down south. The modular homes actually came in more than that. The difference was actually more like 30 per cent, so there is a cost savings. We have 800 people on our waiting list for housing, so we have to be conscious of where the money goes. The Housing Corporation though, in all honesty, are still using our community members to do the repairs, so we're not forgetting about them. And again, I will remind you that it was a northern contractor that got the contract to purchase the modular homes.

I don't think the Minister realizes the amount of money that's not staying in the community. Mr. Speaker, we're talking in the neighbourhood of at least $100,000 worth of employment that's being taken away from our communities. Usually when we have contracts like this we have, like, five people that are working in the community. Right now, the Minister is talking about one person that's probably needed five years down the road. What is the department’s plan, in the future, for our communities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Housing Corporation is actually looking at bringing in a lot more houses within the communities. We're really focusing on single people and couples for a little while because almost 70 per cent of the people on our waiting list fall within that category. We're also negotiating with the federal government, so I'll be meeting with them early next month to see what they're going to bring within their social infrastructure monies. As well, we are guided by the Business Incentive Policy, which all Members can actually challenge and actually look at and make amendments if they would like to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. Final supplementary. Member for Mackenzie Delta.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister mentioned about multiplex units. I hope they don't plan to ship these in as well. We have a lot of positive multiplex units that have been built in the communities over the last few years in our last government. I hope that the department stays on course on those multiplex units. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mahsi. I didn't really hear a question there. However, I'll allow the Minister a response.

Yes, actually the department does recognize that the multiplexes are the most energy-efficient way to provide housing, so we are focusing on the multiplex units within communities.