Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is for MACA and there are some housing in here too as well. So, Mr. Speaker, Christmas is approaching. Soon we are all going to go home, go our way to be with our families. During the festive seasons, we need to keep in mind the less fortunate, especially those who are homeless, the hungry, the families that are not under one roof because there are no housing options for them.
We all know the Christmas story. Christmas is about the Holy family - Joseph, Mary and Jesus. Mary and Joseph were looking for a place to give birth to their baby Jesus. They were knocking on doors, searching for a place, being chased away, and no one was coming. They found a place to sleep, gave birth to Jesus in a barn, and their baby slept in a manger.
Mr. Speaker, this is similar to the treatment of homeless people in the NWT. Homeless is not just about people on the street. It is about those who are being denied housing or were evicted from social housing. Mr. Speaker, families are denied adequate housing, have no place to sleep, and have no place to call home. As a society, as a government, we need to do more for people.
Christmas is about hope but people who struggle with housing do not have hope. I hear from people they feel helpless; they feel hopeless by the system; they feel trapped. Mr. Speaker, what we are doing to the people is not right. The housing policies and programs in place now are not working. I hear from people they are paying max rent. If they do not provide income tax assessment, their rent dramatically increases.
Mr. Speaker, it is Christmastime. Let's remember the people who are struggling in our communities and hold ourselves accountable to do better. I will have questions for the Minister of MACA and Housing together.