Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand where the MLA is coming from. There are all different types of assessments that would be done before anything happens and I could just list that there are three types of assessments to be considered including self-assessment, GNWT assessment and joint assessment. During these assessments there would be a lot of consultation with the groups that are interested so, there would be..it does not happen overnight, this would take a lot of time, assessing who would be able to take on the program.

We are looking at a single administrative point that can be block funded or it can be, as I said up to three single administrative points, and they can have a choice of social programs and services, and infrastructure programs and services, economic resource programs and services. If there was a duplication of people wanting the same responsibility, it would have to go through the assessment team, and everything would be assessed first. We have quite an intensive assessment program that we would do. Thank you Mr. Chair.

Thank you. Mr. Steen.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you Mr. Chair. The first challenge we have as a department, is to try to get the community together, and that is a big challenge. I think if we can talk about the basic needs of the community, we should be able to accomplish that goal, but right now we are recognizing the municipal body as the first point of contact, but we have to talk to the other groups in the community, and get the whole community working together, and different organizations, in order to start up on this community empowerment initiative. The Hamlet would be taking the lead in the presentation, if they wanted to do that, but we are making ourselves available to the other groups in the community. The challenge we have in the department is that we have to get all the groups working together first, and get it co-ordinated after they start working together. Thank you Mr. Chair.

Thank you. General comments. Are there any further general comments? If not, do we agree that the matter under consideration, Tabled Document 90-13(3), and Tabled Document 91-13(3), are concluded.

---Agreed.

Following the recommendation from the Chairman from the ordinary Members caucus, we will go to Tabled Document 7-13(3), Social Programs Mid-Year Review Report. Agreed?

---Agreed.

Thank you. I would like to recognize the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Social Programs, Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I would like to report on the review of the NWT Housing Corporation Mid-Year Status Report by the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

As part of the mid-year review, the Housing Corporation provided information on its restructuring. The committee reviewed the new organizational structure, and will look at it further during the 1997/98 business plan review.

In reviewing the structure, the committee wanted to see that the services are delivered as close to communities as possible. The committee is aware that the amalgamation of the Corporation with Public Works and Services and Transportation is being considered.

While some of the work of the corporation is related to infrastructure development and maintenance, there is another side to the work the corporation is doing. In many ways, the Corporation's mandate to provide social housing is a key component in our social safety net. Co-ordination with the programs like income reform is crucial. With these considerations as well as the transfer of Housing as part of community empowerment, the committee will be looking closely at any proposal to ensure the social program component of the Corporation is recognized and maintained.

Therefore I move that the committee recommends that no implementation of this amalgamation should proceed until all ordinary Members have a chance to review the proposal and debate its merits, regardless of whether the Corporation is being restructured or amalgamated with other departments.

Members believe that the organization's structure could provide more support directly at the community level. There are still many staff at the district level who are supposed to provide community support and development. The committee suggests it is difficult to do community development in Fort Resolution if you work in Hay River, just as it is difficult to do community development in Cape Dorset if you are based in Iqaluit. The committee would like to see a plan to have more district staff working directly in the communities. This plan should address the differences between the program and technical sides of the Corporation, training needs and the issue of duplication of services, LHOs versus district staff.

Housing is one of the areas being considered by many communities as part of empowerment. The committee believes that there is need for appropriate support as communities assume responsibility for the local housing authorities. At the community and territorial level, integration of housing services with other initiatives in the social envelope is crucial. This must be reflected in any program transfers to communities. There has been a change in the way local housing authorities are funded. The new arrangements provide incentives to authorities which find more effective ways of doing business, and able to save money. The committee supports this approach which rewards those who are effective and efficient in how they do their business.

The Housing Corporation is currently running four pilot projects for panel-built homes. These projects are consistent for new and innovative approaches to address our housing shortage. If the results of these pilot projects are positive, the committee encourages the Corporation to promote this panel construction with the view to having the panels made in the north.

Over the past year, committee members have had concerns with utility costs and public housing. The committee asked the Corporation to prepare analysis of utility costs, with the view to identifying problem areas and solutions. This analysis was provided to the committee during the review and was very enlightening for both the Corporation and the Members. While there are certainly individuals living in public housing who are not careful in their utility use, the average public housing consumption is either consistent with, or lower than the average usage in private housing. The difference in costs seems to come from the higher government rate the Corporation has to pay for utilities.

The analysis provided was very well done, and should help the Corporation identify the true areas of concern and develop appropriate solutions.

I now would like to ask Mr. Roland to continue our report.

Mr. Enuaraq, during your presentation here, did you intend to make a motion here. I believe that the recommendation that you read, was already made in the form of a motion. You stated "therefore I move that the committee recommends that no implementation of this amalgamation should proceed until all ordinary Members have a chance to review the proposal and debate its merits." Did you intend to make that a motion? Thank you.

No, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Enuaraq. Mr. Roland.

Thank you. The Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. I will give the report of the Standing Committee on the Department of Justice.

The key initiative in reviewing the Mid Year Activity Report of this department was community justice. It is clear from overcrowding in our correctional facilities that the current approach to dealing with those who break the law is not working. Members see electronic monitoring as a possible solution -- sorry Mr. Chairman -- I do not know how that word slipped in there -- it should read -- Members see community justice as a possible solution. Unfortunately, the department has not been able to provide a clear framework for community justice to the Committee.

As with community wellness,

-- Laughter.

We will take a momentary pause here. I believe there is something stuck in the Member's throat, so we will take a few minutes. Tell me when you are ready - signal when you are ready. Okay, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. As I was saying. As with community wellness, Members believe that while the government should not tell communities how to do community justice, there must be a concrete and practical framework for communities to use as a starting point.

The Committee was pleased to hear about the success of two programs which increased the participation of Northerners in local policing. There was a very successful community constable project with the RCMP where more than 20 by-law officers from across the North received training at RCMP Training Headquarters in Regina. These officers will now provide back-up to the RCMP in their communities. In Yellowknife, civilians were sworn in as auxiliary police to assist the police in specific areas. This again seems to be very successful and hopefully can be implemented in some of the other large communities.

One of the reduction options presented by the department during the business plan was eliminating inmate pay. After it was approved by a Standing Committee, the Minister decided to place this reduction on hold. During the Mid Year Review, the Minister indicated first, that there was 50% reduction to inmate pay, then later that there was no change to inmate pay. The Committee would like clarification of what is happening with inmate pay.

Mr. Chairman, this concludes the Report of the Standing Committee on Social Programs.

I would like to thank members of the Social Program Committee for making the presentation. Do we have any general comments with regards to the Tabled Document 7-13(3)? - Committee Report - correction. Mr. Todd.

Thank you Mr. Chairman. On behalf of the Cabinet and FMB we appreciate the cooperative language in this report and the recommendations. It demonstrates that this Committee is committed to working with the Cabinet and the Minister to reach consensus on important issues.

Mr. Chairman, we want to conclude tomorrow do we? On issues that affect all our people. The recommendations have been noted and a coordinated response will be developed as in the past by FMB and forwarded to the appropriate Committees. Thank you.

Thank you. Are there any other concerns? If not, do we agree that Committee Report 7-13(3) is concluded? Mr. Steen.

Thank you. The Chair will recognize the Minister of Finance and Chairperson of the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.