Norman Yakeleya

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement today is on log housing pilot projects in the Sahtu and Northwest Territories. Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation funding is declining; $33.2 million will be phased out by the year 2038. This is a substantial challenge to the GNWT as a whole, and the NWT Housing Corporation in particular.

A creative solution is needed, Mr. Speaker. According to the community housing needs and detailed results, tabled in the House on October 21st, 35 percent of houses in the Sahtu are in core need. Overcrowding is a problem. Between 13 and...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Chair, in reference to honourable Minister Krutko’s statement with respect to the 30 years of celebrating the Housing Corporation in the Northwest Territories, one of the questions that has often come up in our small communities, especially amongst the elders, is the promise that was made by federal government agencies in terms of housing and how they get into housing.

This is very young, in terms of the Housing Corporation being in the Northwest Territories; only 30 years. Previous to that there were other houses in the Northwest Territories that were managed by...

Winter’s coming. This is fall right now. Winter’s coming. Wait until it gets really cold, minus 50 and 60; that’s winter. These people need major repairs in their homes and yet we can’t do it. That’s why I support this motion. I support the Minister going down and getting a good deal from our federal government. We’ve done it with health, we’ve done it with equalization. We need to do it on…I’ll maybe have to retract that. I’ll have to wait until I hear from the Minister of Finance. However, Mr. Speaker, this is why I’m in full support of this motion and I’m passionate about this motion. Thank...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

WHEREAS the 15th Legislative Assembly vision statement identifies as a goal housing that is adequate, affordable and accessible;

AND WHEREAS the 2004 housing needs survey has identified 2,260 households in the Northwest Territories that are considered to be in core need;

AND WHEREAS there are many houses in communities throughout the NWT that are boarded up, and that could potentially be brought up to standard and made habitable at a lower cost than new construction;

AND WHEREAS the policies and standards of the NWT Housing Corporation and the Canada Mortgage and Housing...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My written question today is for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation.

In each of the Sahtu communities, how many log homes are in need of major repairs?

Can the Minister provide the specific amount of dollars that it takes to build a three-bedroom stick-built unit?

Can the Minister provide the status in the Northwest Territories on how many "made-in-the-North" materials or supplies are used for houses from the NWT?

Will the Minister provide information as to how the department plans to keep or secure long-term funding in the federal government?

Ca...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister. I want to take this a little step further. Would the Minister work with the Minister of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in devising a training program that would take out some of the young people to do a training program in terms of log building, putting a house together that would cut down costs and look at that as being a pilot project in the Sahtu region? So then we could have some long-term viability for the people in our region and the rest of the communities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is also to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I understand that in the year 2038 the federal government is hoping to get out of the housing business. In saying that, Mr. Speaker, the recent surveys done by the Housing Corporation indicate that 35 percent of houses in the Sahtu are in core need. Can the Minister tell the House and tell the people in the Sahtu what plans are in place to decrease the number from 35 to an acceptable number that would be sufficient to the Sahtu people? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my earlier statement, I am very passionate about this issue about housing in small communities. I grew up in my grandfather’s house, and my grandfather's house was taken down by the Housing Corporation who said that they would build a new building there for us. I'm still waiting for it today. In saying that, this is one of many stories that people in small communities have in terms of housing and that’s why I’m quite passionate for the people in homes. Like my honourable friend mentioned to me and mentioned to the House here, that is one...