Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, a couple of weeks ago we had a luncheon with the diabetic association in the Great Hall here. We talked about the many facts of diabetes, especially in the Sahtu region where there is very little work that has been done in terms of diabetic screening in the Sahtu. My question to the Minister is if he could inform the House as to the strategy of the Northwest Territories in the process of the diabetes strategy that's going to be coming out shortly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've been dealing with the issue of diabetes through the regular course of work but, in addition, in 1999 the federal government started the Canadian diabetes strategy and we take part in that. There are a number of components to that: the national diabetes surveillance system, the aboriginal diabetes initiative, prevention and promotion, as well as the overall national coordination. We take part in the first three areas that I've just outlined. The concern we have is there has been no signal given to us that the federal government intends to keep the program going past this next year. It's a very critical piece of our strategy. Through this particular funding and program we have been able to develop the first part of our own diabetic strategy, part of which was talked about here the other day in the Great Hall. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, diabetes is here in the Northwest Territories, it's staying here for a long time. It's a killer disease. For people in the smaller communities, some of them don't even know they have diabetes or are aware of some of the opportunities for communities to get involved and to deal with diabetes at the community level. The Premier had talked about that in a special statement about working in partnership. I'd like to know from the Minister what opportunities there are for people in the small communities, practitioners, individuals, to talk about diabetes prevention, treatment and education, assets to inform our people in the Sahtu and the other communities about the diabetes strategy that we can proceed further with this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct; the issue of diabetes is with us and will continue to be with us. The one saving grace for us is that our numbers are not at the national average in terms of prevalence. We still have an opportunity to do proactive, preventative work that will help limit any possible growth. Mr. Speaker, at present there are three diabetes education programs out of Stanton, Inuvik and Hay River, as well as the regional centres that are developing their own programs to work with the communities in their region. Stanton, as well, plays a key role. We also have a promotion and prevention section here in the department that does some work in that area as well, in terms of education and information to the communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister is correct that we worked very well with the Inuvik diabetes specialists last year and for a couple years in the Sahtu region. I guess I would look at what type of guidance or light the Minister would give to the people in the Sahtu in terms of having their own diabetes team in the small communities, especially to work with the local stores in the communities. One of the biggest contributing factors to promoting diabetes is because of the number of junk food and things that they have available in the communities, not really having an incentive for the communities to look at healthy foods that they could consume during the school time for school age children. I would like to ask the Minister if he would look closely at the local stores such as Northern Co-op to promote healthy lifestyles. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, clearly this is a shared responsibility and we have some resources and capacity to provide expert advice and come in and work with communities. There is also a tremendous amount that can be done at the community level, as the Member indicated. At the end of the day, type II diabetes tends to start with personal choice with what we eat and we drink and if we smoke. Places like Inuvik, for example, have taken junk food vending machines out of the schools. That was a decision that was made at the local level. Parents and elders play a very clear role in terms of being role models, in terms of demonstrating the proper habits. As well, I do believe there is an opportunity, as the Member said, not only with the government but with communities talking to their local stores to talk to them about putting in the proper kinds of food and not have all the junk food front and centre and the other healthier alternatives in the back somewhere.

So this is a shared responsibility. I will commit that the Department of Health and Social Services and the whole system will work collectively and collaboratively on this issue. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am encouraged by the Minister's comments here. Mr. Speaker, it seems like some of the funding programs that have been with the federal government are being terminated or sunsetted, and it's no surprise that the aboriginal diabetes initiative will no longer be available as of March 31, 2004. Can the Minister advise this House if there are any new sources of funding being sought after to ensure that the diabetes programs in the small communities stay because it's desperately needed? Mr. Speaker, I speak about it because it hits close to home, talking about the diabetes issues in the small communities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we continue to work with the federal government, who has made many loud and clear pronouncements on their interest in working on prevention on their interest in working on issues like diabetes, and we're still confident that we will be able to get them to commit and that they will commit nationally to continue the funding for this program. It's not one that they can walk away from; not if they are going to be true to their concern that they have for prevention and doing what they can to work with the regions, provinces and territories on this very preventable illness. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I just want to ask the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation a couple of questions with regard to construction season being upon us here in the NWT with a lot of new houses being currently under construction or about to begin construction right now in the NWT. With the issue of mould that was brought up in last week's session, due to some shoddy construction practices and use of old or cheaper materials by contractors, I just want to ask the Minister what kind of system the Housing Corporation will put in place to ensure that all new materials that are being brought to construction sites for new houses are being used and accounted for by contractors who are contracted out to build these houses to CMHC standards. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I think there are a couple of different issues that came up there. In reference to the issue of the mould, that was a question that was raised the other day, and we have hired a person who specializes in environmental concerns with regard to housing. There is a study being conducted and we should have that shortly. We're looking at the construction practices that may allow it. We don't really know right now if it is construction or shoddy practices, as the Member said. However, it may be ventilation or other things including design. At this point we're unclear as to what's causing the mould. We are looking into it and are hoping to come to a better way of doing things so we can eliminate this problem.

With regard to material being accounted for on construction sites, we do have a practice right now where our contractors are responsible for the sites, for the material on the sites, and we do have the practice of holding back a portion of their contract until this is all concluded and is acceptable to us. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's good to see that this government has found a mould specialist to make sure that...

---Laughter

...this practice does not continue or that mould does not overcome all the new houses that the Housing Corporation is currently working on. I just want to ask the Minister, with the project managers who oversee the construction of a lot of these housing units, in the smaller communities these project managers are not always available 24 hours a day and during the whole construction season to oversee and ensure that all housing materials and practices are being followed and adhered to according to the standards as set out in the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation. I just want to ask the Minister, just as an example, there's construction of a new unit that's going up in Deninu Kue and the owner of the unit has approached me and indicated to me that the contractor was not using the new insulation that was given to him as part of the materials that were supplied to the construction site. In fact, they were using the old insulation that he pulled out of his old warehouse and had kept the good stuff. I just want to know how the Minister is going to ensure that these contractors are really adhering to their contracts in building these houses with the materials that are supplied to them by the Housing Corporation and not...I know, like I said, there's no project manager available 24/7, so how are they going to ensure that the practices are being followed and adhered to because they can't go in there and drill a hole in the wall and make sure the stuff is new? Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the material that comes with the houses, especially in the cases of the homeownership programs like the IHP or independent housing program or the expanded down-payment assistance program. The materials belong to the homeowner. We make every effort to keep a close eye on the property, on the site. We have our program officers attend the sites very regularly. However, we are not able to have security there 24 hours a day. We do check, we do have our technical people do inspections. We are working on increasing our inspections and making it mandatory that there is in every step of the way a checklist, and that will be implemented this construction season. We hope to eliminate any opportunity for use of old materials or material wandering off the site. We are also going to be asking our LHOs to help us out. That is what we're doing this year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Just to remind Members to keep your supplementary questions and answers fairly short respecting the time allowed for us to make oral questions. Your supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.