Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I recently received the annual report from the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors. This association was formed in 1983 by a group of citizens concerned about issues facing seniors. Their mission statement is "Building the support of communities for the health of seniors." Mr. Speaker, over the past 17 years, the association has provided a range of good programs and services in support of seniors. They have found sources of funding that help to build much needed facilities such as the Aven senior's home and the Baker Community Centre.

With seniors being the fastest growing segment of the Northwest Territories population, the association's board stresses in this report that a coordinated plan is necessary to address the issues facing seniors across the North.

Mr. Speaker, our government has recognized the need for a Minister responsible for seniors and it has appointed one. However, Mr. Speaker, he has no budget. Depending on which programs or services are required, right now, seniors may have to deal with either the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation or local health and social services boards.

It is time, Mr. Speaker, for this government to develop a long-term plan that is coordinated at the territorial level to address issues facing seniors. The Minister responsible for Seniors should be tasked with bringing different government departments together to ensure that seniors enjoy a one-window approach to services.

Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors and other seniors' organizations across the Northwest Territories cannot achieve their goals by working alone. We owe it to our seniors. We must develop a coordinated approach that provides programs and services for the maximum benefit of all. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my statement today is in regard to the fur industry and the importance of it, especially in my riding. The fur industry has built this country to what it is today and we have seen the history of the fur industry as bright. However, we have to realize the importance of the fur industry to our small aboriginal communities, and improving and enhancing that industry like we are improving and enhancing the oil and gas industry or the diamond industry. We are giving loan guarantees in the range of $9.2 million to certain industries to enhance their ability to market the different trades.

We have to do just as well in the fur industry when we talk about enhancing the fur markets, making the fur products, and also enhancing the ability of the trappers themselves to be able to continue to carry out this activity.

Everyone knows that there has been a major impact on the fur industry in regard to the European boycott and the efforts by this government to impose the leg-hold trap on the trapping industry which, to date, is one of the biggest factors for a trapper to continue with traditional trapping methods which are no longer there. Also, the high cost of fuels, gas, transportation and food for people to continue that practice.

We hear a lot of things on the radio lately about the trapping industry and how we can enhance it. We can enhance it as we have in this government where we heard yesterday from the Minister responsible for Education. He has found $12 million to do a study in regard to non-renewable resources. Yet we are seeing dwindling resources in the resource-based economy to assist trappers to go out and harvest their furs. Also, the ability for them to purchase traps to go out and carry out that activity is no longer there.

I think it is essential that this government implement a similar program that we have in regard to other industry, enhancing those industries. However, this government also has to spend the money resources on the trapping industry as we are in other sectors.

With that, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development questions on this matter later. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this day I refer to an issue I have been working on since my days in the 13th Assembly. It is regarding the justice facility that has been planned to be constructed in Inuvik, Female Young Offenders Facility, to be specific.

Mr. Speaker, it has been a growing concern in the community of wondering when this will proceed and there have been a number of times that the Minister has committed that this project is still moving ahead. There are continuing concerns where the Department of Justice has raised issues of cost expenditures and the first time it came forward was the cost of the utilidor to the proposed building. The Town of Inuvik, along with the Housing Corporation, worked together to get the proposed utilidor to the property line at no cost to the department.

Now, Mr. Speaker, an issue that has come up is the area that is selected and the cost overruns that it would probably receive. I have a concern with this because the community has once come forward and come to the table and offered what it can. In fact, on the utilidor extension alone, the community of Inuvik, the Town Council of Inuvik, is ready to put forward up to $350,000 to ensure that this project proceeds. Now I know there are concerns when this decision was made back in the 13th Assembly that this was a project that was picked out of somebody else's back yard. I think there has been work going on to try and bring this back to where some people feel it should go.

The facts are very clear, Mr. Speaker. Over 40 percent of the young offenders in that facility are from the Beaufort Delta area. We need the opportunity to deal with our own people with families to have a solid impact in turning some of these young people around before they become a permanent fixture in the justice system. With that, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister responsible for Justice at the appropriate time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are in the midst of a welcome increase in our economy in the Northwest Territories and the good things that come with it: jobs, investment, long-term hope and stability as we work toward becoming a have Territory. However, along with that, Mr. Speaker, come the negative consequences of a boom economy and the demands it is putting on our already limited infrastructure. This is not news. We knew it was coming and one of the earliest signals we are getting is the pressure on the cost of living. I am particularly concerned about the trend in rental accommodation developing in Yellowknife.

In the last two years, we have seen vacancy rates drop from 11 percent to 2.5 percent. A quick survey of some landlords shows that, at this time, rents are increasing from three percent to in some cases over 20 percent as businesses move to capture fuel costs that are up some 70 percent and take advantage of demand in a market that has not seen rent increases in more than a decade.

Along with the increasing work force, the rental shortage is compounded by the conversion of rental units to condominiums and executive suites.

Mr. Speaker, in Yellowknife, we are facing a serious situation. The impact on low-income families being squeezed out and having fewer and fewer choices is of particular alarm. Mr. Speaker, my colleague from Inuvik Boot Lake has similar stories where a one-bedroom apartment is now $1,000 a month, a 25 percent increase in the past year.

While developers need to cover their costs and make a fair return on their investment, the trends are cause to examine the situation at various levels of government. Let me make it clear, Mr. Speaker. In saying this, I oppose anything that looks like rent controls. The free rules of supply and demand are firmly established here and I do not believe they should be interfered with. However, I also feel our government has as much responsibility to manage both the good and the bad sides of economic growth. My message, Mr. Speaker, is that our municipal governments, our territorial government, landlords, developers, lenders and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation need to collectively work together to balance our housing situation. We have also got something to gain and lose by how we manage this. I will be asking the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation questions related to this. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My comments today are on residential schools. It is very evident now that residential school abuse has had a serious and traumatic impact on the aboriginal people of the Northwest Territories. Many of the social problems affecting Northerners today can be traced to residential school abuse. Granted, not all students that attended residential school suffered abuse. Many of our leaders today attended these schools and are now role models for our communities. There are others who claim that the residential school program is the best thing that could have happened to them at the time.

For many years, society has refused to admit that anything so horrendous could have taken place at the hands of people in religion or in government-run facilities. However, Mr. Speaker, we have to admit that the abuse has taken place at the hostels and residential schools. The abuse came in many forms; physical, mental, sexual or neglect. It all added up to abuse.

Mr. Speaker, these same students were also forbidden to speak their own language. They also no longer had the opportunity to pursue traditional activities. Mr. Speaker, many of these students lost their identity and their sense of self. In short, Mr. Speaker, they became paradoxes in their own land. We cannot ignore the fact that a great deal of abuse that has happened in the North is the result of government failing to protect children while in their care and housed in their facilities. We will probably never be able to right that wrong and we will probably have to live with the consequences for many generations to come.

However, Mr. Speaker, we have to recognize the impact that residential schools have had on the people of the Northwest Territories. We have to provide the support to the victims during the trials and the hearings and encourage this government to provide the programs and services that support the healing and foster safe environments for individuals, families and communities as a result of this big injustice that we are finally able to admit has taken place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Merci, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this House on previous occasions I have raised the issue of a recruitment and retention plan and the need for the department to focus more on the retention aspect of that program. I rise once again to speak about that issue.

In the last number of months, Mr. Speaker, I have had experience with four different health and social service professionals and their trials and tribulations in terms of training and trying to get funding to go to school. If the way they are being treated is any indication, then we are not doing enough in the area of the retention side of this program.

We do not seem to be willing to make a true commitment to supporting ongoing education. When students apply, the program is so complicated and has so many pots of money, they are forced to go to many different places trying to get money rather than having a convenient, one-window approach. When we do send them away on a practicuum, they are expected to look for other pots of money from outside of government or we will nickel and dime them over issues like travel and meals, which government employees take for granted. When they do get their education, once again we are less than supportive. We insist that they need two to three years experience to be hired. If they do not have that, we offer them a mentorship. Unfortunately, the mentorship is at a wage that is so low and for such an extended period of time, most people cannot afford to do that. After that, we seem to be offering terms or keeping them on tender hooks waiting for a permanent job offer.

We are also I do not believe doing a good enough job working with northern students who have gone south to school. Only as recently as today, I have received a message from one of those students saying she is being swamped with offers to stay down south. She was rejected for assistance last year, and she was going to try one more time this year, but very clearly if the government was not interested, she would not be out of work. If this in fact happens, Mr. Speaker, it would be a failure. It would be unfortunate and it would be to our detriment. I mean not only from the North, but in this case to the people of Fort Smith. Lots of time and money has been spent encouraging people to train, to become educated, to become nurses, and to have them leave for other jurisdictions would be the greatest failure of all. So I hope that the department will in fact take the steps necessary to improve in this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize a number of Hay Riverites in the academic field. Firstly, Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize a constituent of mine and one who I am sure has made at least one Member sitting across extremely proud. Mr. Speaker, my congratulations go out to Geoffrey Groenewegen on receiving the Minister's award for academic achievement. Geoffrey obtained the highest mark in the Northwest Territories in the 1999-2000 social studies departmental exam.

Mr. Speaker, I want to recognize residents of Hay River for their participation in the Northwest Territories Literacy Council Read for Fifteen campaign. Hay River, Mr. Speaker, recorded 1,203 participants. In comparison, Yellowknife, with five times the population, recorded 880.

Mr. Speaker, I would like at this time to recognize Harry Camsell Elementary School staff in Hay River for a recent technology award they won. They were the only school in the Northwest Territories to win this award. They were one of the 20 grants awarded to the schools across Canada. It made me very proud to have a school from Hay River among this elite group.

Mr. Speaker, the award was bestowed by Industry Canada. It was in recognition of schools demonstrating innovative uses of a technology. Harry Camsell School, in particular teacher Tyler Hawkins, is very progressive in their use of the software programs to promote communications and research skills. Mr. Speaker, Harry Camsell School is part of a very large network of schools involved in educational research. The information communications technology programs currently employed by the school have helped them build team learning within the school. This is vital to the enrichment of our students. Mr. Speaker, I would also like to add that the students, through the use of a database they created, are able to communicate, do research, and link up with students in other parts of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, I would just like to close by saying that our teachers are to be commended for the valuable work they do on a daily basis. Their ability to guide our children through the information highway will result in unparalleled opportunities for our children in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to speak to the fact that I believe Northerners and all residents indeed of the Northwest Territories are going to need help to pay their fuel bills this winter. We all use home heating fuel. We have seen the costs rise astronomically. We know that most of this is due to world factors that are out of our control. This government does not impose a tax on home heating fuel, but that does not reduce the fact that Northerners are going to struggle this winter. When it is about to be 40 below, I hope we have a plan. Gasoline as well, Mr. Speaker.

Yesterday, Mr. Nitah spoke of trappers who use fuel for their vehicles in order to make their livelihood. We know this government has by legislation an ad valorum rate that they have chosen not to use. They have imposed a 10.7 cents per litre tax on gasoline. Mr. Speaker, our Finance Minister has insisted that this rate is low enough and we have held the line since 1997. He is not prepared and not ready to look at this. Mr. Speaker, I think that is shameful. I think we have a real situation here. A lot of my constituents who used to use premium, for example, are now using regular gasoline as a cost saving measure. Mr. Speaker, we charge the same level of tax, 10.7 cents, no matter what type of fuel you use, so I do not think our constituents should be fooled into thinking they are going to pay less into this government's coffers by switching gasoline. This is certainly something that I think the Minister needs to address.

Of course, we do not have all the answers. There may be some things that are out of our control, but what about revisiting the property tax subsidy rebate that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs used to distribute to homeowners? Where has that gone, Mr. Speaker, and why has this Finance Minister not looked at it nor mentioned it? We do not see much of a plan. So, Mr. Speaker, Cabinet can put their collective heads in the sand -- or snow, as the case may be -- but that is not going to help us. We are going to need to see a plan and need to see something quickly.

Alberta has announced a $300 energy rebate available to all residents who filed income tax and are over 16. What are we doing, Mr. Speaker? Not much. So I hope the Finance Minister has a plan and I will have questions for him later today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to take this opportunity to say a few words about the legal opinion which has been referred to in this House over the last few days. First of all, Mr. Speaker, I must say that I am glad that this document will be tabled in the House later today so that the public can have the opportunity to read and judge for themselves. I appreciate the Member for offering to do so.

As you are aware, Mr. Speaker, each member of the AOC was given a copy of this opinion. I had the opportunity to read the nine page opinion several times last night. Given all that has been said, and what information is out there in the public, and the seriousness of the allegations against the government and the individual in question, I feel that it is important for me to state for the record what I get out of reading it. I also feel that it is important that I let the public and my constituents of Range Lake know that there are differing opinions on this side of the House about this issue.

Based on my knowledge of the law, Mr. Speaker, and having discussed this issue with the Members and the legal advisor, I believe the opinion does not provide evidence that Cabinet has broken its own law. Nor does it suggest that there has been any legal conflict of interest arising out of the appointment in question. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I believe the evidence suggests a position to the contrary.

Mr. Speaker, we as Members enjoy a wide degree of freedom of speech in this House. The privilege and the immunity that comes with this privilege is necessary for us to do your job. It is very important that we take care of it. I believe any privilege as such comes with responsibility to use it wisely. We have the obligation to use it fairly and accurately, especially when it comes to the reputation of individuals who do not have the power or privilege to answer for themselves. Mr. Speaker, I am very saddened by what has gone on in this House over the last few days. I believe that we have, as a collective, been diminished by the experience and I want to state that for the record, for the benefit of my constituents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery, The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure today to recognize in the visitor's gallery Mr. Derek Endo, who is the director of personnel for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation in Hay River. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to recognize a young lady in the gallery who is very dear to me who is visiting from Saskatchewan and going to school there this year. She is up here visiting her dad. My youngest daughter, Katrina Delorey.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Gordon Stewart, the chairman of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize Bob Orness, member of the Union of Northern Workers. With that, we have covered all our bases and recognized everyone. Welcome to the gallery. Thank you for coming. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is in regard to a Member's statement and the importance of the fur industry to the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister exactly what his department is doing to ensure that we continue to promote, enhance and have the resources available for us to continue this important resource industry that we have in the North. So I would like to ask the Minister, what is he doing to ensure that we have programs available for the hunters and trappers, especially with the high cost of fuel and the high cost of the industry? With that, Mr. Speaker, what is his department doing to enhance the fur trapping industry?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned yesterday, there are a number of programs that Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development offer to assist trappers and others who harvest off the land. I will not go over the whole list again, but there are a number of things we try to help in - everything from community harvest to individuals who need assistance to get out on the land and to protect this part of their lifestyle.

The department spends over $2.5 million each year right now to support harvesters. Of that amount of money, roughly $1.8 million goes directly to the trappers. We have about a little over a thousand trappers now who are earning somewhere in the neighbourhood of between $800,000 and $900,000 this past year harvesting fur. We expect it is going to increase. As I said yesterday, we are looking at all of our programs. If there is any way we can improve on them, then we need to do that.

Mr. Speaker, there are rising costs this year, but the price of fur is also going up. One of the most important programs we have is the Fur Pricing Program, where we offer a guaranteed price for good quality fur and that program certainly will continue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister consider establishing a new program to offset the high cost of gasoline, especially for the trappers? That is probably one of the highest costs that they incur in trapping. So I would like to ask the Minister, would he consider looking at the possibility of establishing such a program in regard to a gas subsidy similar to what we have with the seniors' fuel subsidy, or any subsidies we have within the government so that the trappers can take advantage of those different subsidies? Right now, we do not have them. Will the Minister consider looking at the possibility of having a gas subsidy for the trappers?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of -- as it was known then -- Renewable Resources, at one time years ago used to have a fuel subsidy program for harvesters. That program was done away with and the money was put into the Harvesters Support Program. It was done that way at the request of harvesters. They did not want to have it all broken up and they could only apply if they needed assistance for fuel. They would have to go somewhere else for assistance with equipment. It was rolled into one program. It was done at their request.

To now create another program to pull fuel to one side and assist them in that way would take a lot of consultation with harvesters. If we had any of them coming forward, or many of them coming forward, then yes, we are open to consideration. However, right now, given the history on the program, I would need to be persuaded that it is a good idea to break it up again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just on that matter, I believe the program is presently being delivered in the Yukon to the Yukon trappers. They do have a fuel subsidy that is provided to Yukon trappers who are registered trappers in the Yukon. I would like to ask the Minister, will he seriously look at that program and see if it is possible that we could deliver a similar program since the work has already been done in the Yukon?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, we will take a look at the Yukon program and see if it has merit. I do want to point out that we have at least six programs in the Northwest Territories, six different programs. Our objective and the direction we have been receiving from this House has been to cut down on the number of programs and make it easier for harvesters to apply for assistance. So, as I said, rather than creating more programs, I would sooner take those six and roll them into one program and let the harvesters and their associations decide how they need assistance, in what amounts and to whom, and have less bureaucracy for them. So I will look at the Yukon program, but my tendency is to have fewer programs, more flexible to the trappers and less paperwork for them. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, we do not have an economic development agreement with the federal government. When we did have the agreement, there were special arrangements made in regard to special Arctic grants and whatnot, which trappers were able to access.

So I would like to ask the Minister, has he made any attempt to meet with our federal counterparts in Ottawa to see if we can establish a special program under a similar economic development agreement that we can structure totally for the fur industry in the Northwest Territories? This is an industry that is unique to the Northwest Territories. I am wondering if the Minister will consider looking at the possibility of establishing an economic agreement with Ottawa to look at the possibility of receiving funds from Ottawa to assist our fur industry. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes. Discussions are ongoing with Ottawa on an economic development agreement. If we are successful, then definitely the fur industry -- and I include value-added products, manufacturing -- would be part of that economic development agreement. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. I would like to remind Members that they should limit the preamble in the supplementary questions to just the question. There has been a lot of time spent. We only have an hour. I will apply the rules a little bit more diligently as we go on. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated earlier, I would like to direct a couple of questions to the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation and in particular in relation to the work of the department with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. I would like to ask in light of the corporation's diminished presence in the Northwest Territories, what action is our Housing Corporation taking to revitalize the federal presence in the housing development in the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I certainly appreciate the question raised today by the Member. We have undertaken a number of new approaches to how we work with a number of agencies across the Northwest Territories and those who have a vested interest in housing. The housing issues are raised from community to community, so we are trying to invite the federal government to invest that into a social housing program in the Northwest Territories. So that is still underway and we hope to continue to press the issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the pressure of booming economies in some communities, it is showing up first for the people on the lower end of the economic scale. What work is the Minister undertaking with other departments in the social envelope with his Ministers in those departments so that we can ensure that those people are housed with dignity and respect and with something they can afford? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to inform the Member and also the House that we are trying to develop...building an apartment unit in Yellowknife specifically to address the current housing problem through a rent supplementary program. We realize that there has been some tremendous impact upon the rental market here in the city, so we are trying to develop new ways to address that key issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a problem that is not just coming down the pipe. It is literally at doorsteps today. Is there a contingency plan in place now, Mr. Speaker, that will assist those low income, those desperate families that are showing up and have very few if any options? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we are trying to deal with it as quickly as possible. Although we have some existing corporation leases with private landlords, we are also working with a private construction firm in the city to try to eradicate some of the demands on public rental units. So we are constantly working with various agencies and groups and business as well to meet those market needs. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 6, oral Questions. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was listening to the Members talking about the fur industry and putting programs in place for the price of fuel. I would just like to bring to the attention of the House and to the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development that we have another industry out there that is always struggling for survival and is very dependent on the price of fuel. It is a big part of their industry. I refer to the fishing industry. I was wondering if the Minister is keeping the fishing industry in mind and could give some assurance to the fishermen that his department is willing to work with them and help them out this coming winter on the price of fuel? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes. We do recognize the importance of a fishing industry. We have for many years worked closely with the fishermen's association. We continue to work with them. We did develop a strategy and a proposal to realign some of the support we provide. One of those main programs, of course, is the transportation subsidy we provide to get the fish off the lake to the fish plants. I can say without any doubt that that program will certainly continue. The fishing industry currently have the strategy and we are awaiting their response to us. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Do I take that from the Minister then to mean that at the least there will be no decreases from subsidies or programs they received in the last fishing season of the last year? There will be no reductions in those programs for this coming season? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, this year we have not made any reductions in the program. The strategy will enable the fishermen's association, if they choose to, to move money around from one area to another. The allocation from RWED remains the same. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister commit to be willing to meet with the fishermen at the beginning of the season if they are having a hard time getting going to talk about the price of fuel this coming winter and how it is going to impact them over the coming season? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I would be pleased to meet with the fishermen's association to discuss this issue and any other ones they may have. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister consider bringing on a fuel subsidy for the fishermen, something compared to the fuel subsidy for seniors? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Delorey. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, we have a strategy that is before the fishermen's association. We would like to have their response to it. We would like to discuss it with them. It has a number of proposals for how the money might be more effectively allocated. I would like to discuss that with them and if they want to raise the issue of the rising fuel costs, then that should be part of that same discussion. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. I am going to rule that question out of order. It is asking a Minister's opinion. I think we should ask a question. It is more of an opinion, Mr. Nitah. I rule that out of order. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue that Mr. Lafferty is raising is a very important one. I am familiar with the fact that BHP, as Mr. Lafferty has mentioned, gave us a briefing on some of the challenges that are being faced in order for the employees to move from an unskilled level to a semi-skilled level and from semi-skilled up to a skilled level. The challenge there of course is trying to provide literacy training and upgrading training. The Department itself has provided training through a number of sources. Of course, the College is one. Through the programs we operate, Community Skills for Work, for example, ABE programs...we provide access to that. I cannot tell the Member directly how many people have benefited from that who may be employed by BHP. We do have programs in place that no doubt individuals may have benefited from, such as the college programs, the youth employment program that we have in the summertime, and labour force development programs. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I understand that BHP has spoken with me. Initially, they were contacting the federal Member of Parliament in that regard, and they were awaiting word as to the results of requests for funding support for their particular program. I did mention to them that they should contact me back if that particular process failed.

At the moment, we are working on a literacy strategy, Mr. Speaker, part of which is workplace literacy, of course, how we can address that whole area. We have not completed that particular strategy. We are in the process of doing so and I believe that may, down the road, help us to address some of the kinds of issues that are on the table with some of the industries. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do not have the work place literacy portion of the literacy strategy completed as of yet. It is under development, Mr. Speaker. We are also, while I have the opportunity, working on a joint training program that we have contributed funding to. This is being developed on a joint basis between the department, Aurora College, the Chamber of Mines and, in this particular case, Diavik diamond mines for a number of modules. We have contributed $90,000 to that program, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as I said before, we are right now providing a subsidy of $2.5 million plus each year for harvesters. Most of that goes to the fur industry. In fact, $1.8 million, as I said before, goes to trappers. In addition to that, the Development Corporation has spent a lot of money on the fur value-added industry and we will continue with that. In spite of tight fiscal times, there is no thought at this point of any way cutting down on that amount of money.

We recognize that fur prices are going up. We are working with harvesters on that. We will continue, and I am not sure what the Member means when he refers to massive amounts of money, but in my view, spending $2.5 million a year on this industry to support a thousand harvesters is reasonable. I support continuing what we are doing.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, I will allow the question. Mr. Minister can answer if he chooses.

Mr. Speaker, I agree that like any other program of grants and contributions and programs to support our economy, every pot could use more money. Certainly this one could use more money. I think we could easily spend a lot more money very responsibly in supporting trappers, and especially getting more young trappers out. It is a matter of trying to balance all of our needs across the Territories. Yes, it could use more money than what is there, and it could use it very responsibly. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes, we will certainly support all of those initiatives, whether it is fur manufacturing, taxidermy, or support to young trappers. We have made a lot of efforts in the past, and we have spent millions of dollars trying to support the fur manufacturing industry. It has not worked as well as we have liked. We have to review that. That is ongoing right now. We need to get into the fur value-added the same way we were diamond value-added, but we have to do it right. We have to do it in a way that is responsible and hopefully profitable. I have seen some good work coming out of the little factory in Fort Simpson that is well designed. I think that has a lot of potential. There are a lot of avenues to this and we continue to support it. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Final supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I did not refer to a strategy because we already have so many strategies going on. I told my staff I am not going to ask them to develop any new strategies right now. Let us get the ones underway that we have done first.

-- Applause

However, we do take the fur industry seriously. We will continue to invest as much money as we can into it. We need to invest responsibly. We need to invest in a way that is going to get a maximum return and I am committed to doing that as soon as possible.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I raised in my Member's statement, there is concern once again growing in my community regarding the young offenders facility in Inuvik. Mr. Speaker, this is a project that was designated in the 13th Assembly and put in the books. There was a class D figure estimate put in the books looking at the project, as is in all government capital infrastructure programs, a class D estimate because they are not sure of the specific location and so on.

Mr. Speaker, this issue is a very big concern because we are being told now the cost is going up and the community, as I said in my Member's statement, has already agreed to fund the utilidor extension so that is at no cost to the department. However, we are being told now that there is more money required and that is a concern. Now the Minister responsible for Justice, in speaking to him, has confirmed that he still supports the project in Inuvik.

However, I received a copy of a letter that was sent to the honourable Roger Allen and it talks about the support for it continuing on, but there is one sentence, Mr. Speaker, that draws some serious concern. It states at the same time planners are searching for alternative solutions in Inuvik and other communities in case the Inuvik option is no longer viable, Mr. Speaker, I would like the Minister responsible for Justice to clarify, for the record, for myself and the people of Inuvik and those families affected by their children going to the southern part of the territory where all the facilities lie, will he commit to having this project remain in the community of Inuvik?

Thank you, Mr. Roland. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Justice, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Minister Antoine. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.