Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, along with the rest of my colleagues here, I have a whole host of housing-related issues with my constituents in my community. I could go on about general issues relating the NWT Housing Corp, however today I am going to focus on one constituent.
This is an elderly man who is nearly 80 years old and has been dealing with increased health problems including a recent heart attack and even contacting COVID-19, not to mention he and his wife being homeless temporarily after their home was destroyed nearly three years ago.
Madam Speaker, this constituent endured a tornado in June 2019 which severely damaged his home to the point that it was unlivable. In other words, his home was totalled, and since that time his life has been turned upside down in dealing with the after effects.
Since I was elected, I have been doing everything I can to help with the situation. I've gone to the housing minister at least a dozen times, trying to get this constituent fair treatment in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Madam Speaker, after this constituent's home was destroyed, the Northwest Territories Housing Corp did an assessment of his property and gave him a very lowball park offer to purchase his land. Then he was put into a public housing unit but his rental costs have been very high for him to manage. In fact, there is a major discrepancy regarding the level of rent he's currently paying.
Based on the housing corp's own pamphlet on public housing and subsidized rental housing, he is paying too much for his monthly rent under his current monthly income. Even with the combined income of his spouse, my constituent is still paying more than he should be.
Madam Speaker, this is someone who has worked 44 years for the territorial government in various capacities. He was devoted public servant who did everything right to provide for himself and his family, but he has been receiving the short end of the stick in his dealings with the NWT Housing Corporation since his home was destroyed. To treat a former long-time public employee and a residential school survivor like this is not acceptable. To make matters worse, this whole experience has made my constituent go into debt as he's always been supporting his family with various costs, including post-secondary education. Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.
---Unanimous consent granted
In closing, Madam Speaker, it is not right at all for our government to treat this constituent's situation of a natural disaster in some a different way compared to other victims of natural disasters in the NWT. I'm grateful that the flood victims of Fort Simpson and Jean Marie got complete compensation there. The same treatment should be extended to my constituent because it was an act of God and should be treated as a natural disaster. My constituent is sad and feels he has been forgotten. I will have questions for the Minister of Housing later today. Thank you, Madam Speaker.
---Applause
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Member. Members' statements. Member for Hay River South.