Thank you, Mr. Speaker. ..."We cannot abandon support to those most in need." The monthly supplement from the NWT government is paid to people on the old-age pension who get the guaranteed income supplement or whose husband or wife has died. These are the less well off of our senior citizens in the NWT.

Mr. Speaker, I suggest that we should carefully review the adequacy of the territorial seniors' supplement. By my calculations, if we were to keep up with the cost of living increases in Yellowknife alone, which have been seven per cent since the supplement was last reviewed, the monthly supplement should be increased by about $10 a month, to $145.

Mr. Speaker, I know we are facing reductions in our spending in the coming year; however, as the Premier stated in his address on the Agenda for Change last week in this Assembly: "poor social conditions mean hardship for a lot of people in the Northwest Territories." Although it will not be easy for us to do, Mr. Speaker, as I well know, as our Premier said in his address last week: "We must improve social conditions." Mr. Speaker, I suggest we start by looking at the monthly pension supplement for the most valued and respected members of our society: our senior citizens, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.