Mr. Todd.

Well, Mr. Speaker, as Mr. Picco knows, when you ask a question at the federal level you get a response. So we will just have to wait until that response comes. I am saying this is a national issue, a national policy, and it will be difficult. If I could be frank with my honourable colleague, it would be difficult to get special consideration in relationship to any federal forms, et cetera. I agree with my honourable colleague that these tax forms are quite complicated. I guess the only way to answer that, is that, we will have to wait until the federal government gives us their response to the request that was asked by Mr. Picco. I asked them and we wait and see what they say to us on their return whenever that may be, hopefully in the new year. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, recently Toonoonik Sahoonik Co-operative in Pond Inlet purchased units from this government. There was to be no increase in the summer of 1998. The Co-op has no alternative but to increase the units due to the Canadian Mortgage Housing Corporation requirements as far as down payment, equity required mortgage due to their remote location status of these units. For instance, one unit will rise by 68.5 percent; two-bedroom unit will rise by 20.7 percent; and three-bedroom unit will rise by 36.5 percent. What will the Minister of Finance do to address this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. I might just stay standing. Mr. Speaker, first of all there is some great difficulty with the changes in the mortgage conditions in terms of conditions and my honourable colleague, Mr. Arlooktoo, has been working fully aggressively with CMHC and the federal Minister responsible. I think it will be fair to say we have not had much luck, at this stage, of trying to convince them that CMHC should view the north no differently than it views anywhere else in Canada. That is the one side. There is a legitimate concern up there by developers that CMHC has changed the rules of engagement and, there is a requirement for a greater down payment on commercial residential properties than was there before. On the other side of the equation, I have said consistently, when we went to sell the staff houses, that we were hopeful the teachers along with butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers would choose to buy the houses at a significantly discounted rate. Some teachers, for whatever reason, decided not to. Therefore, they were bought by private developers like the Toonoonik Sahoonik Co-op and their rents have to reflect the financing and the cost of the facility. In this particular instance, I did get a note from my honourable colleague which I appreciate. We will look into the fact that it appears, at least in print here, that

some of these rents may be getting raised to the tune of 36.5 to 68.5 percent. If that is the case and there is not a defensible position with respect to it, they will have some discussions with that developer. If we have no success, then as I said before in this House, we will find alternative housing for the teachers.

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, the boards have the responsibility for delivery of programs and services that includes the responsibility for transportation. I cannot speak on the specific circumstances the honourable Member mentions. I will ask the department to get a status report from the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board. I cannot speak on the appropriateness of it as well because I do not know what the diagnosis would have been by the health care professionals in this case, both in his constituency and the referring physician, that would have been based in Inuvik. But I will undertake to find out the circumstances surrounding this incident, speak to the honourable Member on it and determine what the circumstances were, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am the Minister of Health and Social Services and ultimately responsible for the health care of residents throughout the Northwest Territories. The boards or the public administrators, if there are no boards, are responsible for the delivery of programs and services. They have the mandate on how they deliver those services given that we have to make sure they are adequate and reasonable. As I indicated to the honourable Member in this particular circumstance, if there were actions that may not have been appropriate, we will find out. We will find out that if that was the case, what recommendations would be made to the board in trying to alleviate the possibility of that type of circumstance happening again, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, obviously individuals could lodge complaints with whomever they may choose. I would suggest to them, depending on the nature of the complaint, that they first approach the health care professionals in their community. If they cannot get resolution to that issue, approach the CEO at the regional board level; failing that, to the chair whether directly or through the trustee of that community; failing that, to their MLA's and to the ministry. There are different avenues, of course, depending on the circumstances but I think, if you work your way through the process and you are not satisfied with the answer then you can move it on to the next level, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, certainly the issue of having a possible advocate on behalf of health and other matters has been an issue that has been considered. Right now, as we all know, we are going through a major reform of our Health and Social Services systems both in the governance and the delivery. I would suggest that we are not trying to make the circumstances difficult for individuals to resolve their issues or bring forth their issues. But certainly if it happened in the community level first of all, no matter who it is, they have to go back to find out the circumstances surrounding the case. There are always two sides to every story. We have to start from somewhere, and to begin at the community level is the logical choice as the first incidence of treatment began, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Picco.