Mr. Speaker, I make the following motion, seconded by the honourable Member for Natilikmiot. It is on the Seniors' Fuel Subsidy Program.

WHEREAS the seniors and elders across the NWT have made significant contributions to these families and communities;

AND WHEREAS we wish to support and encourage seniors to live independent lives as much as possible;

AND WHEREAS the Seniors' Fuel Subsidy Program provides assistance for seniors in the high cost of heating their homes;

AND WHEREAS the Seniors' Fuel Subsidy Program helps seniors and elders to maintain healthy lifestyles;

AND WHEREAS the majority of seniors and elders live on fixed incomes, support extended families and live in areas where the cost of living is high;

AND WHEREAS the Legislative Assembly had approved a change to this program in 1996/97 to eliminate seniors with high incomes from being eligible for the program;

AND WHEREAS the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment instituted changes to the program beyond the expectations of Members;

AND WHEREAS the majority of Members, along with the Standing Committee on Social Programs, have been encouraging the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment to maintain this program;

AND WHEREAS the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment intends to eliminate the program in the 1997/98 budget;

AND WHEREAS there is a fragmented approach to the delivery of programs and benefits for seniors, including inconsistencies in the criteria and ages for eligibility;

AND WHEREAS the social envelope departments have not completed the comprehensive review of all subsidies to seniors.

Now therefore, I move, seconded by the Member for Natilikmiot, that the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment be urged to continue the Seniors' Fuel Subsidy Program with the following changes:

- increasing the single income threshold to, at least, exceed the Statistics Canada poverty level for a single person, indexed to Yellowknife's cost of living;

- indexing qualifying incomes to the cost of living across the Northwest Territories, using Yellowknife as a base;

- including seniors who rent private housing in the eligibility criteria.

AND FURTHER that the funding necessary for this program should come from instituting a rent policy for seniors living in public housing;

AND FURTHER that the revised Seniors' Fuel Subsidy Program remain in place until the recommendations contained in the report of the comprehensive review of all programs and benefits to seniors and elders is reviewed by the Standing Committee on Social Programs and the Legislative Assembly. Thank you.