Thank you, Mr. Pudluk. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There has been some concern expressed by Members of this House about the implementation of the rent scale. I would like to make a statement today about our work with local housing organizations on the introduction of the new scale.

A new rent scale for social housing was approved in this House last fall. Changes in rent will start on April 1st. Increases will be phased in over the next four years. Change of any sort is difficult on people and it is important that all community members, especially tenants, know exactly what the change will mean to them.

To make sure that people learn about the new rent scale, the Housing Corporation has taken a number of steps. Over the last two months, Housing Corporation field staff and the staff of the local housing organizations in each community have been trained on the new scale. These people are our front-line workers whose job it is to answer tenant questions and implement the rent scale changes.

Members may have noticed some ads in the northern newspapers, posters around the communities or heard corporation staff on the radio answering questions on the new rent scale. This is being done to make sure everyone understands about the changes to the rent scale or where to get more information.

Notices of changes to rent have either been hand-delivered or sent by double registered mail to tenants.

Staff from the local housing organizations have reported that approximately 95 per cent of households received their notices by February 28th. Some tenants have not been reached yet because they are out of town. We will give these tenants their notices when they return and their rent will change one month from the date of getting their notices. Decreases in rent will be retroactive to April 1st.

In addition to the rent scale change notice, tenants received an information package on the rent scale changes and options for home ownership. This information advised tenants to contact their local housing organization to receive a counselling session on how the rent scale change would affect them. Local housing organization staff report that, as of March 3rd, approximately 40 per cent of tenants have asked for counselling and have been counselled. Local housing organization staff are confident that the March 31st deadline is achievable.

Mr. Speaker, every tenant will be individually informed about the new rent scale. Options for home ownership will be discussed with those higher-income tenants who may consider moving out of social housing. Information is being translated so that everyone receives the information in the language they understand best.

As I mentioned, change is difficult and for some of our higher-income families it may mean quite a big change. They will be encouraged to move out of social housing. However, we must do this so our social housing units are available for families who cannot afford home ownership. It is a very big job for our local housing organizations and corporation field staff. They are working long hours to make sure that all 5,600 families living in social housing are counselled before the beginning of April. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, for the past several years Northwest Territories schools have celebrated Education Week during the first full week of March. With the consolidation of the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and the release of the department's new strategic plan, we are now working to develop a continuum of educational and cultural programs from early childhood to adulthood. To mark this strategic direction, this year's theme for Education Week is "Caring for our Future," which focuses on the importance of early childhood development.

Early childhood is the most critical stage in a person's development, because it is during these years that the foundations of life-long competencies and skills are established. Research on early childhood development and our own experience have shown that children who attend quality preschool programs tend to perform better in school, in training programs and in the workplace. Early childhood programming results in marked improvement in the development of language and thinking skills, as well as reading and mathematics. It has been shown that every dollar spent on preschool programs eventually saves $6 in remedial education, welfare and other social costs.

Mr. Speaker, there are many quality early childhood programs being offered to children in the Northwest Territories. I'd like to give you an overview of some of the many successful programs being offered to children in the Northwest Territories.

The Fort Norman child development centre has been operating for about 15 years, due largely to the community's ongoing support of the program and the staff. In the years since the program was established, kindergarten and grade one teachers have noticed better attitudes and skills among the children who have attended the program. They seem to be able to adjust to new situations and work in groups better than the children who have not taken part in the program. These children also enter school with increased thinking skills and are better prepared to learn. The program is so popular that the majority of preschool children in Fort Norman attend.

Mr. Speaker, quality child care is an important concern for young parents who wish to continue their own schooling. Child development programs now operate in seven of the NWT's senior secondary schools. These centres have three goals. First, they provide a safe and healthy place for the children, who are provided with a quality environment which helps them develop their skills in preparation for kindergarten. Secondly, these programs provide teen parents with an opportunity to develop parenting skills and understand the importance of being involved in the growth of their children. And thirdly, these programs give young parents the opportunity to continue their education, which gives them more options for employment and provides a brighter future for the family.

The opportunity to play with a variety of toys and to interact with other children plays an important role in early childhood development. The Yellowknife Catholic school board sponsors a toy-lending library in one of its elementary schools. In addition to lending toys, the library offers a drop-in play program for preschoolers and parents and provides support to parents interested in improving their parenting skills, either directly or by providing resource materials. The toy-lending library provides a safe atmosphere for preschool children and their parents to meet and socialize.

Mr. Speaker, offering early intervention to children who are at risk is essential if they are going to succeed in school. A successful pilot project run in Pelly Bay from 1991 to 1993 shows the value of early intervention. Twelve children, from newborn to five years of age, were identified to take part in the project because medical or environmental factors put them at risk of being delayed in their development. Program workers helped the children improve in areas such as vocabulary, socialization skills, thinking abilities and positive behaviour. Parents noted that their children had better listening skills and spoke more clearly than they had before entering the program. It was also reported that the children were well prepared to learn by the time they reached kindergarten. This program's success is due to the many partners in the areas of health, education, social services and other interested community agencies who had a role in the program.

Mr. Speaker, these are just a few examples of the many successful early childhood programs operating across the north. Many of the programs now operating have a specific focus on language and culture and play a valuable role in improving children's understanding of their language and culture and enhancing their self-esteem.

Tomorrow I will bring this Assembly up to date on changes to the early childhood program, another initiative which provides support to children, parents and child care providers. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Education, Culture and Employment has been given a lead role in the review and reform of income support programs in the NWT. As a part of this process, I released a discussion paper called "Creating Choices: Solving the Income Support Puzzle," in July of last year. This document has proven to be a valuable starting point for public discussion and consultation on this complex issue. Today I would like to follow up on my earlier announcement on the establishment of the Minister's Forum on Income Support Reform, which will give northern residents a further opportunity to guide this government in laying the foundation for change in the Northwest Territories.

The members of the Minister's forum have been appointed because they are well respected northerners and are leaders in their communities. They also represent a cross section of stakeholders in income support programs.

Mr. Speaker, their primary function is to provide advice to me and to this Assembly, in the complex task of reforming income support programs in a way that best reflects the priorities and concerns of NWT residents.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise that the forum will be co-chaired by Grace Blake, who is the Tsiigehtchic band chief and a member of the Gwich'in Tribal Council, and Wilf Wilcox, a businessman and former mayor of Cambridge Bay. The other members of the forum are:

-Joanne Deneron, a Fort Liard businesswoman and former chair of the Arctic College board of directors;

-George Blondin of Rae-Edzo, an elder and writer;

-Elijah Erkloo, an elder, the coordinator of Pond Inlet's young offenders program, a member of the Nunavut Social Advisory Council and a former MLA;

-Sandra Kusugak of Rankin Inlet, member of the Keewatin Divisional Board of Education and an education consultant; and,

-Thelma Tees, a long-standing member of the Metis Nation of the NWT, former director of Northern Addiction Services and currently the chairperson of the victims' assistance fund.

Mr. Speaker, the forum will provide information to the public on income support reform and help to increase public awareness and understanding of reform issues. The members of the forum will also seek the advice of northerners on how to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of income support programs and will forward this advice to me.

To reach these goals, the forum will hold focus group consultations on how changes in income support reform relate to social assistance, student financial assistance, child day care, unemployment insurance, harvesters' assistance and social housing. Discussions will focus on four critical areas: investment in work and learning; access and opportunities; community management; and, security. Specific questions to be discussed will include how we can encourage people to make productive choices which will lead them to independence and how we can ensure those most in need receive benefits.

We will also be asking advice on what our priorities should be in income support reform and how our partners can participate in the reform process. There will also be discussions around how we can encourage our youth to make positive contributions to the community and society.

Mr. Speaker, the focus group sessions will be held in Iqaluit, in fact they were held this past weekend, March 4th and 5th, and in Inuvik on March 25th and 26th. The forum will also invite interested organizations to make presentations in Yellowknife on March 28th. The forum will submit its report in April, after which I will present its findings to this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I find it strange that CBC has been running clips from the proceedings of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline inquiry from the mid-1970s. Call it their 20th anniversary if you want, but there must be a better reason for reminding us of the inquiry than just plain nostalgia.

Is there concern that we have another boom that is proceeding too rapidly? Is there concern that development is proceeding unchecked and with too little concern for impact on people and on the environment? This can hardly be the case, Mr. Speaker, since there are intensive negotiations and consultation taking place between mining people and the various aboriginal organizations and governments. The difference between now and the 1970s is that development is not the huge media event in the way that it was then. This causes the media some concerns and frustration and some nostalgia for the days when the north was in the news almost every day.

A gas or oil pipeline was viewed as a threat to the huge Mackenzie River valley. It's difficult to generate similar anxieties about mining. We've had mines for more than 50 years. Today it's not pipelines that seem to be causing anxiety, but mining roads that seem to be provoking debate. I find it very difficult, however deeply I think about it, to compare roads and pipelines. Hopefully CBC is only innocently marking an anniversary.

I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that media circus like the one we had in the 1970s is enough of a show for one man's lifetime. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm honoured to rise in the House on behalf of five Pelly Bay students who are endeavouring to raise money for a trip to Colorado. Mr. Speaker, up to this point in time, the Pelly Bay students have raised $9,000 in their own community.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, in my office I have pictures of the five students which have been autographed, and the pictures are going for $100 each. Mr. Speaker, when most of us were growing up, in school we did not have the opportunity to travel to other countries or within this jurisdiction to broaden our horizons. This is an opportunity that most young people today enjoy. These are our future leaders. I would urge my colleagues and the business people of the NWT to have a heart and buy a picture from my office. I can assure you that you will receive a receipt for each item you buy. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Is that good or bad?

The honourable Member, Mr. Whitford, is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to recognize some pages. There are two pages here from my constituency: Mandy Wilson and Mariah Goodfellow. If you both would rise, please.

---Applause

Thank you. They are from my constituency and I would like to say that I'm very pleased to have them here with us so they can see how government works and how MLAs carry out their responsibilities. It's a good example for young people in the communities to see how we carry out business here in the Legislative Assembly and for young people from other communities to take advantage of the page program. I would just like to recognize them today. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today we can be very proud of our young people and their efforts. Mr. Ningark stated that young people from his community will be going down south for a student exchange. I'm glad to see young people are becoming more involved in travelling outside of their communities. In Resolute Bay, there will be some students going to Ottawa because they have been able to raise money to put towards their travel. The senior students who will be going thought their airfares would cost over $25,000. In the last three weeks, they have already raised $15,000 on their own. They have been raising this money from within their own communities and have been doing everything they can to raise the money so they can travel to Ottawa to visit the Parliament buildings and other major buildings there.

I am very proud of their efforts. They now have the ability to work toward their goals and objectives. I feel we have a good future in these young people who work hard in achieving their goals. I hope they will be able to travel to Ottawa with the money they have raised and I would encourage other young people in different regions to work toward their goals. If they work hard, they will achieve them. I hope the Resolute Bay students will enjoy their trip to Ottawa. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, this is a response to a question asked by Mr. Lewis on February 17th concerning bonds. Mr. Speaker, on February 17th, the honourable Member from Yellowknife Centre asked whether the government had the authority to issue government bonds, as do the provinces. I can now confirm that the GNWT does indeed have this authority.

Mr. Speaker, the Northwest Territories Act (Canada) and the Northwest Territories Borrowing Authorization Act provide that the government may borrow in several different ways. It may borrow by way of overdraft, term note, debenture loan, promissory note, or other long-term arrangement. The decision as to which borrowing instrument is appropriate is determined by such criteria as the duration of the borrowing required, interest rates applicable to specific instruments, purpose for which the borrowing is being undertaken and the administrative costs associated with a particular type of borrowing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My constituents don't always visit due to the long distance between the two areas. There is a person here, an elder, Arnakadluk Qaqasiq from Arctic Bay. I would like to recognize her in the gallery. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, report of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Whitford.

Report On Bill 17

Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document: Tabled Document 45-12(7), response to the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions report on the Northwest Territories Arts Council.

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Tabled Document 46-12(7), response to the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions report on the First Annual Report, 1992-93, of the Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. I have a second one, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Tabled Document 47-12(7), projected and actual revenues for 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1993-94. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 8, 1995, I shall move that Bill 19, An Act to Amend the Elections Act, No. 2, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the Honourable Member for Kitikmeot, that Bill 18, Northwest Territories Energy Corporation Limited Loan Guarantee Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Your motion is in order. To the motion.

Question.

Question has been called. All those in favour? All those opposed? Motion is carried.

---Carried

Bill 18 has had first reading. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 2, 1995-96...

Point of order, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Antoine, your point of order.

Point Of Order

Mr. Speaker, I was trying to get your attention before you got into item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters. I would like to seek unanimous consent to go back to item 6, oral questions, Mr. Speaker.

First of all, Mr. Antoine, you don't have a point of order; but the Member did seek unanimous consent to go back to item 6, oral questions. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Antoine, oral questions.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to ask a question of the Ministers of Health and Social Services, the Workers' Compensation Board and Renewable Resources.

Unfortunately, the three Ministers are not in the House today so I will direct my question to the Minister of Justice. This is regarding the gun control legislation that was introduced in the House of Commons. What is the status of this gun control legislation at this time? Thank you.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I take it that this legislation has had second reading and has gone to the committee of the House of Commons on Justice and Legal Affairs. As you know, Mr. Speaker, this is a very important issue for people in the north, especially aboriginal people whose way of life is living off the land and in many cases the use of firearms that is quite engrained into our social way of life. With this new gun control legislation it's going to be infringing on our way of life, and it may be infringing on our aboriginal rights to live off the land. As a result, it is very important to us.

When the Justice and Legal Affairs committee is conducting its hearings, I would like to ask the Minister if this committee will be travelling to the north and, if they do travel to the north, where would they go? It would be very good for people to know this information. Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is such an important issue. It seems at this point in time that since this is federal government legislation and it has been tabled in the House of Commons, the only changes we could hope to see would be through the presentation to this committee. I don't see any other route we could use at this time except for trying to influence Members of the committee to see it our way. I think it's important that as many people as possible from the north make presentations to this committee. It's crucial that this committee comes north to hear as many people as possible. If that's the case, I would like to ask the Minister of Justice if funding will be available to different groups that may want to make presentations. If they don't have their own funding and it's important that their views be heard, would this government be providing any sort of funding for people to help them with their travel to come and have their voices heard before this committee? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

(Microphones turned off)

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It would be good if this Standing Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs who will be conducting hearings on the new gun control legislation could travel north. I haven't heard whether there is the possibility that they might not come north. If they don't come north and they conduct their hearings in Ottawa, will this government be providing assistance to different groups who may want to make presentations to this committee? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. It seems that the new rent scale that is being implemented on April 1st will go ahead. We all know people in public housing who have never had rental arrears, have kept up to date with their payments and who have been very faithful to their housing associations since they have resided in public housing. There has been no indication of giving benefits to those people who always keep up to date with their rental payments. The government is giving them a big rental increase. As the Minister said, 95 per cent of the people in the Northwest Territories have been informed and some people who have been away haven't received this information. Mr. Speaker, will they be notified by April 1st? Will the information come across to those other people who have not heard about this? Do you think all the people in the NWT will know about this rental scale before April 1st? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. According to the information I have from the NWT Housing Corporation, local housing authorities are quite sure that they will be able to get in touch with all tenants and all people who haven't had their counselling. The housing authority will make sure those people who are out on the land or travelling will get their notice. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Housing on the rent scale implementation. Isn't it the present law that the landlord has to give three months' notice if there is going to be rent increases? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Housing, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The law is that a private landlord would have to give three months notice and are allowed to change their rent once a year. But because we have what they call a "rental subsidy" -- public housing -- we don't have to give the three-month notice. Our leases with our tenants are month to month. So it only requires one month. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Why is it that the Housing Corporation has to give just one month's notice when the GNWT is required to give three months? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my understanding that if you refer to staff housing compared to social housing, there is a difference. It's social housing, which is subsidized housing, and it only requires one month. The leases are month to month. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a concern in this area because in one of my communities there are something like 60 people on a waiting list for public housing. This government has a monopoly in the small communities on houses available for rent because there aren't private housing markets. I don't consider that fair, especially when only a small

number of access houses can be built in smaller communities to help some of the people who can afford their own homes. How can the Minister implement a rent scale that will force individual tenants to pay rent?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member says, there are over 60 people in one of her communities -- and I don't know which community she is talking about -- on a waiting list and that is one of the justifications for increasing rents in the communities. There are people in the communities who can afford to operate and maintain their own homes. The Housing Corporation has many different programs and public housing is one of the programs. Public housing is designed for low-income people, people with very little income. If people have small incomes then they will pay very little rent. We are encouraging those people who can afford to own their own homes to get into their own homes to free up space for those 60 people on the waiting list. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's exactly my point. In the small communities, the only houses available for rent are Housing Corporation public housing. A lot of families are living together, not by choice, but because there is a lack of housing available. There isn't a private market and the access homes delivered by this government are very limited. How can the Minister justify implementing this rent scale?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last year, in the allocation of units across the Northwest Territories -- and, as Members know, the units are allocated according to need -- over 40 access units were not taken up in communities that had artificial caps on rent. There is no encouragement for people to get into their own homes if they make up to $120,000 a year or even $80,000 a year and pay $100 a month rent. So, what we are doing is encouraging people to get into their own homes to free up public housing for low-income people who actually need it. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am listening with interest to the responses we are getting from the Minister of Housing. Is the Minister saying that section 47(2) of the Residential Tenancies Act does not apply to the Housing Corporation? The section, if I recall correctly, stipulates that notice has to be given to tenants of at least three months. Doesn't the Housing Corporation have to conform to that law? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The information I received this morning from the Housing Corporation was that the NWT Housing Corporation, because it rents subsidized housing and has month-to-month leases, only has to give one month's notice. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Supplementary, Mr. Speaker. If I recall correctly, when we were dealing with staff housing units, before staff rents were increased to economic levels, staff rents were social rents. I wonder, Mr. Speaker, if there is any difference between social housing rates now and staff housing rates which were applied to government employees back then. Why did the government have to give tenants three months' notice then? Why did they have to conform to section 47(2) two years ago? Why doesn't it apply in this case?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding, under section 47(6) of the Residential Tenancies Act exempts subsidized public housing from three-month notice. It also doesn't indicate any requirement for any notice. You don't have to give notice, that is my understanding. However, since our leases are considered month-to-month leases, out of courtesy, we are given one month's notice of increases. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice whether he will confirm that four victims' services programs in Iqaluit, Rankin Inlet, Yellowknife and Fort Smith will be receiving no funding in this coming fiscal year.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Just over three years ago, Mr. Speaker, everybody in this House was delighted to hear that we were going to look at victims of crime and not spend all our time looking at offenders and the offences. So, would the Minister confirm that we are back where we started, just dealing with offenders and we're no longer concerned with the victims of crime?

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

That's good news, Mr. Speaker, that this issue is under review. I would like to ask the Minister whether a decision will be made during the time we will be sitting in this session of our Legislature.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Mr. Lewis, your final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There's always a debate as to how much the state should be responsible for various social programs, either in terms of causing them within our society or fixing them after they've been committed. Is this one more example of the federal government off-loading programs that they are instrumental in initiating, but then walking away from them once the big public demand is there?

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Finance. Since the federal budget came down about one week ago now and we've already been made aware that our territorial budget is going to be cut by $8 million this year and $50 million next year, has the Minister of Finance considered what ways he's going to address this $8 million cut, taking into consideration this budget that we're currently addressing is already going to put us in a $38 million deficit? Thank you.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the $8 million is already factored into the figures that are before the House today for this particular year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

That's good to hear. Since that is already factored into this year's budget and we're looking at a $38 million deficit -- recognizing the government does have a supp reserve and that I'm not on the Standing Committee on Finance -- I would like to ask what is left of our supp reserve within the territorial government?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the deficit for this year is a little less than $14 million. There is also $30 million in supp reserves that is not allocated. So, in effect, we have a little bit of a cushion, Mr. Speaker, but I know there are going to be requests from departments this year. I know there are going to be requests because of inflationary pressures, et cetera. I should tell you that that $30 million will soon be a shade under $27 million because we've taken the recommendation of the Standing Committee on Finance about financing the wellness program out of supplementary appropriations. So we have a little less than $27 million not allocated at the present time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mrs. Marie-Jewell, supplementary.

Mr. Speaker, I'm somewhat concerned. Looking over the documents last year, one supp request alone brought forth by this government was in the area of $72 million, if I recall correctly. There's no doubt, this $27 million supp reserve could go fairly quickly, particularly when you take into account that we've hardly had any snow this winter so we could have another dry fire season. I would like to ask the Minister whether there is anything in place that would not deplete the supp reserve, without good justification, recognizing that it should be needed for areas to be addressed only in time of critical need. Thank you.