Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think it is important that we as a government realize the problems that communities are having just maintaining the facilities they have. When you have problems where you have breakdowns, such as the chlorination system or water treatment break down, the resources are not there to fix them. We have problems in our communities, such as facilities that communities, because of building codes or violations that we as a government are breaking. We need resources to bring those buildings up to code.

That is why I am asking the Minister to find a way to have communities identify those problem areas, which are not presently in the capital planning process, but are outside the scope of those projects. I would like to ask the Minister, will he seriously consider looking at those areas which need special attention, which presently are not being attended to by this budget process?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will discuss this issue with the Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs and get his advice on it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is something that was done in the 13th Assembly because we did have a deficit situation. There was a letter sent by the Premier at the time to the communities so they can identify and prioritize projects specific to those communities so they can try to develop community projects that the communities want to see, not what the department would like to see. I would like to ask the Premier, will he take this into consideration seriously and carry it out by letter to the communities?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said earlier, I will consider this suggestion the Member is making. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Your final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in light of the new cash flow we received with regard to the adjustment for our financial arrangements with Ottawa, there has been some $60 million put back into our system. I think that, because of the financial situation we find ourselves in, this is a project that could go a long way to helping all communities, not just one particular community over another. I would like to ask the Premier again to seriously consider, knowing that we do have the financial resources in-house.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members have pointed out, we have just passed the budget a few months ago. That budget was prepared well over a year ago. We have a supp before us and we are, as soon as the session is over, going to begin the business planning process to prepare next year's budget. We will be having the specialists meet with the Ministers and with the Minister of Finance on how to best budget and use the resources available to us over the coming year, as well as planning for the next year. In that context, we will take the Member's comments. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are about palliative care and are directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. I am interested in the Continuing Care Strategy. As I indicated earlier, I had high hopes that this would address palliative care issues, both legislative and in the area of programs and services. Unfortunately, it seems that the department has characterized the strategy as under development, but it has been under development I think for the past few years. Mr. Speaker, I am hoping that is not a euphemism for sank without a trace.

Mr. Speaker, could the Minister indicate where the Continuing Care Strategy is at this point? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Continuing Care Strategy is actually characterized as the Continuing Care Framework in my notes. The current status of it is that the steering committee has been established, the terms of reference and draft framework developed and constitutional boards. The framework includes three strategies: home and community care, supported living and facility living; and standards for home care programs, long-term care facilities and children in adult group homes.

Evaluations of all programs will be completed. Results of needs assessment of persons with disabilities will assist in the development of a framework, and the working groups established for each strategy with a mandate to review existing programs and gaps and the ability to identify the required resources, and also ongoing stakeholder consultations. I think that is probably the operative point in here, that there are ongoing consultations and work done on each of these important areas. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can appreciate that there is ongoing consultation, but at some point we are going to have to take that consultation and make some decisions. This cannot go on indefinitely. I wonder if the Minister has a time line in mind. Can she tell us when she will bring this strategy to committee? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have those time lines available here. I do have extensive information on the Continuing Care Framework, but I do not have time frames around when this work will be completed per se. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have constituents who are very interested in this issue, and I myself am very interested, so I wonder if the Minister will commit to writing a letter to my office indicating what the time frames would be for this strategy, and specifically when it will be delivered to committee. Thank you.

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