Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I appreciate where the Minister is coming from on this. Before this role, as an everybody member of the middle class, I made use of the transitional rent supplement program, and I think I was given something like $10 a month for my needs as a single parent in a very expensive apartment.

We have heard that this program isn't really working. At least, it is not working to meet the objectives that have been set out for it, so why are we retaining it? I think we have been looking at finding efficiencies throughout this budget. That has been a sticking point and an issue of debate. When I think we can all agree this program isn't working, why are we retaining it at all instead of repurposing the funds for something that actually works? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The reason that we are retaining it is that we will be phasing it out over a three-year period because some people are still using that. Until we have moved into and have a defined program that will assist people in being able to afford market rents, then I am not willing to take it off the table. So it will be in place until we have something, a rent supplement program, which is better suited to the needs of the residents that can take its place. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, music to my years. When can we expect this new program to roll out, and will it require a supplementary appropriation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Testart. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The program renewal is the biggest priority of the corporation this fiscal year coming up, and so I see that the rent supplement program will be -- like I said, there are easy, medium, and hard ones to do; it is one of the easier ones. It is not something that we have to go cross-departmental or cross-jurisdictional, so I see it as happening within the first six months from today. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Testart.

Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I appreciate the Minister's clear and, again, decisive answer. So, in six months I look forward to the new program and voting in favour of it if it meets the expectations that we have set out for it.

Finally, just a comment. I appreciate that the corporation and the Minister responsible have not eliminated a program completely that they recognize still meets a need but needs fine-tuning. Perhaps the Minister can share that wisdom with the Minister responsible for Education vis-à-vis the Aurora College cuts and a number of the other programs that we have addressed that lack strategic direction but are going ahead as in favour of the reduction exercise. With that, I will end my line of questioning. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Testart, for those comments on the NWT Housing Corporation. Next, I have Mr. McNeely.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I am just looking at page 358, at infrastructure services, and wondering if this would be the appropriate time to ask a question related to the RCMP units. Can the Minister provide some comments on the progress of this initiative and basically where it is at? Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. McNeely. Can the Minister advise if this is the appropriate section and provide comments?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The section is actually in capital, for the building of the units. There is some in here, as well, for land, et cetera. The update on what is happening with the RCMP units, though, is more important. At this point, we are waiting. The RCMP at first wanted to hand over all of its units to totally get out of housing of its members. At this point, they are rethinking that. They are looking at perhaps maintaining a couple of their units, so we are not sure. We actually are working with them, still, and we are waiting for them to decide which way they are going forward with it. It is still going to happen; however, it may not be full housing. They may decide to keep some of their units. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. McNeely.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. We mentioned it earlier, the Minister mentioned, we budgeted some tax expenditures for this project. I don't really have a question. I just would like the Minister to brief us on it periodically or when commitments are made on progress by the federal counterpart. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. McNeely. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I apologize. I should have actually done an update. As soon as we hear more from the RCMP, we will do a Minister's statement to keep the Members informed of what is happening with the RCMP initiative. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Nothing further from Mr. McNeely. I have Mr. O'Reilly.

Thanks, Mr. Chair. I am looking at page 359. There are a couple of reductions on this page that I would like to better understand. Let's start with transitional supportive housing. The revised estimates for last year were $600,000. Now it is down to $375,000, so can the Minister explain the reduction here? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. O'Reilly. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The transitional rent supplement program, like I said, was not one of my favourites. The uptake on that program was only a utilization of 30 per cent, so we have done a reduction, the $30,000 reduction, of year one of year three. Again, that money will be re-profiled. The transitional rent program will no longer exist. It will become, within six months, a rent supplement program. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Minister. The Member was indicating the transitional supportive housing. It is about four lines above the transitional rent supplement program. Would you like to answer again, Minister?

Sorry, I gave the wrong answer. I will let Mr. Martin speak to that one, then.