(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Chairman. (Translation ends) About social assistance rates, Mr. Chairman; if there were lots of jobs in places like Arctic Bay, I would encourage all my constituents who are on social assistance to go to work, if it were available. However, there are not enough jobs to go around. So my constituents must depend on social assistance, even if they would rather not.

Mr. Chairman, in September 1992, the Standing Committee on Health and Social Services of this Assembly made some strong commitments about social assistance food allowance rates. The Special Committee noted that, even though the 1992-93 budget included a five per cent increase in food allowances for people on welfare, even with that increase, people in the NWT on welfare are still only getting about 60 per cent of what they really need to properly feed their families. Mr. Chairman, that situation has not changed since 1992. 1 suspect it has only gotten worse.

I feel like repeating what the Special Committee on Health and Social Services asked when they tabled their interim report in September 1992. The committee, through its chair, Mr. Dent, wondered where social assistance clients are to get the funds to make up for the average 40 per cent shortfall between what the food allowance covers and the cost of a basic diet for their families. The committee also pointed out that the rate for the food allowance did not reflect the different costs of living in our communities.

The 1991 food price survey found that there were big differences in the cost of food. It was suggested that a food allowance should be given out in a way that recognizes that costs are much higher in some communities that others. What was recommended by the committee was more than just tinkering. The committee suggested that there should

be a major overhaul. The committee also suggested that more use could be made of country food, by helping people to hunt, than by educating people about making better use of the country foods.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the Minister if he recalls these recommendations. Am I correct that the food allowance rates have not increased since 1992? Finally, I would like to ask the Minister if he has any plans for a review of the food allowance rates, and if he has any plans to better match those payments to the actual cost of living in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.