Agreed.

--- Agreed

Directorate And Administration

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Culture And Careers

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I wanted to make a statement on page 14-13, if you would allow me, Madam Chairperson.

Madam Chairperson, I have had a chance to review the report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services from the previous Legislative Assembly. I know that Mr. Dent is very familiar with this report, having been the chair of that very important committee, so I do not need to repeat the recommendations for Mr. Dent's sake.

However, Madam Chairperson, I believe it is important to note that the report paid special attention to the situation of elders. When the committee toured the Keewatin region, they noted in their third interim report that, "Many elders also talked about the enormous burden of trying to care for themselves on the pensions which they receive, due to the high local cost of food and other goods. They described the frustration at being unable to care for dependent children or to feed visiting grandchildren. With little money and no longer being able to hunt, they told us how it is difficult to provide for themselves, let alone other family members in need. " That was on page 3 of the interim report of the Special Committee on Health and Social Services, Interim Report No. 3, dated December 1992.

Yesterday, Madam Chairperson, in my Member's statement - I believe it was yesterday or the day before -- I point out how the territorial seniors' supplement has not been increased since 1992, even though the cost of living has increased at least seven per cent in Yellowknife since that time, and I believe it has increased even more in the communities I represent.

I wish to recite recommendation number 21 of the final report of the Special Committee. It states as follows: *The adequacy of our income support payments to elders should be reviewed. These payments should more accurately reflect the high cost of living in the North and the changing cost between communities. This review should examine the programs operated by the governments of both the Territories and Canada." I have a question, Madam Chairperson. I would like to ask the honourable Minister whether such a review was ever carried out by this government.

My second question, Madam Chairperson: Does the Minister agree that such a review would be timely now?

Thank you, Madam Chair. I have a motion. I wish to make the following motion: I move that this committee recommends to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment that the adequacy of income support payments of elders be reviewed, with a view to ensuring that it reflects the current cost of living in the Northwest Territories, and further, that the Government of Canada also be encouraged to conduct a similar review of its own program payments.

I have one copy here. Madam Chairperson, I would also like to speak to the motion.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that this committee recommends to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment that the adequacy of income support payments to elders be reviewed, with a view to ensuring that it reflects the current cost of living in the Northwest Territories.

And further, that the Government of Canada also be encouraged to conduct a similar review of its own program payments.

(Translation) I don't think we have a quorum.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I will speak to the motion if I am allowed. I believe that after over three years since their last increase, even in these times of financial restraint, we should support at least keeping up with the cost of living for the territorial seniors' supplement. Also, I do not believe that it is fair that seniors in all parts of the NWT should be paid the same amount of money for the territorial seniors' supplement. Even the old-age pension itself, regardless of great differences in the cost of living ... We adjust social assistance payments according to the cost of living. We adjust settlement allowances for employees according to the cost of living. We adjust grants to municipalities according to the cost of living. These variations in the cost of living are another reason for reviewing the adequacy of income support payments to elders.

As far as the territorial seniors' supplement is concerned, I do not need to repeat my Member's statement that I made a few days ago. The bottom line, Madam Chair, is that this amount has not changed since 1992. There are about 1,500 seniors in all parts of the NWT who are very much depending on those monthly payments. They are the seniors who need it the most, since they are either widows or widowers, or people on old-age pension who require the guaranteed income supplement because the pension is the only income they get. My personal hope is that the review will indicate that the monthly supplement should be increased by at least $10 to reflect increases in the cost of living since it was last reviewed.

I would also hope that, even in these difficult times, our government could find a way to support these valued and respected citizens in our communities. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I would like to speak in favour of this motion. The seniors in the Northwest Territories have worked hard for many, many years and it is only fitting that they receive an increase and that the increase should reflect the increase in the cost of living since the last increase in their supplementary pensions that the GNWT provides. Most elders I know have to live on a fixed income and they now have to pay for many things that they didn't have to pay for prior to this budget. I believe it is only fitting that we help them to be able to pay for these increased costs that we are making them pay for since this budget was introduced. As I said, most elders I know are living on a fixed income; they have no other income other than these pensions. As I said before, I speak in favour of this motion.

I just wanted to indicate that if there are no other speakers, perhaps we could vote on the motion.