Yellowknife (Mar 07/03) - Roger Allen, minister responsible for housing, has announced the harmonization program will go ahead despite protests from MLAs who say the program negatively affects students, single parents and seniors.

Roger Allen

North Slave MLA Leon Lafferty tabled a motion on Tuesday, seconded by MLA for Deh Cho Michael McLeod, to discontinue the strategy.

"I am concerned cabinet is promoting a strategy to begin on April 1 without having clear information on its impact on target groups," said Lafferty in the legislative assembly on Wednesday.

Under the new strategy, income such as lottery and bingo winnings can be included in income assessments.

"We understand parents with child support can be assessed as well," Tu Nedhe MLA Steven Nitah said on Wednesday directing his concern to deputy premier Jim Antoine, speaking for the government in the absence of Premier Stephen Kakfwi.

"We live in the highest cost environment in Canada," said Nitah. "While we can't even create jobs in our communities we have government bureaucrats assessing people who make bingos as part of an income. Therefore, the next time they go to income support they get a bit less, their rent goes up a little bit higher. Are we running a welfare state in our communities?"

Allen stressed he has listened to the concerns and made changes. In the new plan starting April 1, seniors will not have their incomes assessed.

"Seniors living in public housing will continue to be treated in a similar manner to the way they are treated now," Allen said, adding that harmonization is "an important" activity for government. "It will result in a consistent rent scale and improved equity in benefits," he said.