Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Housing. Mr. Speaker, I recently received a copy of a letter from the chief of the Fort Smith native band, addressed to the Minister of Housing with regard to the concern expressed of the alternate housing program not being delivered to the band this year. Can the Minister indicate whether that particular program, since he has had many different programs developed over the past year, is the old alternate housing program still in existence? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The alternate housing program is part of the access program and is allocated to communities. All the allocations are made from the needs survey. Fort Smith has 101 people in core need, and has been allocated 12 units which are all under the access program. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You indicated the alternate housing program is part and parcel of the access program and in the past these alternate housing programs were specifically considered for Fort Smith band members or Metis members. Can the Minister indicate to me out of those 12 units which are being allocated to Fort Smith, will the Housing Corporation consider a few of those units be designated for the Fort Smith native band or the Metis local? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All 12 units are designated for Fort Smith. There is an allocation committee, which is comprised of band members, Metis members and the town, to allocate the units. That is the process. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, in the past, it has been the global allocation committee which determines whether they should be public units, HAP units or whatever type of units the Housing Corporation delivered. I know in the past year, the Minister's officials eliminated that process for the global allocation committee. Is the Minister indicating now that this global allocation is to be reinstated to determine the type of units that the community should have and who they should be designated to? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The allocation of units is based on clients who are in need. The people in Fort Smith are able to afford to run their own units, so the access program will address that need. In the past, if you wanted to trade some of those houses off for public units, you would have had to find someone else willing to make the trade because we had to keep the mix the same, public units, access units and alternate units, in order to build with the dollars we had. If the community has a request to change some of the access units to alternate units, I would be happy to consider that. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am grateful that the Minister will consider the request for change, but just a minute ago he said that this is to determine, by the global allocation committee, what type of units should be delivered in the community. Are the units to be built, whether they be alternate housing programs under the access program, determined by the global allocation committee or by the Minister's office? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Neither. It is determined by the needs survey that the community did. The needs survey is very specific on the type of units that the community needs and the allocation is made to try to address that need. It is not the global committee that says "If we have 10 units, then we want to build five public and five alternate." It has to fit in the overall picture. We need the right percentages of units in order to maximize the number of units we can deliver in a given year. That mix has got to be the same and then we try to allocate them to meet the needs that are determined by the needs survey. The needs survey indicates it, the Housing Corporation allocates it, but if a community has a concern, for example, in this case you have ten access units, I would consider that. Maybe there is another community that wants some access units and is willing to give up some alternate units. I would consider that. Thank you.

Order, please. I would like to recognize in the gallery, the mayor of Fort Simpson, Ray Michaud...

---Applause

...and the deputy mayor of Fort Simpson, Mr. Tom Wilson.

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Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I received a short letter from the Minister, but the letter did not answer the question I asked. I wonder if the question was understood. It was on the fuel alternative for the wood subsidy program. I stated in my letter very clearly that since the wood subsidy program is in place with the government already, why are other fuel subsidies, such as kerosene or natural gas that are used for camping or if you have a shack on the beach, not considered? The letter I received did not answer that. I would like to know why these are not included?

Minister Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If I recollect correctly, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Arvaluk's question was in the form that the primary use of heating oil was for the elders. My response was, when he asked why these are not included in the subsidy program, I would not recommend it as the Minister of Health or Social Services for safety reasons. The letter I provided him was merely asking for names because I would like to know who these elders are who use the fuels he mentioned as a primary source of fuel. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I could tell the Minister right now that April, May, June, July, August and September, in those six months out of the year, the grandparents are the backbone for making spring and summer camps enjoyable and rewarding for grandchildren. These are the primary uses during those six months. I do not know what other fuel you can use in that time frame when you are out at camp. The Minister is not able to identify these very simple facts. Every one of us who comes from the eastern Arctic knows these things. According to the letter she has written me, will she try to find out?

Minister Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I refer to "primary source of fuel", that is year-round use. Social assistance recipients purchase fuel with their social assistance money. I am from the east too, Mr. Arvaluk, and I know. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.