Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not the lead Minister on harmonization, however, the question is fair enough. I don't have that available here and I will have to take the question as notice. Thank you.

The question is being taken as notice. Item 7, oral questions. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is again for the Minister of Health and Social Services and I was intrigued by his last response. I should be careful. I don't have his exact words here, and I will check tomorrow, but he indicated I think that in overheated markets like the one in Yellowknife -- I would agree with him -- there are many business opportunities, but that he's encouraging authorities to look at creative options for solving their housing needs in all communities. I am wondering if the Minister could indicate which authority he's encouraging to have a look at creative options for housing at Stanton. Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This issue has come up in discussion with the deputy, with some of the JOC members about the possibility of working with a foundation or an arm's length body that would take on the challenge, that could put up housing working in conjunction with the authority, knowing full well there are rental resources available through the staff. I have also had some discussion with the authority staff, CEO, in Inuvik while trying to take a similar approach. It's something as well that has some possible beneficial implications. If it was looked at in a broader scope to deal with some of the concerns I know that Education faces. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, it's clear we don't have an authority currently at Stanton and in effect, Mr. Speaker, the Minister is running that hospital. He has officials working out there to do that. I think some of the good ideas are going to have to come from the Minister's office. Would the Minister not agree that, in effect, he's running the hospital and that we are going to see some good solutions to meet housing needs? We can't wait for the next authority to be created. We have to deal with it now and the impetus is going to have to come from his office. Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The plan has been made by myself, as well as some of my colleagues across this House that the Minister of Health and Social Services does have the ultimate responsibility for all matters that happen in the health and social services system. I take the Member's point, the issue of recruitment and retention, I agree, is not just one of pay and benefits. There are issues of housing. I take the Member's point. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Speaker, in the way it is designed, my understanding was the program is cost neutral to the government and revenue neutral to the government.

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, as I stated, it is cost neutral to the territorial government, and the Department of Education, Culture and Employment is revenue neutral as well, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Ootes.

Yes, the intent behind the policy and the harmonization thrust, Mr. Speaker, was to ensure low income earners would continue to have opportunities to access public housing and for those who are in higher income brackets, it would be income tested, Mr. Speaker, to charge rents to those individuals who are above a certain threshold and that funding would be taken in. In addition, we were looking at reducing rents for other individuals and the amount that would be taken in would help to pay for the reductions in the cost of accommodations. There are a lot of people who will benefit from harmonization with reductions in rent, small reductions, but there are many, many people who will benefit from it, Mr. Speaker, through that process. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.