Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, the committee is reviewing the process. We continue to work with the Hamlet of Aklavik and also the curling club to try to find a resolution to this problem.

Our suggestion was we should have an investment of $219,000 to help them refurbish the building, but again I would like to mention to the Member that we had no response back since. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question was for a Minister who...I cannot ask questions today.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Excuse me, Mr. Speaker, can I have that question again, please?

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Ms. Lee, can you just restate your question as best you can?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question was in regard to proposed amendments to the Adoption Act that would enable same-sex couples to adopt a child so that each party of the couple could have equal legal capacity. This government indicated earlier that it was engaged in a comprehensive review to bring these changes forward. I would like to know from the Premier where the government is at with this proposal. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a comprehensive review is underway at this time to ensure that same-sex common-law relationships are treated the same as opposite-sex common-law relationships in all Northwest Territories legislation.

It is expected, as the Member suggests, that this comprehensive review will take some time. However, two pieces of legislation are of particular concern to our residents and therefore require immediate attention. These are the Adoption Act and the Family Law Act.

Cabinet has directed development of amendments to these two pieces of legislation and these should proceed as quickly as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am glad that the government has recognized that there is some legislation that has to be acted upon immediately and not wait for the comprehensive review.

In listening to some of the media reports or the answers that the Minister had previously given, it is not clear to me what the immediate future means. Can I get an indication as to whether or not we can be expecting something in this session or this fall? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is difficult to give a time frame to it. I can comment on that briefly. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of pieces of legislation that will require amendments so that it complies with the Supreme Court ruling so that it is kept up-to-date in keeping with other precedents set in other jurisdictions regarding the definition of spouse and freedom from discrimination based on sex.

Our preliminary review has identified more than 35 individual acts which will have to be considered. In addition to the Adoption Act and Family Law Act, the list includes many, many more, such as the Fatal Accidents Act, the Mechanics Lien Act, the Public Trustee Act, Residential Tenancy Act, Maintenance Order Enforcements Act, and the list goes on.

It is difficult to suggest how long this may take, but we have indicated that this review probably will not be completed until sometime in the new year.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I thank the Premier for the answer and I appreciate where he is coming from, but I cannot say that I agree with this approach. Mr. Speaker, we are all aware here that we are almost past the halfway point in this mandate. We know that any substantive legislation that could see the light of day has to be in very short order. If the review is not going to be done until next January, it is very likely that this will not see the light of day.

Further, Mr. Speaker, I know that there are legal beavers in the government who could do this, who have no problem producing a hotel tax and highway toll tax in no time flat, so I am sure it is a matter of priorities, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister comment on that?

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know if those were flattering comments but I take them in that light. Mr. Speaker, it is true, as I have said, there are something like 35 pieces of legislation that we must look at. We already have some legislation that complies with the recent rulings, including the Supreme Court ruling.

It is my view that once the review, the preliminary review is done, we will be in a position to hopefully act quickly in drafting amendments to the legislation for consideration by Members. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with all due respect, I cannot accept that answer. I think that this should be taken as notice to those who want to launch a court action because, Mr. Speaker, the suggested amendments are nothing new. These are laws that exist everywhere else. Most of the statutes in the Territories are adopted from some other jurisdiction so I am sure that this is not as hard as it looks. It is really a matter of priorities.

Mr. Speaker, I put the government on notice that this cannot be delayed until they find the time and space for it, when it is convenient to them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. There was no question there. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementaries are reserved for questions. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for MACA. It is regarding the petition that was placed in this House asking that the new curling rink be built in Aklavik, with 135 signatures from that community.

Mr. Speaker, the community has been raising money to have a new curling rink. I would like to ask the Minister, for the benefit of the people of Aklavik, could he clearly state exactly where the community stands in their fundraising efforts and the request that was put forth with a petition? Where is that?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.