Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, certainly I would ask for feedback by noon. My meeting with the deputy ministers' committee is helping do the work on this late this afternoon. I want to work on the weekend on it and try to come up with something, but we need to get this finalized as quickly as possible. This rebate is not just based on fuel costs. It is based on trying to help people who most need help, particularly in the area of maintaining their homes. Heating is part of that. So it is based on trying to help those who most need help. We are trying to keep the relationship with heating costs as part of home maintenance. So it is more than just an across-the-board rebate to people all across the Territories for rising fuel costs. That is a different situation altogether. That might lead us to having some sort of universal program because everybody felt the heating cost prices. We are looking at trying to help those who need help.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment in the area of income support. Through the fuel rebates that we have been talking about, and the federal government has made available, we have a good news story here. However, it is being botched in its implementation. Why is the government clawing back one-time gift payments from the federal government to low- and modest-income support clients in the North? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have a list of unearned income areas that the government does consider beyond its payments that it makes. We have to remember, Mr. Speaker, that the government pays for all shelter, all fuel and all electricity for income support clients to the full amount. The program is intended as a threshold income program, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the motives, the objectives and the achievements of the program, but when these one-time events come along and the government takes such arbitrary and sudden action, it has a real impact on the ability of these families to cope. Why did the government not give some notice that it was going to clawback the federal fuel rebate? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are other areas the government considers as unearned income. We spoke about the impact benefit agreements. There are other programs; the National Child Benefit Supplement, for example, is redirected to a program and services for low income families. I think it is important to remember that we have set some thresholds that are there in the income support program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Merci, Mr. Minister. Question supplementaire, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, there just does not seem to be the kind of coordination and communication between governments with a client or customer focus in mind that will help them cope, as I said, with these kind of changes to a very fragile income situation. What is the government going to do to improve that kind of coordination and communication between clients? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are also looking at shortly introducing a change in the food rates. As well, I did commit to the Member through this week and last week that we are looking at the program. I directed my department and the staff to look at the income support program areas, because it is not just this one particular area of unearned income that we have to be concerned about, Mr. Speaker, it is other areas. The impact benefit agreements have been related and how does that all play out, Mr. Speaker. So I have asked my department to look at this whole area and directed them to report back to me. I already made the commitment that I will share that information with the Members so we can start working in this area. Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur Ministre. Le dernier question supplementaire. Your final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, those are all very valid and very significant areas that we have to look at, but what I am looking at is the impact on families today right now who do not have the income they have been used to. The Minister of Finance said he was anxious to get cheques out. I want to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, will he work with his colleagues, have a heart and restore this one-time gift of income supplements?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned, there is no reduction in individuals' income. We still pay for all of the fuel. We pay for all of the electricity. We pay for all of the housing, Mr. Speaker. So the income level has not dropped on individuals. Thank you.

Just a reminder to Members, please make your supplementaries short, especially your final supplementary. 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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am told that the route the Member is referring to was used for a number of years as a winter road into Rae Lakes and Lac La Martre. At the time, there were some concerns made by the community and they were opposed to the road. Because it was along the route they are using now, the decision was made to switch to the existing route for a winter road. As to why the road all the way to Great Bear Lake was ever planned or what the plan was for that particular route, I have no information on that. Thank you.

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