Thank you, Mr. Speaker, honourable Members. Mr. Speaker, to date, no Government of the Northwest Territories funding has been committed to this specific plan over and above the existing programs and services, other than the three additional family units. The funds committed, for instance, to the Side Door project and other initiatives were from federal funds.

It has taken the coalition halfway through the federal three-year plan of the time allowed to use that federal funding just to get to this point because they do not have the capacity to move this forward. They require support and buy-in from this government to pursue this as vigorously as is necessary.

One way we could participate better is to make sure that we have complete cooperation with the group by having membership there. Currently, while some departments are members, the Housing Corporation maintains only observer status on the coalition. The department should fully participate. Sending an individual as an observer does not give the coalition someone who can make decisions and commitments to the plan.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that our government needs to demonstrate its commitment to dealing with homelessness. We need a ministry and we are also going to need some money. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Friday, October 26, the Yellowknives Dene First Nation Diavik Participation Agreement Implementation Committee celebrated the launching of the committee and the official opening of their office. October 26 marks the one-year anniversary of the official signing of the participation agreement.

At the celebration, five graduates from the class of 2000 received secondary scholarships valued at $500 each. The five scholarship award recipients are Angela Beaulieu from N'dilo, Paul Betsina from N'dilo, Lonnie Erasmus from N'dilo, Pauline Mackenzie from N'dilo and Jason Tezetcheli from Dettah.

The scholarship award recipients must have completed grade 12 with an overall average of 65 percent and must be members of the Yellowknives Dene First Nation. They also must provide a transcript of their marks as part of the scholarship award. Diavik provides the scholarship fund as part of the participation agreement, Mr. Speaker.

I congratulate the scholarship recipients and wish them the very best in their studies. Thank you.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. 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.

Mr. Speaker, when the 14th Assembly was first elected and sat down in our first Caucus to look at what our ideas and our values and our priorities and our visions were going to be, we talked to some extent about communication. We set out in our vision document, Towards a Better Tomorrow, a certain way of expressing what we wanted to do. We said: "We will consider your input, build on the framework and develop a comprehensive action plan."

We say, Mr. Speaker, that we will be a more open and transparent government and in all aspects, we say to people that we want to hear from you, the public, the stakeholders in our society, in our economy.

What do we want to hear, Mr. Speaker? Do we want confirmation only that we are doing the right thing? Do we want to hear from the public, the stakeholders that there is support for what we are doing and that there is only one way -- our way? Or are we prepared to hear more contrary or alternative viewpoints and give them the consideration and inclusion, Mr. Speaker, that they are due?

The dictionary defines consultation as to ask the advice or the opinion of, to deliberate together or confer. There is action and energy in the process. It is a two-way street, I would assert, Mr. Speaker.

I am particularly concerned about this government's consultation process and approach. The concern is illustrated in one citizen's comments in reference to a recent committee hearing, "My overall impression is one of a government that has quit consulting with its citizens. It announces and defends new initiatives. I feel stonewalled."

Mr. Speaker, we have seen the results of this approach with a couple of major pieces of legislation. We have a couple more big ones coming in, specifically the Human Rights Act and the Wildlife Act, that I know are going to be contentious and should be well-heard and well-debated.

Mr. Speaker, in looking at how this government has consulted on major initiatives, it is clear that a better understanding and process for consultation is needed.

Mr. Speaker, I ask for unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays, Mr. Braden, you may conclude your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is especially apparent in the reviews that are now underway in the Wildlife Act that there is consultation going on with only one side of the ownership and the management side of the Wildlife Act. This is where the department has put considerable funding into aboriginal consultation. There are other people in the Northwest Territories who deserve equal voice, Mr. Speaker. I hope we are learning and that we need to learn quickly so the government approaches initiatives in a more collaborative, inclusive and comprehensive manner. Our citizens are not part of the problem, Mr. Speaker. They are part of the answer. Government needs to show that it is listening to all Northerners and should be responding accordingly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as has been stated by some Members here, I too am glad that the most recent chapter in this Assembly has come to a close. There are many things that I am now looking forward to; the ability to speak to my constituents' issues on the floor of this House, not missing so many community events because of other travel commitments, spending more time with what is left of my family. My eldest son married this summer and lives in Edmonton now. My second son, Jeffrey, who was supposed to be in college this fall, has actually gone to Kiev in the Ukraine in Eastern Europe as a volunteer missionary. Thankfully, I still have one little person at home and with her recent election to student council, I need to get home to re-establish my political presence before she takes over the town.

Mr. Speaker, I also look forward to reconnecting with friends and constituents and having a relaxed time without the pressure of knowing that I will be catching an airplane the next day. I know that it will also be a relief for my husband, who has had to do double duty during the past two years. The role of Regular Members and Cabinet Minister is quite distinctively different and there are advantages to both and some disadvantages. I look forward to the ability to speak to many issues and speak to the issues of the government from a different perspective now. Thank you so much.

-- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would like to take the opportunity to recognize Katie Garrison. She has been a page in the House for the last week. I want to thank her for coming over and representing Hay River in the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South...Centre...Frame Lake. It is that full moon. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier of the Northwest Territories following up on my Member's statement earlier today. Many other jurisdictions in Canada, both provincial and particularly the federal government, recognize the growing problem of homelessness. Will the Premier recognize that problem is also a problem in the Northwest Territories and designate one of his Ministers responsible for the issue of homelessness?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will take the suggestion made by the Member and consider it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Premier agreeing to consider the suggestion and recognize he may want to discuss this with his Cabinet colleagues. Could he give me a timetable for when he may be able to conclude that consideration? Would it be one week, one month? What sort of timetable are we going to look at before we hear the response?

Thank you, Mr. Dent. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Perhaps I could commit before the beginning of the next session. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today, as I had indicated earlier, is for the Minister of Health and Social Services, Minister Antoine. It is about the resource plan, the MD resource plan that was submitted to his department by the Northwest Territories Medical Association. They published it last February and to date have had no official response from the department. I am wondering if Mr. Antoine can tell me when he plans to respond to this resource plan officially. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Antoine.