Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister get back to the community of Fort McPherson and myself with a response as soon as possible? I believe this is urgent and people's lives are at risk. Can the Minister make a commitment to get back as soon as possible on this issue?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will have the department immediately look into this because I am concerned about it. If the vehicle is not serviceable, what is the community using for a standby fire truck? I will immediately look into this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. The time for question period has ended. Item 7, written questions.

I want to inform the House that during the routine proceedings yesterday, the Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell, presented a written question, which is contained on page 160 of the unedited Hansard.

I have reviewed the content and found that there is no question contained in the wording presented by Mr. Bell. Therefore, I rule Written Question 1-14(5) out of order as not being presented in its proper form. The Member is free, however, to submit a question at the appropriate time.

Thank you. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to the opening address. Item 10, replies to the budget address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table a copy of the letter I sent to Premier Kakfwi regarding personnel policies for excluded employees. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 14, tabling of documents. Item 15, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Monday, February 25, 2002, I will move the following motion; I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that the Speaker be authorized to set such sitting hours that the Speaker, after consultation, deems fit to assist with the business before the House. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 15, notices of motion. Item 16, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. The honourable Minister for Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

I give notice that on Monday, February 25, 2002, I will move that Bill 5, An Act to Amend the Adoption Act and Family Law Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you Mr. Miltenberger. Item 16, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 17, motions. Item 18, first reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Steen.

Thank you. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the motion. Question has been called. All those in favour? Thank you. All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 4 has had first reading.

Item 18, first reading of bills. Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Allen.

Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that Bill 1, Human Rights Act, be read for the second time. Mr. Speaker, this bill would replace the Fair Practices Act and reform human rights legislation in the Northwest Territories.

The bill would expand the list of prohibited grounds of discrimination, establish an independent Human Rights Commission and put in place modern investigative and adjudicative processes for dealing with complaints. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? Thank you. All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 1 has had second reading. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee.

Item 19, second reading of bills. The honourable Minister responsible for Finance, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Public Service Act, be read for the second time.

Mr. Speaker, this bill amends Schedule A of the Public Service Act to add Commission scolaire francophone du division as a portion of the public service, and to delete the reference to the president of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is in order. To the principle of the bill. Question has been called. All those in favour? Thank you. All those opposed? The motion is carried. Bill 3 has had second reading. Accordingly, the bill stands referred to a committee.

Item 19, second reading of bills. Item 20, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters; Bill 2, Committee Reports 1-14(5), 2-14(5) and 3-14(5), with Mr. Delorey in the chair.

I will call committee of the whole to order to review Bill 2 and Committee Reports 1-14(5), 2-14(5) and 3-14(5). What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to recommend the committee continue our consideration of Bill 2 and Committee Reports 1-14(5), 2-14(5) and 3-14(5) concurrently. Specifically, deal with the consideration of the Department of Health and Social Services budget.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. I call for a short break and then we will come back and carry on. Thank you.

-- Break

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have with me Mark Cleveland, deputy minister of Health and Social Services; Warren St. Germaine, manager of financial management services.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. With respect to the action plan, at some point, there was consideration given to the concept of the efficiency of centralizing some functions within the Department of Health and Social Services. The commitment to that is that when thinking about where services could be centralized, where functions could be centralized or where there could be areas of specialty within the system, that other communities could be looked at and considered in that light and that those kinds of consolidations or coordination would not necessarily have to take place at a headquarters type setting.

I was wondering if the Minister has had a chance to give any further thought to that concept and might highlight any areas that would be areas of consideration for such a consolidation or centralization? Thank you.