Thank you, Mr. Speaker. From the department's perspective, it is contingent upon the SAOs and the other workers in the community to continue to work on behalf of the seniors as they would on behalf of all citizens of that community.

We have just been advised that for any seniors who need assistance that cannot be provided at the community level, they may call the seniors 1-800 information line. I am sure a representative from that department will be able to provide more detailed information. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe we do have some problems with communication. I phoned the hamlet of Fort McPherson who is administering it, but I was told to call a person from MACA in Inuvik. I would like to ask the Minister, exactly who is delivering this program so it is accessible to the communities rather than have it jump from one department to another?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am sorry, I cannot answer that specific question due to the fact that I am not sure who is responsible for responding. In terms of MACA's programs, we do have the SAOs at the municipal level. Also, if there are some questions in regard to overall program delivery and services, then it is the responsibility of our district office in Inuvik to respond to that accordingly. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me, are there initiatives within this government, realizing there is a major impact on our seniors with regard to power increases, fuel increases, and the cost of property taxes have gone up...I would like to know on behalf of our elders, is the Government of the Northwest Territories considering a review of all programs to ensure they are being delivered and that they are accessible for our elders?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to speak again specifically to the PATA, the Property Assessment Taxation Act, which is under review. I am sure it affects seniors as well as everyone else across the Territories. I will commit to the Member that we are constantly working on improving all levels of service to seniors in regard to the question of property taxation. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address my questions to the Minister responsible for Housing, since apparently, the income thresholds the fuel rebate is using come from Housing. I would like to speak specifically to the South Slave. Hay River has a threshold of $72,500 and every other community is lower than that, from $3,000 to $16,000 lower. The community I represent, for example, is $60,500. We are 240 kilometres down the road. Fuel is probably ten cents more a litre.

I would like to ask the Minister to explain to me the rationale for these numbers. There are significant discrepancies there, when the cost of living, the cost of just about everything for communities other than Hay River is equal to, if not greater than, Hay River. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question he asked is in regard to the affordability of maintaining, owning and operating a home. Those are the factors that I think the Minister of Finance can provide more detailed rationale than I. I just want to let the Member know that this is how the Housing Corporation determines the affordability level. Any member who is forced to pay more than 30 percent of those costs really cannot afford a home in that community. That is the basis of those factors. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did not quite catch all of the Minister's response, but I will just ask him another question. Is the Minister saying it is cheaper or less expensive to live and maintain a home in Lutselk'e, Fort Providence or Fort Smith than it is in Hay River? Is that what he is telling us? When you look at all the factors, is that what he is saying Housing has determined? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, the factors we use to determine the annual amount spent on housing and other shelter costs, what we are saying is that the household income at the level should only be equal to 30 percent of the income it is calculated on. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sorry, Mr. Speaker. I am getting confused by the Minister's replies, so I apologize for that lapse. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister explain to me clearly, and maybe he can use examples. He is saying $72,500 in Hay River, $60,500 in Fort Smith. The cost of fuel for sure is more expensive in Fort Smith. You have to truck things farther. You have to do a whole host of things that cost more, the cost of building.

Look at Lutselk'e, $69,000, which is less than Hay River. Is the Minister saying to get everything into the community of Lutselk'e, it is cheaper than it is in Hay River? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize if I confused the Member here, but I believe that when we factor in the cost, and I am going to use two specific examples here; one is in a tax-based municipality, you pay higher taxes. You also pay higher land costs, whereas in a settlement or in a small chartered community such as Lutselk'e, you may get free land. Your actual construction cost may be higher than Fort Smith, for example, but based on the equilibrium, the cost of constructing a home in Lutselk'e may be less in terms of maintenance, due to the fact that they pay lower property tax and development costs. Thank you.

Merci, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the face of it, this is not going to be seen to be fair or is not going to be considered fair by my constituents. I would like to ask the Minister if he will work with Minister Handley over the weekend to see if they can come up with a more equitable and fair way to do the fuel rebate? Thank you.

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