Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have also seen the media accounts of an MOU that appears to be in the final stages of negotiation between B.C. and Alberta. I have asked the department to look into it and to provide me with an update. I would not say this was a surprise, Mr. Speaker, but it was the first we had heard that they were potentially this close. All western governments, I should say Saskatchewan west as well as the Yukon and the Northwest Territories, are members of the Mackenzie River Basin Board. We have two seats on that board. That regime has provisions for bilateral agreements between governments that deal with trans-boundary water issues. For instance, we have one that has been negotiated with the Yukon, and we are in the works with Alberta and doing similar with Alberta. So it's not a surprise to hear that Alberta and B.C. are this close, but obviously, as you say, we have concerns where it relates to tributaries that eventually make their way to the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that information. I would share his disappointment -- I think I can use that word -- with the fact that our neighbours are planning something and we haven't been to the table. It's disappointing because I know there have been some kinds of attempts to set up some kind of protocol for years, if not decades. So could the Minister explain how it is we have something like the Mackenzie River Basin Board, and yet things of this nature are going on behind the scenes? Are these deals worth anything to us? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess it's important to know that one of the processes that the Mackenzie River Basin Board oversees is this trans-boundary water management agreement. That includes prior notification and consultation protocol which was recently put into place. We are aware of that and party to that. I suppose it's further complicated for us because DIAND really has control over waters in the Northwest Territories, but we are involved in these discussions and typically are apprised, but that is not to say that there aren't provisions for bilaterals. I think that's what we are seeing here between Alberta and B.C. We have an MOU with Alberta. Minister Miltenberger is responsible for that. I am aware that he has recently met with Alberta and given them a briefing on some of these issues. I beg your pardon; it's coming up this week. We will be meeting to brief them on issues of concern. Trans-boundary water issues are on the agenda and we will certainly bring this to their attention. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to press the Minister and Mr. Miltenberger on this one, not just to make sure that this is on the agenda, but that the NWT has a meaningful if not equal place at the table in this decision-making. They are talking about a $2.1 billion hydro project. It would flood 5,125 hectares of land in B.C. and could be a threat to several fish species. The spokesperson for the Alberta Environment admits they don't have a water sharing agreement. This is not just for ourselves, but also with the Northwest Territories because the whole watershed flows up there. So we have some work to do there, Mr. Speaker, and I would like to ask the Minister to consider undertaking a pledge to negotiate a seat for the NWT at the decision-making table on this project. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly the Member is right and anything that has the Bennett Dam has, and anything that impacts on the Peace and Athabasca systems which eventually makes its way to Great Slave, to the Slave River and up into the Mackenzie Delta I think is of critical importance to this government, critical importance to the people of the Northwest Territories. We will certainly press the case for a seat at the table where development could potentially have a negative or adverse impact on the Mackenzie River Basin. Again, I would reiterate that Minister Miltenberger, when he meets on June 8th with Pearl Calahasen, will raise this issue and sit down and press the case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you. I'll take that for now and look forward to progress in the fall. I guess a last issue I would flag on this one is that this government does, at the highest level, have some kind of a protocol agreement, at least with the province of Alberta. This is done, I believe, at the Cabinet level. I would ask the Minister if he's going to bring this agreement to bear in this situation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will certainly bring this, and obviously my Cabinet colleagues are aware of the issue, to the Cabinet table. I think we need to have some discussion about this and try to ascertain what the best mechanism would be for making the case with Alberta and, indeed, British Columbia. I think it's important that we talk about this and I will commit to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated in my Member's statement, a Tuktoyaktuk elderly couple applied on numerous occasions for funds to renovate their home. To date this couple have been denied assistance and indicated they cannot afford to renovate their home at their own expense. Mr. Speaker, elders are living on fixed incomes and should be able to take their earnings and spend them elsewhere, not on renovations. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Honourable Michael McLeod, the Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation. Is he willing to direct his department to assist this elderly couple from Tuktoyaktuk to receive the necessary funds to renovate and complete their home? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, seniors are a very valuable part of our communities and at the Housing Corporation we're very sensitive to their needs. We have many programs that they can apply for. We have a total of 16 programs, and I believe seven of them are targeted towards seniors. However, the request that the Member is putting forward is to override a decision that has been made by the LHO. I certainly will agree to review the situation and sit down to discuss the matter with the Member, however, at this point I don't have the details. I have to have more information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's well known that the LHO do take some responsibility with regard to reviewing applications, but it's up to the NWT Housing Corporation to come up under the district management from Inuvik. Again, these elders, like I said, over the last 20 years they've been living in a unit that they purchased from the government at that time and they were promised then that they would renovate the windows and the floor. To date it still has not happened. Will the Minister assist with the elderly couple to sit down with the district manager in Inuvik to work out the problem with the elders? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member is asking if I will sit down with the district manager to discuss this issue. I certainly will do that. There are not many instances where we take the time out to make sure the seniors understand, if they've been refused, why they've been refused. Is it because of arrears? Is it because of income over the income threshold? I'd certainly like to sit down with the district manager and Member and talk about this issue and look at all the details before I commit any further than that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time I will gladly sit down with the Minister and talk with the district manager in Inuvik to indicate the individuals in question here to work with them. Thank you.