Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There is bit of a difference of opinion between the Seniors' Society and departmental staff in terms of just what happened in consultation. I have already apologized to the Seniors' Society for miscommunication that has taken place. Department staff thought that they were letting the Seniors' Society know about changes which were planned but it appears that in fact the Seniors' Society did not feel that they were being adequately consulted.

Starting in the summer of 1995, our director of income support programs met with Mrs. Braden, who was president of the NWT Seniors' Society; Shirley Hislop, who is a consultant; and Barb Bond who is director of the NWT Seniors' Society, to discuss the transfer of social assistance from Health and Social Services to Education, Culture and Employment. At that time, the issue of reductions to the Seniors Fossil Fuel Subsidy Program was discussed at some length. From that meeting our staff person felt that the recommendation was that the benefit should continue as a contract to supply fuel and not a cash payment. At the same time, although the Seniors' Society does not agree that this happened, our staff person thought that he was advised that tying the subsidy to the Seniors' supplementary benefit was appropriate.

In the summer of 1995, again at the NWT Seniors' Society Annual General Meeting, a briefing on the transfer of income support and anticipated changes to the program, including the planned reduction to the Seniors Fossil Fuel Subsidy was given by a department member. In the fall of 1995, again there was a meeting with the Seniors' Society to confirm that the fuel subsidy would not be reduced for winter starting in the fall of 1995 but that it would be reduced for the fall of 1996.

Then in July of 1996, another meeting was held with representatives of the Seniors' Society to discuss the changes to the Seniors Fossil Fuel Subsidy Program. At that meeting, in July 1996, Mr. Chairman, that would have followed the adoption of Education, Culture and Employment's budget in this House. So the program would have been set or the changes would been basically cast at that time. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.