Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, based on these and other activities, we developed a number of recommendations for reform. We have put forward proposals that are realistic and affordable. In some cases, additional resources will be required. However, we are confident that this will result in long-term savings.

Our goal was not to make the system larger or smaller, but to make it work better.

Our recommendations outline specific actions we believe the government should take as quickly as possible, where results can generally be measured in a period of time. Mr. Speaker, the recommendations in the narrative section of the report provide a road map to guide the process of setting policy and procedures over the longer term.

It is impossible to fully examine either health or social services without considering both. As a result, we do not try to maintain an artificial distinction between the two.

In general, we heard that many people feel detached and distant from their own health and social services. They have little sense of ownership or involvement in the system. It is seen as slow, complex, confusing and unresponsive to the needs of the community. As a result, many people told us that the current system does not meet their requirements.

This poor general impression stems in part from the belief that the system and its front line workers do not fully reflect the culture, traditions and healing practices of our communities. We even heard of people who are afraid to seek assistance because the system does not make sense to them.

Another general problem identified during our consultations was the lack of cooperation and coordination between government departments. A number of departments are involved in planning and providing our health and social services. They do not seem to talk to one another as often as they should. Too often we heard that information is kept within a department instead of being shared with appropriate personnel in other agencies who might be able to help in finding solutions for clients and their families.

Mr. Speaker, people were also concerned that the conventional approach to public education programs was not working. We heard over and over again that more discussion was required on a range of issues that affect our quality of life.

People told us that one way to address a number of their general concerns would be to increase local control over the planning and delivery of health and social services in their own communities. The current system is viewed as insensitive to unique local conditions, resources and requirements. We heard that greater local authority in these areas could result in better programs, run more efficiently and in an improved quality of life.

An independent review we conducted into the effects of local control over these services seems to reach the same conclusions. This review concludes that the benefits of local control include greater sensitivity to community needs, the involvement of people in shaping their own solutions, less reliance on outside agencies, increased effectiveness and greater public awareness of these issues.

We heard that the system should also shift its focus from institutional care towards community and especially home-based programs and services. People believe that this shift should also place less emphasis on the treatment of problems and more on the prevention of such problems in the first place.

transportation. Some people felt strongly that the confidentiality of their health and social service records must be maintained.

People we spoke with believe that those who commit abuse should not be treated better than their victims. There is a clear perception that victims are often placed at a disadvantage through no fault of their own. They usually have to leave the home, face a delay in qualifying for future housing and cope with delays inherent in the justice system. Quite simply, people want offenders to suffer more of the consequences of their actions. At the same time, they want victims to be helped to stay in their own homes and to rebuild their lives in their own communities.

We also heard a number of concerns about the workings of the social assistance program and the inadequacy of current income support benefits. We were told that these payments do not reflect the high cost of living in the north or the fact that these costs vary greatly between communities.

Mr. Speaker, at this time I'd like to ask my colleague, the honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Charles Dent, to continue with the report. Thank you.