Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister responsible for Government Services and Public Works is well aware of the problems being experienced by the Rae-Edzo school society. Both the society and I have raised these concerns with the Minister, but we have been unable to get a response that makes any sense.

Mr. Speaker, the Rae-Edzo school society has had control over the operation and maintenance of schools in the Rae-Edzo area for over 20 years. In 1971, chief Jimmy Bruno and the then Deputy Commissioner, John Parker, signed an agreement which firmly and clearly established this control. This was reaffirmed by the commissioner and the former Minister of Education in 1982 in an agreement giving the school society exclusive responsibility for maintenance and operation. Again, in 1989, the government affirmed the intent of these agreements in a memorandum of understanding between the Minister of Education, the commissioner, the Dogrib divisional board of education and the Rae-Edzo school society. Now, the Minister of Public Works is refusing to negotiate an agreement with the Rae-Edzo school society for the transfer of utilities and maintenance funding for the Elizabeth Mackenzie Elementary School in Rae. The Minister has said that such agreements are not consistent with recent Cabinet decisions.

Mr. Speaker, this reasoning completely escapes me. It is another example of a lack of coordination of the government's policies. This government has made a strong commitment to the transfer of responsibilities to communities. The government says it wants to restore local responsibility and self-sufficiency and community control. Yet, it refuses to recognize the Rae-Edzo school society is capable of administering this responsibility and is eager to do so and that it has the right to do so under an agreement signed with the Government of the Northwest Territories. If the government will not let go of its control under these circumstances, what hoops will other communities have to go through under the community transfer initiative?

In addition, Mr. Speaker, other Ministers have emphasized to this House that user-pay utilities result in increased energy conservation because the user has a vested interest in the savings. The government applies this rationale to the staff housing strategy when it is convenient, yet...