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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all Members were involved in the drafting of the Non-Renewable Resource Strategy that we presented to government a year-and-a-half ago, and the infrastructure proposal was based in large part on that. It was also based on knowing where the existing roads are and the corridors we use for oil and gas activity for the Mackenzie Valley, the Mackenzie Delta and the Ekati and Diavik mines as well as other mines that are north of the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We always try to involve as many Members as possible in the initiatives we undertake, usually at the draft stages. It is also necessary sometimes for us to exercise our responsibilities as a Cabinet and make decisions. As always, we stand and take responsibility for that and have to account for our actions to the Members. We will continue to do that in the future. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Mr. Speaker, I will be pleased to have a letter drafted indicating what our best intentions are and how we try to operate as a government with the Members of the Legislature. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. It concerns the long-term plans for establishing facilities in the Northwest Territories for persons suffering from Alzheimer's and other dementia. The Minister and the department had some very positive discussions with the Yellowknife Association of Concerned Citizens for Seniors. They have some very definite and progressive plans for building such a facility, but they need a hand to get this planning started.

Can the Minister advise as to what kind of progress has been made in assisting the YACC organization with this planning? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of the issue as is my colleague, Mr. Braden. I met earlier on, before Christmas I believe, with YACC. We discussed the issue, we toured the facility that is currently there and I committed to giving them $50,000 to move their work forward to engage in planning.

We are also committed to look at this issue under our Continuing Care Strategy and our Long-Term Care Strategy across the North, as this is not just a Yellowknife issue. This is an issue that affects all communities, communities with facilities that now deal with the seniors and the elderly. It is something that we have to take a comprehensive look at. We are committed to working with the folks in Yellowknife to help them move their process along. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to thank the department and the Minister for seeing the value in advancing those funds for that planning. That is a long-range goal. There is a more immediate urgency with the change in population. The Aven facility, where some patients are being cared for now, is under considerable stress. I am wondering if the Minister can confirm, is he aware of the situation there? What kind of options are under consideration to address this immediate stress at the Aven Centre? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware of these short-term, more immediate pressures, both in Yellowknife and other communities outside of Yellowknife. We are working, as we take the longer term approach with the Continuing Care Strategy and the Long-Term Care Strategy, we are looking at pulling together a response and plan to deal with the immediate pressures felt both here in Yellowknife and in communities like Inuvik, Hay River, Fort Smith and other communities that have facilities, as the pressures are very immediate. Thank you.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, petitions of this form, I think, that meet the requirements of the Legislature, are filed and tabled in this House. There is a certain time period by which the Minister that is being petitioned has to respond. I am assuming that it is an appropriate petition, it has been tabled, and if so, it will be getting a response within the time frame that is normally set out. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not too clear on the Premier's comment. I am under the understanding that the petition has not been tabled in this House. The petition was directed to the Premier. I would like to ask the Premier again, what have you done with that petition and what is the status of that petition?