Mr. Speaker, I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. McLeod on October 2, 2003, regarding access to the community futures program in the Deh Cho constituency.

The Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is responsible for the community futures program in the Northwest Territories. The program is viewed as a cornerstone of the department's economic development efforts. Consequently, in the last four years, the department has financed a significant expansion of the community futures program in an effort to cover all regions of the Northwest Territories.

Three communities, Kakisa, Fort Providence and Hay River Reserve, in the department's South Slave region are not formally serviced by a specific community futures development corporation under the current contribution agreements. However, these three communities have had access to all financial programs delivered by the department's regional office in Hay River.

I have asked the department to take the necessary steps to ensure that the three communities receive service and representation by an existing community futures board as soon as possible and no later than April 1, 2004, at the latest. Once a decision has been reached on which community futures board will deliver the program to the three communities mentioned, board members representing the communities shall be appointed from the respective communities. Mahsi cho.

---Applause