Mr. Speaker, a key objective of this budget is to demonstrate that we are committed to a balanced approach which also gives priority to improving the social fabric of our Territory and its residents. This commitment involves working in partnership with other governments and the non-governmental organization community on development of a social agenda.

On February 28th representatives from the Social Agenda Working Group and I provided the Standing Committee on Social Programs with a progress report on their work. Today I want to provide all Members with a brief summary of this progress report.

Mr. Speaker, last June over 250 front-line service workers and decision makers from across the Northwest Territories met on the Hay River Reserve to discuss the need for a vibrant and effective social agenda. In their discussions, they delivered a clear message that development and implementation of a social agenda must be done in collaboration and partnership involving representatives of governments, but equally important representatives of the front-line service workers and non-governmental organizations who deal directly with social issues on a daily basis.

To ensure that the next steps involved meaningful collaboration and partnership, the Social Agenda Working Group was formed. Their task has been to develop a social agenda which can be used by all stakeholders as a framework to guide future actions and decisions. As reported to the standing committee, the working group is committed to producing a limited number of key, achievable recommendations aimed at improving the overall system within which social policy decisions are made and social programs and services are delivered. From the government's perspective, we are especially pleased and interested in a framework that will contribute to more effective cross-departmental coordination of policies, decision making and program delivery.

Mr. Speaker, in addressing these challenges the working group has met five times since being formed in early October. They are working hard. They are working by consensus. They are working in partnership. They want their work to be relevant and workable. However, given the complexity of their task we have agreed that their reporting time frame needs to be extended to April. In providing this extension, I have been assured that all of their work will be completed in time for recommendations to be included in the next business planning cycle.

Mr. Speaker, a strong social fabric for our Territory is high on this government's list of priorities. You are seeing this commitment reflected in our overall budget and in program initiatives of individual Ministers and departments.

In closing, I speak for all Ministers in thanking the working group for the contribution they have been and will be making to an NWT social agenda. Thank you.

-- Applause