Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm glad to hear that our needs are all equal, just some of us are more equal than others. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister if he would present to this House before the end of the sitting, a breakdown of the capital budgets for all our ridings, per riding, so that everybody can see what's being spent. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Minister Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On January 21, 2003, I gave to the chairs of each of the standing committees a copy of the infrastructure plan broken down by constituency. That's for the 2003-2008 five-year plan. So everyone should have that. If you want another one, I can get you another one.

In terms of the next five-year plan, that one is one that we're just in the process of preparing right now. In fact, the teams are out and holding community meetings. So that will be some months before I can provide that one. But for 2003-2008, everyone should have that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, that's the very reason I asked for a breakdown of expenditures. Presentations that are being made by his staff are not the same as the breakdown that was presented in January. It's not the same as the 20-year plan that was presented to us, and it's not consistent with the business plans, and it's not consistent with the five-year capital plan. We had projects sitting on the 20-year plan for 10 years that have disappeared off the radar screen. I'd like to ask the Minister if he would review the situation and tell us what is going on and who's in charge. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for FMB, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as part of our long-term planning, we do a 20-year capital needs assessment. That's a needs assessment, that is not a plan. It's not a capital plan we're committed to for the next 20 years, it's assessing what our long-term needs are. We also do five-year plans, and those all come through the planning process as we put together our business plans and eventually our main estimates.

Mr. Speaker, I'll be happy to look at any discrepancies that the Member has, if he wants to bring them to my attention. But, right now, I don't know for sure specifically which projects he's referring to. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if he would review the whole capital planning process. It's been a frustrating system that doesn't work. It's clear as mud, as they say. It has been expressed by many of us here over and over that it's not working. We have a group of deputy ministers that are not accountable to us, we can't even ask them questions and the Ministers don't seem to be talking to them. Can we review the situation and look at a system that will put responsibility back into the Ministers' hands where it belongs, and where we can have some input, and the communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister responsible for FMB, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, people have been raising concerns with regard to the capital planning process for a couple of years. As a follow-up to that, in fact on February 16th of this year, 2003, we did a capital planning process update. We advised the Members of what we were doing and how we were changing community consultations. Starting in May and June, we've had teams of people going out and meeting with the communities. We have advised the MLAs of when these teams would be in the communities. So we're going through that process now. As part of that process, we are asking communities for feedback on the planning process. So we are doing that review, but we want to do it with all of the MLAs and I expect that by the time we have all the information back, before the end of June, pull that all together and it's part of the planning process, we can have discussions on any concerns communities are raising with us or MLAs are raising and try to further refine at that time. But we are going through a process of review right now, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister responsible for Seniors, regarding the issues I raised in my Member's statement knowing that it's Seniors' Week and also that we have programs and services in place for our seniors. Mr. Speaker, there seem to be barriers in place in regard to how seniors are able to access these programs or else that they have to continue year after year and reapply for different programs. Mr. Speaker, I'll use an example of a program. We have a seniors' home repair program which is basically capped at $20,000. In most cases, Mr. Speaker, our seniors have lived in their homes and owned their homes all their lives, yet as they get older and the cost of maintaining their homes is high, that $20,000 doesn't do much. Now they're being told you maxed out the amount of the allocation, based on $20,000. Yet we also offer another program with regard to the fuel rebate program, and again we have a set amount of how much fuel you're allocated to maintain your home. Again, that hasn't changed for several years. I would just like to ask the Minister exactly what the Minister responsible for Seniors is doing to remove these inequities and barriers for our seniors to simplify the programs and make them more responsible.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the issues raised in the NWT action plan for seniors was that very issue. What was committed to and what is underway was the striking of an interdepartmental working group with a seat for the NWT Seniors' Society, to address a way to deal with barriers, as my colleague mentioned, to better coordinate the services for seniors which currently are located in several different departments. The initial request was to somehow consolidate all seniors' services under one umbrella or secretariat. That was deemed not to be the most effective way to proceed. That was an alternative that was suggested, that being the interdepartmental group, and they are currently at work on that particular issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to my statement, I also touched on the area of accommodation for seniors in our communities so our seniors do not have to leave our communities and go to Inuvik, Yellowknife or wherever to have to go into long-term care. So I'd like to ask the Minister, have you looked at the area of accommodations and programs being delivered in the communities and having to go and access those programs elsewhere?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are looking at that issue and we are trying to beef up and improve our continuing care programs, home support, home care and supportive living to help seniors stay in their homes as long as possible. I know as well the Minister of Housing has a very aggressive initiative underway with seniors' housing, that there is in fact some housing being built in Inuvik, Hay River and Smith. We, as well, are looking at ways to upgrade and improve the facilities that we currently run in our multi-bed residences that deal with more long-term care needs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, do you have someone in house whose job it is to really look at the programs that are presently being delivered by this government for our seniors and see where we can streamline our programs and make them more accessible and user friendly for our seniors?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we do. That is a discrete program area that we administer and it is part of the responsibility of senior staff. We have a very close working relationship with the NWT Seniors' Society, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.