Robert Hawkins

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will agree with the Minister that putting 570 from social housing into home ownership is a great thing, it really is. But we were only able to help 14 people last year. If the Minister wants to mention that we are going to start putting people from social housing into outrageous $400,000 houses, that is a little out of touch. I think the program needs to be cut in half and we could help 28 people with reasonable payments. Would the Minister table the sliding scale of this program, so we can all clearly see how it applies to families so we can get a real sense for...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I’m still concerned with this EDAP program that we’re not really getting anywhere, and I’d like to hear some real solid answers from the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. I want to start hearing some real details of how we’re helping honest people out there to get them into houses, and I want to see some reasonability of this program, because I still think it’s out of touch and it’s only helping certain people. The reason I say that is because the program is structured in such a way that if you have two incomes, you’re practically...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I think we were really close to an answer that time. We heard “will be turned down,” but we didn’t hear “were turned down.” So, Madam Speaker, were any applications turned down, yes or no, because of lack of funding? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wish I had questions for the Minister of Transportation today because I also have driven the soupy cow trail, also referred to as Highway No. 7. Fortunately, the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation will have the pleasure of my questions today, Madam Speaker.

Madam Speaker, yesterday and today I talked about the $72,000 payment for down payment assistance, as well as a $109,000 payment. My concern is the pot is drying up very quickly with the enormous, outrageous payments to one or two clients out there that, as far as I am concerned, aren’t connected to...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With that in mind then I’ll just ask directly is it the design of this program to get people out of social housing, which is a good thing, but is it designed to get them out of social housing at any cost? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to thank the Minister for that efficient reply. Now I will ask the fine Minister the detailed question, which was how many applications were turned down? If we turned down one, that is a travesty. So how many applications did we turn away at the door because the funding pot had dried up with us giving away outrageous payments of $50,000 plus, $60,000 plus, $72,000 plus? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Humblest apologies, Madam Speaker, humblest apologies. Madam Speaker, I think the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation gave me an excellent answer to a question I really hope to ask one of these days, because it was a very qualitative answer. The question was, clearly, if someone was approved of the financing, approved of the waiting period, approved of everything, that great answer that was said by the Minister. Were any applications returned because the funding pot had dried up? I am referring to only approved applications. Were any returned because...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I rise again today on the foot of yesterday’s Member’s statement. I still have serious concerns with the EDAP program. Madam Speaker, I want to firmly ensure that people of the Northwest Territories know that I am absolutely proud that this government is putting people in the North into home ownership, and I think that’s the number one issue that needs to come forward here so people know that it’s important for me.

However, Madam Speaker, I don’t think it’s fair that we continue to give one family $72,000 to ensure that that one family gets into a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to hear at the same time when we get this high level, detailed information that really speaks of why we are moving it out of Yellowknife and affecting both the staff and the children, what was the motivation that is preparing to move this out of Yellowknife. The e-mails I am getting now don’t say we want to move to Hay River. The e-mails are saying what is going on. Can we hear some reasoning behind the motivation? What is the true motivation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Maybe the Deputy Premier could help emphasize some clarity. This sounds like a done deal and I hate to say it, but the Minister of Health has been in charge of the health portfolio for quite some time and I put a lot of faith in the fact that they must understand and know the depth of their portfolio. This decision must have been made quite some time ago, so there must be some information that they can share with us today. What was the business case that could justify this move? There must be some answer we could give this House today so we can move forward. We could...