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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these figures do not apply, of course, to the income support side, which are different areas. Mr. Speaker, the reason that there has been an income cutoff is to provide an incentive for individuals to go out and work. If the income is below that amount, then of course there is an opportunity for the government to say, well, we will reduce your rent accordingly. So if it works in reverse, in other words, if there is an income level established, then an individual can still earn up to that amount but have their rent reduced by approximately up to $250, Mr. Speaker. So it is an incentive. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. The incentive that is in place for working families is one that I am entirely in support of, have supported and will continue to support. But the issues that have been raised here, Mr. Speaker, concern the sad situations that many elders seem to find themselves in, and students. So where is the benefit or the impact for those people and how they relate when they are in low income situations? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all, let me explain that income support clients will not be affected by this. Mr. Speaker, they will be fully covered for any increases that will be applied. The next is low income families, working families. As I said, we have an income cutoff there of $3,833, in which they can receive a rebate on that. For close to 90 percent of our low income working families, the indication is it will go down for them. That leaves our students and our seniors, Mr. Speaker. For students, who are generally on student financial assistance, their rent will go from $32 a month to $20 a month. This is designed specifically for students in that fashion. So I believe the program is designed to be consistent with the goals of what we are talking about for harmonization. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When the former Minister of Transportation, Mr. Steen, met with the Dogrib chiefs in November 2001, the agreement at that time with the chiefs was that they would each provide a BCR and the Dogrib Treaty 11 Council would also provide some written statement of support for it, and then we would follow up with the creation of a steering committee and a proposal for the federal government. I am prepared to do that. In fact, Mr. Speaker, I will initiate it by writing a letter to the chiefs, if the MLA agrees, and ask them to give me some indication and we will get that steering committee underway. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I have to respect the chiefs and councils of the Dogrib communities, as well as the Treaty 11 Council. If that was their wish, then, yes, I would participate. I really have to respect their position and first contact them if the MLA agrees with that. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I care for all of the people in the Dogrib region, as well as all the people in the Northwest Territories, but I have to respect the leaders they elected. They elected the chiefs and those are the leaders in the communities and I have to respect their position as well. Thank you.

Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I have to respect the local leaders and if that's what they want me to do, I would look at it. But really, Mr. Speaker, it's not my place to go do a survey of the Dogrib people to find out if they want a road. There's local leadership who have that responsibility. It's just not my place to do that kind of survey.

Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.