Caroline Cochrane

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have implemented the recommendations of the Privacy Commissioner. The recommendation to look at CRA assessments was actually based on good intent, as the Member has stated. I think it is actually a good practice. It took me a little while to get my head around it, as well, when I first took over the position.

Previous to that, people were presenting their incomes to the local housing organizations. That leads to more chances of private information on income actually getting leaked into the public, with staff turnover, et cetera. The Privacy Commissioner found...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I just confirmed with my staff. They say within the next six months we will assess what space they will need and then we will put it out to RFP process. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you. It's actually within our Community Housing Services Agreement, so our operating agreements with the local housing organizations. I can provide a copy of that agreement with that piece in it by tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, the Ministers actually sit on a social committee. On that committee is the Minister of Justice, the Minister for Health and Social Services, the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and myself, the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Education, Culture and Employment is doing a lot to try to get people employed, but also what we're looking at is people within the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. We have people who have huge arrears, so that is one of the policies that we're looking at currently to see if we can actually look at ways...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. At this point, they are renting a space. It is important to note that the local housing organization, the board has just been formed. It is a new service. At this point, they are fine in their accommodations. As they progress and become more sustained as a board of directors, then we will look at the needs of their individual housing. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, so the cut was across all LHOs. So far the feedback that we received is that the local housing organizations are stating to us that they are manageable. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Quite a bit of progress has actually been addressed. The City of Yellowknife, I commend them for doing the ten-year report. It was amazing, and it actually backed up a lot of things that I had been saying, that it needs a continuum of services; we can't just look at one model; we have got to look outside of the community, et cetera.

The City of Yellowknife asked me if I would sit on a committee and work with them on that. I agreed to do that. The City of Yellowknife has taken the lead on that committee. I have met with them once, and we are working towards that. The...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I can commit to submitting the link for that tomorrow. If there is any difficulty for the Regular MLAs to be able to access it, we will provide the link tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Yes, it is over two years. For the two years, it will be $217,000. Like I said, we are watching them closely. If they need additional monies, we will support that, and we are also looking at different ways that the local housing organizations can bring in funding. For example, some of the communities are talking about how they don't have access to repairs for people who are over the income threshold, and they don't have supplies. We are just in that policy review. We are looking to see if the local housing organizations can expand to meet not only the public needs in the...

Thank you, Mr. Chair, absolutely. As soon as we hear more and there are firm commitments, we will share that with the MLAs. Thank you, Mr. Chair.