Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the surveys were done on the housing situation, it was realized that there were a number of people in various areas that were high income earners who were in public housing. The reason for harmonization was to address those specific concerns so that we can have housing provided to individuals who are in need and who are low income earners, Mr. Speaker. So the number affected was fairly minimal. The number affected positively, is fairly high from that perspective. As well, we have decided that we would negate the impact, even on those who are in a certain threshold, by introducing a graduated scale of payment. The maximum would $200 a month and that would increase by $50 a month to a total maximum of $400 a month. So they would be grandfathered, in other words, all those individuals who would be in the program. Again, if they are high income earners, they would fall under that, Mr. Speaker, but the maximum would be $200 a month for individuals. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. McLeod.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding is we have provided all of the information to the Housing Corporation in order to insure this has been all transmitted to the various individuals that might be affected plus the various boards, the housing authorities and so forth, to ensure it was transmitted to individuals affected. This was the process that was decided upon, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, given the Minister's answers, I take it the Minister has provided the information to the Housing Corporation, but that he has not seen any actual documentation that went from the Housing Corporation or from the LHOs to his clients. He has not been privy to that, I take it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am personally not aware of all the actions that have been taken, Mr. Speaker, but I can certainly check with my department to see what has been done on that end. Thank you.

Supplementary. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, it discourages me to hear the Minister's statement that he has not been involved with it to the extent that we need him to be. I would like to ask him, while he is looking into it, if he is going to see if this program will negatively affect students that plan to move on to post-secondary but have houses in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process we used was to ensure there is an income threshold and it was felt that people over that threshold should avail themselves of private housing, wherever that may be. Those who are in the housing, at the present time, are grandfathered; they will not be affected unless they are above a certain income threshold. The intent, of course, is to provide housing, which we desperately need, for those individuals who are out there with low incomes, low income workers, income support clients who do need housing. Thank you.

Supplementary. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, the Minister must consider students as high income earners because he is not putting them in the same category as low income clients. I would like to ask the Minister, Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Premier stated he would talk to Cabinet about withdrawing this initiative and the Minister has had some time to consider that. I'd like to ask him what his position is. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Premier stated that he would speak with his Cabinet colleagues on this and we haven't discussed that yet, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services, the honourable Michael Miltenberger and it has to do with the talks going on at the hospital in Hay River right now, with the negotiations for the workers of the community health board. We know the system has been around for a long time, Mr. Speaker, and the negotiations have been going on for some time now with the workers there. I was wondering if the Minister could give me any kind of indication to how the talks are going in Hay River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can indicate that they are proceeding and that we are working with the authority and we have engaged in a collective bargaining process and it is moving. There is the issue of comparability and other complicated issues that are being dealt with, but it is progressing. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Delorey.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in further discussions with the hospital workers in Hay River, when the Minister was down their way back in January of last year, it was decided the government would not pursue taking the hospital workers in Hay River under the UNW as employees. Has that issue arisen again where there is the possibility of doing that again or is that issue of bringing the workers in Hay River under the government and UNW off the table?

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.