...Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Is that everybody? Everybody, okay. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to direct my question to the Minister of the Department of Health. For those people who are not Canadian citizens, who move from other countries, in my community there is an outsider who is now with an Inuk woman. He is not a Canadian citizen. He is from Greenland. He has been in the Canadian north for the past six years. He is still paying for his bills for health out of his own pocket. I'm just wondering how long he has to wait until the Government of Canada can start paying for his benefits when he has been living with a Canadian citizen for a number of years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I'm not familiar with the situation so I'll take the question as notice and investigate and bring the answer back. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Social Services. Mr. Speaker, during the last session, on February 17, I posed three questions to the Minister of Social Services regarding the alcohol and drug board of management. Mr. Speaker, at the time the Minister indicated, and I want to quote, "The NWT alcohol and drug board's funding was cut due to restraint measures. Today, it stands as is and there has been no decision to dissolve the board. However, as decisions are made I will keep the Members informed."

Then I went on, Mr. Speaker, and asked the Minister if the funding had been cut so the board cannot meet. Would the Minister assure the House that she would make every attempt that the board meet to review those applications for this year's funding? She responded, "Yes, I will." She went on to make a commitment to bring the board up to its full strength before the end of the current year. Her exact words were, "I will do that." I'd like to ask the Minister if she can indicate to me when she made the appointments to bring the board up to its full strength?

Minister of Social Services, Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In answer to the question from the Member from Thebacha, the board has been dissolved. I'm sorry I made a mistake in answering your question previously. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Since the Minister recognized now that she made a mistake in February when she answered my question and made no effort to correct it, I would like to ask the Minister of Social Services now why she dissolved the alcohol and drug board of management. Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The board was dissolved by the Cabinet.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister when the board was dissolved. If she could advise this House as to the date the board was dissolved, I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe Mr. Whitford was the Minister at the time the board was dissolved.

Your final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, I am going to be very vigilant during this session on this particular issue because I believe that board played a vital role in the development of programs to address alcohol and drug problems in the Northwest Territories. As a Member, I will not tolerate "I believe" answers any more. Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister to inform this House when the board of management was dissolved by the Cabinet. Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take the question as notice and get back to the Member as soon as I can.

Hear, hear.

---Applause

Ms. Mike.