Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on January 22, 1998, in the Budget Address, the honourable Minister of Finance announced a new Northwest Territories Child Benefit that took the form of a tax-free payment provided to low-income families in the Northwest Territories. This benefit was in addition to the National Child Benefit Program that was unveiled by the Government of Canada in June 1998. The amount of money that the Northwest Territories Child Benefit Program supplies to each family is dependant upon the net income of the family. Mr. Speaker, the cost of living is very expensive in the Arctic, and varies from one community to the next. A net income of $42,000 in an isolated community does not have the same buying power that it would have in less isolated communities. The National Tax Benefit and the Northwest Territories Child Benefit are wonderful new ventures and I commend both governments for putting them into effect. However, Mr. Speaker, we can always strive to take something
that is good and make it better. As it stands, the Child Benefit packages given by both governments is not enough to cover the extra living expenses for families in remote communities. Mr. Speaker, we could make the Northwest Territories Child Benefit better if we factored in the different costs of living for the different communities. We already do this for government employees, why not for the Northwest Territories Child Benefit? Thank you.
--Applause