Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the document Towards a Better Tomorrow, the document that guides this government's actions and visions, says that this government has a vision of healthy, self-reliant communities. Part of being self-reliant is the ability to take charge of your own affairs, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when the government dissolved the Lutselk'e and Deninu health and social services boards, the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Board assumed the responsibility for programs and services in these communities.

Mr. Speaker, two things happened when these boards were dissolved. First, local people were no longer representing the people as trustees. Secondly, an opportunity to build capacity in the community was lost. It's not consistent with the document Towards a Better Tomorrow. The people were told they would still have a say in how things were going to be run. The two communities are supposed to have a seat on the Yellowknife Health and Social Services Board and their funding will be channelled to Yellowknife. People still feel that they aren't in the best position to provide advice to the Minister on what the community needs and priorities are. They want to do that without having their voices filtered through another layer of regional administration.

Mr. Speaker, when the boards were dissolved, an opportunity to develop community capacity was lost. Perhaps if more support was provided by the department, all would not have been lost. Mr. Speaker, this government could have provided continuous training to board members on their roles as trustees. They could have provided training to administrative support positions, adequate funding to provide necessary programs and services could have been provided, and perhaps the capacity of these communities to look after themselves would have been developed.

Mr. Speaker, if the government wants people to become self-reliant and live in healthy communities, the government should look at ways to develop community services boards, to take control of programs and services and to help create an economic base through the creation of employment at the community level. Mr. Speaker, harmonization ...(inaudible)...income support. Options have to be there other than income support in the communities and work development is one of those ways. Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause