Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, public housing tenants in my riding are troubled by changes in their power bills. For a little bit of background, the NWT Housing Corporation is in the third phase of its mandate commitment to development options to rationalize public housing utility pricing structures to promote self-reliance. Over the past three years, the Housing Corporation has been slowly reducing its subsidy of power rates for public housing tenants. The government's goal is to increase energy conservation and tenants' self-reliance, and to conserve corporation funds, all through bringing tenants' power rates in line with power rates of other residents.

Mr. Speaker, these are good goals. Still, I'm troubled by the way this has all rolled out. Change is never easy, and, when change means higher power bills for low-income tenants, many of whom are already on income support, there's going to be confusion, worry, and distress. Some of my constituents haven't been sure how much their power bills will go up or how it might affect their ability to pay other things they need, like food, clothing, gas, and other items, for themselves and their families. There's another inkle, tenants using income support programs are wondering how income assistance will adapt to these new costs. I know that this is something that the Housing Corporation has been working on for a while now, but to bring this initiative to the finish line.

Mr. Speaker, there are questions that still need to be answered and clear and open communication with affected tenants will be critical. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll have questions later today.