Earlier, we reported rental and construction representatives have been lobbying the Campbell administration for the past four or five years to introduce rental supplements for lower-income families. But those efforts have been paralleled by a similar campaign on the national stage. The Canadian Federation of Apartment Association has long made those supplements one of its principal political goals. The Canadian Home Builders' Association and the Urban Development Institute of Canada - which represents property developers - have also been supporting that campaigning. And, in a 2005 memorandum, the federation crowed its "activities had a direct influence on Housing Minister (Joe) Fontana's decision to allow federal funding to be used for rent supplements or housing allowances. That was a specific goal CFAA set at our 2004 Conference and AGM." That decision meant unused funding allocated under federal-provincial-territorial housing agreements could now be used for those programs. And we can likely expect more discussion of supplements when the country's housing ministers meet in Vancouver this June - a pow-wow that will be co-chaired by our very own Rich Coleman.