Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
In her presentation, Ms. Dansereau said that $261 million are provided for housing in the north by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs and by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. Ms. Matthews referred to a figure of $300 million.
As we know, there has been a demographic explosion among the aboriginals and Inuit. Efforts are being made to repair the houses. They are over-crowded, there is mould in them and people are developing respiratory illnesses. The houses are being renovated, but the same number of people will continue living in them.
Do you not think that we are wasting money at the moment? Do you not think it would be preferable to commit major funding, to upgrade the houses and to maintain them in the future? Since the houses would be in better condition, the costs related to health care and renovations would be lower.
Have the various departments and the CMHC looked at this? Last year, the CMHC had a surplus of $4 billion. Could some $400 million of this $4 billion in profit not be invested to upgrade the housing, rather than the current sum of $261 million? The housing could be upgraded quickly, and in the future, the maintenance required would return to a normal level.
I would like to hear what you have to say about that.