Thank you, Madam Speaker. I wish to table Tabled Document 6-12(6), the correspondence sent to me from Pangnirtung Fisheries Limited regarding some statements that were made when we were dealing with Mr. Todd's budget for Economic Development and Tourism.

Item 9, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Deh Cho.

Madam Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to go back to item 8, reports of standing and special committees.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 8, reports of standing and special committees. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker, honourable Members. Madam Speaker, I'm pleased to present the first report of the Advisory Committee on Social Housing. The Advisory Committee on Social Housing is a unique committee in our Legislature. It was designed to provide the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation with advice on major housing issues.

The committee also reviews proposals for housing strategies, programs, and policies. The committee provides Members and the Minister with an opportunity to work together on housing issues in a cooperative, non-adversarial way that is in keeping with our consensus government.

Madam Speaker, the advisory committee process has worked well. We have discussed many housing issues, ranging from federal funding cuts to the review of the rent scale. The committee Members are satisfied that their concerns are taken seriously by the Minister and the corporation. Housing issues are complicated, but no other issue as deeply affects the basic quality of life of all our constituents. Housing means homes. Homes where people raise their families and try to build a better life for themselves. We are facing serious challenges in housing today. Funding cuts by the federal government have left us with a severe housing shortage to address on our own. Our young and growing population means this shortage will get worse. We must find new and better ways to provide more housing and make the best use of the housing we have.

These are very difficult issues, Madam Speaker. But we must work together for the good of all the people we serve. Through open consultation and sharing of information and ideas, the advisory committee has been able to work as a team with the Minister to address these issues.

The next year also promises to be a busy one for the committee. Earlier this year, consultation meetings were held in every Northwest Territories community. The committee also moved forward with plans to review the recommendations from the communities and district consultation meetings later on this summer. We will report back to the House next fall with our recommendations on the corporation's community consultation framework. Just for the record, Madam Speaker, when I refer to the consultation meetings that were held in every Northwest Territories community, those were the housing authorities that held the consultation meetings, not the Advisory Committee on Social Housing.

Madam Speaker, in closing, I would like to thank the Minister and other Members of the Advisory Committee on Social Housing for their goodwill and cooperation over the past year. I hope that this spirit of working together through the difficult issues we face will continue. Madam Speaker, that concludes the first report of the Advisory Committee on Social Housing.

Motion To Receive And Adopt Committee Report 1-12(6), Carried

Therefore, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Natilikmiot, that the first report of the Advisory Committee on Social Housing be received by the Assembly and adopted. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Your motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Item 8, reports of standing and special committees. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Madam Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to go back to item 5, oral questions.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to oral questions. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, there is nothing I can do in the interim. The law is quite clear right now. The Dental Mechanics Act does not allow for the making of partial plates in the Northwest Territories by a denturist. I had considerable work done on it and we have looked at other jurisdictions across Canada. I am presently having the department prepare a legislative proposal to change the legislation and bring it to the House to give some leeway in this area. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I really haven't got a problem with who does the work with regard to dentures. The only problem I have is it is the aboriginal people who are being affected by the lack of action by this government. But the Minister said unfortunately he cannot change the legislation now. Which section of the Dental Mechanics Act suggests that a denturist cannot practice up here?

Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, there was an inference there that partial plates are not available to aboriginal people in the Northwest Territories at the present time. They are available to aboriginal people and they are supplied through dentists' offices and visiting dentists in the NWT. There is an allowance for payment through an agreement with the federal government for aboriginal people to receive both full uppers and lowers and also partials, in many instances, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, the Dental Mechanics Act is quite specific. It mentions that a denturist can supply and fit a full upper or a full lower denture. It does not mention partials for a denturist or dental mechanics in the Northwest Territories. That is the act we are looking at changing and upgrading, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

I would like to get this straight for the record. If there is a section that makes reference to only full upper or lower dentures, it doesn't say anything about partial. If it is not mentioned in the act, does that mean he cannot practice or does it just mean that he can be practising because it doesn't make reference to partial dentures?

Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The Dental Mechanics Act makes no mention of the fact that a dental mechanic or denturist can make a partial plate. So it specifically says the denturist can do full uppers or full lowers. The act does not allow for a denturist to make partial plates and fit partial plates in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. My final supplementary, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Health when he expects the amendments to the Dental Mechanics Act so that denturists can make partial plates?

Thank you. Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.