Aggu MLA Paul Quassa repeatedly expressed doubt over the Nunavut Housing CorporationSA国际影视传媒檚 waiting list in Iglulik on Tuesday and he was warned not to call the housing minister a liar.
photo courtesy of the Government of Nunavut
The Nunavut Housing CorporationSA国际影视传媒檚 (NHC) waiting list indicates that the number of people seeking a home in Iglulik fell by 55 per cent over the past year. Consequently NHC is not planning to build a single new unit in Iglulik in 2020-2021. Quassa was skeptical. He said he checked with the local housing organization and the numbers had not changed in Iglulik.
Nunavut Housing Corporation (NHC) Minister Patterk Netser said his organization works closely with local housing organizations across the territory and relies on them for figures. He said in Iglulik there was a SA国际影视传媒渟ignificant reductionSA国际影视传媒� in the waiting list after new residences were built and people moved into them. NHC president Terry Audla reinforced that message.
Quassa remained incredulous.
SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 not true and I donSA国际影视传媒檛 believe it. I went to the local housing organization and the waiting list has increased,SA国际影视传媒� Quassa SA国际影视传媒淚 donSA国际影视传媒檛 think I can approve this budget with these numbers.SA国际影视传媒�
Netser took offence.
SA国际影视传媒淚t is very uncomfortable when somebody tells you that you are lying because they are the ones who approve the budget,SA国际影视传媒� he said, insisting that the waiting list statistics came from the community.
Chairperson Pat Angnakak then intervened.
SA国际影视传媒淚SA国际影视传媒檇 like, as chair, to caution Mr. Quassa, to use your words carefully. They could be taken the wrong way. Mr. Quassa,SA国际影视传媒� Angnakak said.
Yet Quassa still wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 back down. He maintained that thereSA国际影视传媒檚 a discrepancy between the waiting list numbers through IglulikSA国际影视传媒檚 local housing organization and the NHC. He asked that the figures be double checked before approval of the NHCSA国际影视传媒檚 budget.
Netser expressed confidence in the existing process.
SA国际影视传媒淭he methodology that we use, we believe, is adequate and weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to continue to use it,SA国际影视传媒� the housing minister said. SA国际影视传媒淚tSA国际影视传媒檚 regretful that some communities will become unhappy. We know that many of them have been waiting for a long time and some of them havenSA国际影视传媒檛 seen a new public housing unit built in their community for many years. We work hard because of the limitations of funding to try to get houses built in the communities using the best methodology that we know of.SA国际影视传媒�
Nunavut News contacted the local housing organization in Iglulik but the manager deferred to the NHC on this matter.
Arviat North-Whale Cove MLA John Main said he also believes the NHC is working with SA国际影视传媒渇lawed numbersSA国际影视传媒� and he called for a deferral of the vote on the NHCSA国际影视传媒檚 budget. A vote was taken and chairperson Pat AngnakakSA国际影视传媒檚 vote broke a tie in favour of taking more time to review the figures.
