Frederick Blake Jr.

I would like to ask the Minister: how can the corporation support the spirit of the rent scale, fair rent for all public housing tenants, for tenants like I have described whose income taxes don't show the full picture of their employment income?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Public Housing Rent Scale was introduced in 2012 to help make monthly rent for public housing units simpler, more predictable, and much more fair. The scale ties rent to a household income and makes sure no one pays less than $70 per month or more than $1,625 per month. It also makes sure rent reflects where people live, recognizing the cost of living is much higher in the rural and remote communities.

In 2015, the rent scale was updated. The corporation announced that, like in calculations for income assistance, payments through the Canada Child Tax...

The other thing that is under commercial fishing is there is interest in my riding, as I mentioned last time, I know they will be working very shortly on some sort of commercial fishing plant, possibly in Tsiigehtchic, where we do have the best whitefish in the territory. Seriously, they are making plans to do this, and I know the department was willing to work with them, so I am looking forward to that. I can't wait to see that in my riding for sure. Thanks.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Just a couple of questions here. First, under the Film Industry Rebate Program. I know I asked this last year and we are still waiting for the proposal, but one of my constituents had a great plan to do a film. Some of you may be familiar with the race they had from Fort Providence to Inuvik. I believe one of our Members might have partaken in that. You know, he is planning to do sort of a documentary on the people who took place on that and took part in the race. We have some survivors who are still with us to give their stories. He is from Fort McPherson and wants to...

We often see residents falling behind on their taxes and not filing. How does the corporation and its rent scale respond to households that don't have current income tax or tax information on file?

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Next we have Ms. Green.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of years the department has had in the neighbourhood of $50 to $60 million each year, so I am sure that the department can find some funds available. Moving forward, would the department set aside some funds for communities throughout the territory to complete their firebreaks to protect their communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Simpson. Minister Abernethy.

Thank you, Minister Abernethy. Any further questions, Mr. Beaulieu? Thank you. Next, we have Mr. Thompson.