Thank you, Mr. Martin. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I think my problem is, and I'm going to admit it, I'm new to this. This is my first capital plan, but because capital is housing, it's a structure, it's infrastructure for housing for the North, I would expect to see that money show up here. I was hoping to open this up and see a nice, shiny, $10-million line item for housing in here to access the co-investment fund or even more, even $15 million. To me, for us to be able to have access to every single co-investment dollar, every single year that that is still available, is really important. I'm wondering: how come there is no line item here for capital for the co-investment fund? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just want to further comment that the co-investment fund is federal funding, and we do set aside a budget. I want to say that it's $1.2 million, and my department could correct me if I'm wrong. We would be supporting those applications annually, but for the co-investment fund and additional funding not to show up on the document is not a part of the review right now. I'll have Mr. Martin comment. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Martin.

Thank you, Mr. Martin. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much for that, Madam Chair. No. That helps a lot, and I think now I'm on the same page. I guess this is the place, then, where I would say that my expectation is to open the main estimates come February and to see a very large, large, substantial line item for the co-investment fund, and $1.2 million is not going to cut it. It won't give the Minister the money that she will require in order to fully draw down on the co-investment fund and to support applications that are coming in the door. I hope that the Minister's colleagues are also hearing me, that this Minister needs support at the Cabinet table to get that money and to get that line item, because personally, and I know that I have a lot of friends in this room who feel the same way, I would like this Assembly to be known for getting houses on the ground and for drawing down on that co-investment fund and for being very good at spending free money from the federal government.

My next question is that, within the mandate of the Government of the Northwest Territories for the 19^th Legislative Assembly, one of the line items is to improve availability of private market and public housing options. I know that my colleague from Frame Lake brought this up, but one of the commitments is an average of 25 units per year over four years, for a term total of 100 units. Within here, there are nine units that are earmarked, however, for the RCMP. In my mind, that really doesn't increase or begin to deliver on what the mandate commitment was. I'm wondering: why is there not a line item here for 25 units, and why is that not funded? Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Like my department said before, we take into a lot of consideration the retrofits that we have on the ground. We don't have money for new housing to put on the ground. We do rely on additional federal money that is out there and partnerships throughout the territory so we could get houses on the ground together. I will have Mr. Williams further elaborate on the question. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister. Mr. Williams.

Thank you, Mr. Williams. Member for Kam Lake.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair. I think that I have had many conversations with the Minister, and I know that she is definitely a champion for housing and getting housing on the ground. She wants to see this happen, and I want to support her in that and to see this happen. I feel that, if the money isn't here from FMB to support these 25 units and for you to be able to succeed and achieve that mandate item, then it's really time to get that person working on these applications so that the Minister can take control of her own success because I feel that this would be a great legacy for her to leave the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Member for Kam Lake. I didn't hear a question, so I'll take that as a comment. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to the major retrofits in the communities, the small communities that I represent, anyway, I think that the quality of workmanship going in to make sure that we have a Red Seal carpenter who is travelling with these people who are coming into the communities and making sure they are certified, because I've been getting a few calls in regard to the workmanship and not having Red Seal carpenters on-site -- I just want to make sure that that is being done. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I just wanted to also comment that training is a requirement when we are putting our projects out for tender. We do have to see a training aspect and also look at the quality of work and looking at the Red Seal. I am familiar with the comment from the Member's riding, and to be honest, to be just plain and honest, it's really hard to find people with the certification and to find the commitment to have the people pursue their trades and to have them complete the Red Seal. The Housing Corporation does have technical advisors come in and make sure that these projects are seen and they are seen to completion, and I do understand that we do have deficiencies after projects are completed. This is where the Housing Corporation is in support of local hire, and this is what we end up with at the local level. We do have the technical support to work with that and to correct the deficiencies that need to be done, but local hire is a priority. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Nunakput.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I like that, technicians being able to come and work with the local contractors. If that's being done, then could we make sure that any local work that is happening, say for instance, in Paulatuk, can we have that work given to them with one of our technicians? We have people there who could do the work, but we don't have the Red Seal carpenter. Making sure that we keep it local and not bring people in because of COVID-19 times, if we have somebody local, is the department willing to work with local contractors to keep it local and to have a technician come and inspect the work? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Member. Minister.

Thank you, Madam Chair. That is exactly what the Housing Corporation is doing right now, for us to continue with that training aspect, keeping the local contractors and keeping the work local, and depending on our technical support to see those projects going forward. That is a priority. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Minister. Member for Hay River South.