Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we have this discussion and question and answer period in this House there are staff making note of the concerns, and I will make note of the concerns and I will assure the Member that I will be talking about them with the public administrator and the CEO of Stanton to make sure that we are covering and making all reasonable efforts, covering all our bases and if we're not, if there are gaps, then, yes, I will look at how to address and have those filled. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. I am very concerned about a problem an elder in my constituency is having with the health care system; more particularly with the long-term home care in Fort Simpson.

He was recently informed that he now owes approximately $4,000 as rent for staying in the long-term care facility. Setting that aside for now, the question for the Minister, Mr. Speaker, is why is an aboriginal elder paying to stay in a long-term care facility? Is this truly a policy of our health care system today? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the policy is that there is a rent or a cost billed to all those who require and move into long-term care third-level facilities where there is 24-hour supervision. It is a maximum, I believe, of around $700. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. My concern is that the maximum amount is $700. It is approximately equivalent to what they receive in old age pension, Mr. Speaker. My thought on this is that this is pretty much their last stop on earth. I was just wondering why we are charging our elders to sit out their remaining life. Particularly, for me, I believe that what is going on here is a treaty right. I am just wondering if the Minister cares to respond with regard to that. Why are we offering a service when it should be classified as a treaty right?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first, I would just like to point out that we have some of the best long-term care facilities that I have seen anywhere. They come at a cost that will not be bettered in any jurisdiction in this country. The reality is that there was a decision made, I think in the 13th Assembly, that there would be a modest charge for that high level of service in those specialized facilities. That has been the policy that has been in place. It is the one that we continue to follow today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to hear that we do offer the best service and one of the best facilities to provide for our elders that do have to end up in long-term care facilities, Mr. Speaker, but I still don't understand why we have a treaty right and our aboriginal elders are having to pay for it. If the Minister could comment on that again, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will commit to the Member to give him the background on the rationale and reasoning for the $750 and the issue of how the issue of treaty rights was interpreted in this particular case.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just the fact that, here again, there is an inconsistency where

some seniors or elders that do have the benefit of insurance to cover their stay in these homes, and now we have aboriginal elders who depend solely on fixed income of their old age pensions and we are taking almost all of it away. I would just like to get that commitment again from the Minister that he will closely review this policy of ours and address it as soon as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first I want to point out that, when this fee was instituted, it was clearly anticipated and it was planned to leave the elders sufficient amount of money that they would not be left without any means to have looked after some of their personal needs. So I made a commitment to the Member. I would also like to point out that, under the federal government, it has a fiduciary responsibility for aboriginal and treaty people and Inuit people, so this $750 would be, if they are treaty, covered through the federal government.

I will commit once again in this House to give the Member the information and the background on this particular area and the work that was done leading up to the decision to institute a $750 fee. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are to the Minister of Housing. It is in regards to the market housing initiative. I have been thinking and reread the notes of Hansard yesterday. I must tell you, Mr. Speaker, it is a complete outrage that, in last March, the government told us that the sky will fall if we do not waive BIP and if we do not order 22 mobile homes from somewhere in southern Alberta, Las Vegas 1-800 number, because we had to house the teachers and nurses. The Minister tells us yesterday that only 14 have been taken and they have no idea what went wrong. How are we ever to accept when government comes and says the sky is falling, we have two weeks to do it and you have no control whatsoever to say yes and we are going to make it happen? Nothing has happened and nobody is responsible. I need to hear more from Minister Krutko. Exactly what is going on? Why are the 22 units not installed? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, the Honourable Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I tried to explain yesterday to Members, there have been problems in regards to logistics and in regards to damage to these units in transportation. The damage has been fixed, but that was one of the main delays of the project. It was because the trailers were damaged being unloaded off the barges in Lutselk'e and also in Fort Good Hope. Those are the two communities that have not been occupied today because they are behind on the schedule. The whole project has not been delayed in regards to the people that are applying. Right now, as of today, we have 16 applicants for 22 units. So, technically, we are short. If 16 people take up those units, we will have six units that are still out there. There are two communities that are still not going to be concluded until November. Hopefully, that helps the Member understand the program as it sits as of today. So we are still looking forward to a completion date and doing a review. Hopefully, that answers the Member's question.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It appears that the Minister is picking out only one of the problems. He said yesterday in Hansard, page 2196, and I quote, "we did have some logistical problems by way of transportation, barging, looking at sites for these units, gravel was a problem...and power hookup." Mr. Speaker, I say that they had problems at every corner and every aspect. I have to ask the question, this decision was made in the previous Assembly. This was not a surprise. The Housing Corporation had at least two years to prepare for this. If they can't figure out how to hook up power, how to do the gravel, how to even have the lots available, how could we have any confidence that they could deliver anything in the Housing Corporation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I didn't hear a question there. Did you want to reframe your question? Ms. Lee.