Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have become aware of this discrepancy in the fee schedule that exists between what is paid to dentists in the Yukon and what is paid to our dentists here in the Northwest Territories.

This has been brought to our attention by the Northwest Territories and Nunavut Association of Dentists. This fee schedule is not sufficient and it is causing problems in the practice of dentists here in the North, and it is making it difficult to recruit dentists who want to set up a practice here. It also makes it difficult for them to sustain themselves in their overhead, when they are here, if these fee schedules are inadequate.

I am concerned with the stance that has been taken by the federal government on the provision of dental services and I do believe this has the potential to undermine the ability of our residents to access dental services as providers find it increasingly difficult to justify the services when revenues are not keeping pace with the costs.

I have been in touch with the dental association. We have set up meetings between a representative from Health Canada with them, and we will continue to monitor this and I think that we should expect no less than what they are prepared to pay for people under a similar program in the Yukon Territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Final supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I might suggest that it would be difficult to find any organization that would be willing to take on the administration of the NIHB Program under the current circumstances.

If we can iron out these difficulties with the federal government, we will continue to perform this function. If we cannot, I have committed in this House, and will commit again, that we would undertake to commence consultation with aboriginal beneficiaries immediately in order to ensure a smooth transition, even if it resulted in the federal government, if no aboriginal organizations were interested in it, giving the obvious required subsidy that has had to go into it in the past.

Even if the federal government were going to take it on and put structures in place to administer it, we would certainly be very attentive to a smooth transition and a consultation process with the beneficiaries. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 6, oral questions. Questionnes orales. The honourable Member for Hay River North, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the Hay River DEA's petition was not approved by the Minister of Education, one of the mitigating factors for the denial provided by the Minister was that the fact that the Government of the Northwest Territories was instituting a total review of boards in the Northwest Territories.

The review of the Department of Health and Social Services boards undertaken by the Department of Health and Social Services, which was to be completed by June 2001, may possibly be delayed further due to the recent financial difficulties encountered by the health boards.

Will the Minister of Education please advise if this possible delay of health boards review will affect the DEA's petition even further? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Issues such as the request of Hay River are never easy to handle because there are many circumstances that usually enter into making decisions of this nature.

As I pointed out at the time, there were a number of issues. Two main ones being, financial and the other being that the government is currently undertaking a review of regional administrative structures to consider the effectiveness of boards and how they deliver services and so forth and in consideration of future self-government directions.

As well, there is the issue of the health boards being under review. So those all have to be taken into consideration when any decision is going to be made on this with regard to future action. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier in the year, the Minister told the Hay River DEA that the financial calculations provided by DEA as to the financial impact of their petition differed from the Department of Education's calculations. Due to the discrepancies, the Minister promised to have officials from his department meet with the Hay River DEA to go over these figures. To date, the department has not yet met with the Hay River DEA to review these figures. Would the Minister please advise as to when this may be taking place? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I had a meeting with the mayor and the deputy chair of the DEA, as well as the two Hay River MLAs to discuss several matters, one of which was this particular issue. At the time, upon request by the representative from the DEA if we could have our officials come to Hay River to do a reconciliation with the officials from the DEA, I informed them yes, I would do that. Representatives from our department were in Hay River a week ago Tuesday, or somewhere in that date and time, to discuss another matter. I had informed the department to do this and it was my understanding that this was an opportunity for the DEA to raise the issue and I do not know whether they did or not, so I have to check to see if it was raised, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my knowledge, that issue has not been addressed yet. Mr. Speaker, the DEA has also been told by the Minister that his denial of the petition was based on a functional review of all regional administrative programs. The DEA was promised that their petition would be reviewed again pending the outcome of the regional review. I have made several inquiries as to the terms of reference for this regional review and I have been told that there are no specific terms of reference. Would the Minister please advise if the lack of definite terms of reference, which would provide clear direction to the review, may in any way impede the process of the regional review thereby further delaying the Hay River petition? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My consistent comment has been that as the issues that I have stated above and before are resolved, changes to governance may be considered. Mr. Speaker, the issue of the regional administrative review is being discussed by a committee of Ministers and officials. I am not sure what the status of that is or what the terms of reference of that are. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Minister inform the House and the Hay River DEA that he will continue to review this issue and find a satisfactory solution to this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly on the issue of finances, I did make the commitment our officials would get together with the Hay River officials. If they have not done that, then it was my intention to ensure that they do do that. As I say, I hoped they would get into the discussion at their last meeting. With regard to resolution of this issue, as I stated, I want to ensure that some financial areas are answered. As the Member can appreciate, as all Members can appreciate, cost is a factor in this whole issue as it does cover our government operating expenditures. As the issues are resolved, changes to governance, in this particular case, may be considered. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Ootes. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.