Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Indeed, the Premier has reflected what is going on. We have the Power Subsidy Program. We get assistance through things like the Seniors' Fuel Program. Our income support clients receive assistance and some communities already on the petroleum products division system also receive assistance. Would the Premier inform this Assembly whether the energy strategy, to be developed by the soon-to-be-created Energy Secretariat, will examine our energy subsidy programs and offer recommendations on their continuation and, preferably their improvement? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As Members are aware, the initiative that we announced in the Sessional Statement earlier this week has come from the Towards a Better Tomorrow agenda that all Members of the Legislature developed together. In response to many of the suggestions made by Ordinary Members of this Legislature, this government has started to focus on the need for a comprehensive approach and view towards energy resources and how people at the community, regional, territorial level may want these resources managed and provided to them, in regard to fuel, heating, electrical consumption and how these may be best provided to the citizens of the Northwest Territories.

I believe the many statements the Members have made in previous sessions, as well as the ones made today and in the coming days, will be the basis for which we will begin to decide how an energy policy will be best formulated. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, a lot of our attention in the past weeks and months has been focused on major energy development production, largely related to exporting. My concern, and I reflected this in my statement, is that I believe we should be developing an energy strategy that has a Northerners-first direction. Would the Premier agree with that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am looking forward to finding a way to involve all Members of the Legislature in setting down the basic direction and parameters under which this Energy Secretariat will begin initiating its work towards developing an energy policy. I would not be endorsing any particular statements at this time. Rather, I welcome them so they can be included and a collective consensus on how to proceed can be used. I would welcome the statement the Member made and be quite happy to see that being one of the many elements that would guide the work needed to develop an energy policy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although that would fall under the responsibility of the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, it is my belief that we do not have a specific program for low-income private homeowners to develop more energy-efficient homes. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true that there is a gas pipeline that was built by the Inuvialuit to provide natural gas to the town of Inuvik. This government has, as a partner, assisted in helping them to recover the costs of converting the many homes in Inuvik so that they can move from diesel heat to natural gas heating.

I believe that when and if other communities, for instance Fort Simpson, should find gas and agree to a pipeline being constructed, they may very well want to convert to natural gas. We would be more than happy to consider such a request if it is made. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We do not have anything specific that we plan to announce in the next while, but we believe that the setting up of an Energy Secretariat would look at all of the suggestions the Members have made and are making: the operations of the Power Corporation and its role in providing power to the residents of the Northwest Territories; the hydro potential and the hydro operations currently underway; the supply of natural gas; oil potential; projects regarding those resources, as well as the work of the Arctic Energy Alliance and other agencies; and the Greenhouse Gas Strategy.

There would be a number of other initiatives that this secretariat would look at as well as broad consultation with communities up and down the Mackenzie Valley so that this secretariat would provide this government, as well as residents of the Northwest Territories, with a very comprehensive basis on which to start working towards the development of an energy strategy. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Final short supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

A short question, please. A short question.

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