Question 72-13(2): Financial Assistance For Housing Tenants February 20th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I'm aware that there are tenant relation officers in several of the housing authority offices. They would attempt to counsel the tenants, but if there is some other factor that is affecting the tenant's ability or willingness to pay their rent, I don't know if the tenant relations officer would delve into things like household budgeting or say if the person had a problem with alcohol or gambling or something like that, I don't think the tenant relations officer would delve into those areas. Is there any cooperation between the Housing Corporation and the department's services in addressing some of those broader issues which might affect their ability to pay their rent? Thank you.

Question 72-13(2): Financial Assistance For Housing Tenants February 20th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week in the House, I asked the Minister of Housing what the outstanding arrears are owed to the Housing Corporation through the local housing authorities. He took my question as notice, so I'm going to continue on with my questioning today on that subject.

The Minister reported that the amount was over $5 million, so I would assume from that that from time to time, people living in public housing have difficulty paying their rent. I think we could also assume that some tenants in public housing have personal problems which preclude them from paying their rent, and those problems could be any number of things.

Recently, a situation in Hay River arose where a tenant in public housing had to be evicted from their unit through the courts. The point was that the tenant ended up having to be accommodated in other housing in Hay River at the expense of the Department of Social Services. Is there anything that can be done within the department to assist people in paying their rent so that they don't lose their rental unit because of personal problems? Is there some initiative that can be taken to deal with that, prior to it coming to the housing authorities having to take legal action to evict tenants? I want to add one footnote on there, that the other side of that is that we do have a $5 million debt and the people in the housing authorities are doing their jobs in trying to collect those rental arrears, I understand that. But is there anything that can be done before it gets to that adversarial and court-type eviction? Thank you.

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole February 19th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Bill 1 and would like to report progress, and that Bill 1 is ready for third reading. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with. Thank you.

Bill 2: An Act To Amend The Public Service Act February 19th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The document we are talking about only became public information this past Friday and as a Member representing Hay River and having many respected representatives of various unions in my community, I have not had a chance to go back to them to discuss this with them to hear what other options there may be to this. Unfortunately, when it comes to the recorded vote, I will have to abstain. Thank you.

Item 20: Report Of Committee Of The Whole February 15th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, your committee has been considering Minister's Statement 1-13(2), and I would like to report that consideration of the Minister's statement is concluded. Mr. Speaker, I move that the report of Committee of the Whole be concurred with.

Question 33-13(2): Amount Of Outstanding Rental Arrears Owed To GNWT February 15th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to address my question to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. I think that Mr. Dent told me that rental arrears owed to local housing authorities are not an eligible benefit any longer under social assistance. I think that is the answer I got. How much money is owed by public housing tenants to this government at this point in time?

Question 30-13(2): Social Assistance Policy On Rental Arrears Owed To Lhas February 15th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Actually, the supplementary is addressed to the Minister of the Housing Corporation, so I will leave it.

Question 30-13(2): Social Assistance Policy On Rental Arrears Owed To Lhas February 15th, 1996

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to address my question to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I would like the Minister to describe for me what his department's policy is with respect to the payment of rental arrears of social assistance clients who owe money to local housing authorities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Question 15-13(2): Subsidization Policy On Alcohol In Nwt February 14th, 1996

Supplementary question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the price of alcohol standardized throughout the Northwest Territories regardless of the location at which it is sold? If so, I would like to know how much the Government of the Northwest Territories, how much of that budget from liquor sales is actually spent on equalizing those prices at the retail level? Thank you.