Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my years of failing eye sight I wish to recognize three constituents who are apparently in the gallery. Ms. Gina Dolphus, the present of the Native Women's Association of the Northwest Territories from Deline; Marie Speakman from Deline and Agnes Grandjambe originally from Colville Lake and Fort Good Hope. Thank you for coming.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ms I would like to recognize two of my constituents from Tuktoyaktuk: Mr. and Mrs. Calvin and Lucille Pokiak. Calvin works in the Inuvialuit land administration office, and Lucille works in the Tuktoyaktuk Housing Association office. Welcome to the gallery.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize four people in the gallery that I see. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize the newly elected president of the UNW, Todd Parsons, and public relations and research with the UNW, Barb Wyness. I would also like to recognize long-term Yellowknife residents and very thinking people, Dave and Ann Wind, in the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to be able to recognize a band councillor from the Salt River First Nations and a very well known northern carver, Mr. Sonny MacDonald.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Ms. Lee has already stolen my thunder by recognizing three of my constituents that I was planning to recognize. I too wanted to recognize hospital trustee, David Wind, and his wife Ann. I see the Winds quite often these days because their grandson plays on my son's hockey team. Welcome to the House. And Barb Wyness, who is also a constituent. Thank you.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize several people. First of all, Sonny MacDonald simply because he is also the chair of the Arts Council of the NWT but also the co-chair of the arts strategy panel in the Northwest Territories. Next I would like to recognize Violet Blondin-Camsell, chair of the Dogrib Community Services Board, who is also in the gallery, and Roy Desjarlais who is a member and just recently joined the Yellowknife School District No. 1. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Colleagues, I would just like to recognize in the gallery Mr. Leon Andrew, spouse of our esteemed Member of Parliament, and a very long long time friend and colleague that I worked with, Melody McLeod, many many years ago. Melody is chair of the, I think it is the water board.

-- Applause

And to all the visitors that are here today, thank you very much for coming to see your Legislative Assembly and welcome.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko..

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it is with regard to two constituents of mine, Donovan Arey and Angela Greenland, with respect to their six month old son who has a rare blood disease. After going to Edmonton for some 10 weeks of treatment and whatnot, they were directed by doctors in Edmonton that the family relocate here to Yellowknife. The doctors strongly support the family's choice to relocated to Yellowknife and he would also realize that he needs to be followed up with regard to cardiac treatments and also to ensure that he is close a clinic and the hospital.

Mr. Speaker, the problem the family is running into is that there is a lack of accommodation here in Yellowknife. They managed to find a one-bedroom apartment but, Mr. Speaker, there are six people in this family. I would like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services what his department can do to assist families in need with regards to situations where they find themselves in with respect to diseases such as the one I mentioned. Will the Minister let me know where he stands on this.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the MLA raised this issue in the House last week and sent information from Chief Furlong of Aklavik, and Mr. Krutko has as well raised it. We have received the information and it has been passed on to the department. I have talked to the deputy and we are going to sit down with the Housing Corporation and ECE to see what is possible in terms of assistance. This is not a unique situation where we have had families and individuals having to relocate to another centre, so we are going to be on this one quickly and see what we can do to assist. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell m exactly how fast he can move on this? Mr. Speaker, the direction from the doctor was that they were supposed to be only in Aklavik for a week. We are going on two weeks now. I would like to ask the Minister how soon can he respond to this emergency?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the wheels are in motion. The issue has been raised in the House. As I indicated, information was provided as well from Chief Furlong and it was sent over to the department. I have had my executive assistant tracking this and it is on my list for our daily and weekly meetings this coming week. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me exactly what he is doing to ensure that there is communication open to the family and his department to ensure that we continue this dialogue to give them some comfort knowing that we are moving on this and that we are trying to find a solution to the problem. Thank you.