Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, Mr. Minister, for the response. Why are we not, as a government, coordinating some of these positions the Minister speaks of into this vitally important office? Why aren't we doing that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Obviously with the passage of this supp, we will have the first start of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office and I am expecting a lot of strategic advice from the joint committee in this regard as to how this office can be most effective and what kinds of activities it should carry out. Some of these activities are not entirely pipeline related. They have implications for the pipeline and will be involved. For instance, the Department of Finance is looking for an extra position to help us get a handle on statistics and do some baseline studies as they relate to development. We aren't just talking about the pipeline. We are talking about oil and gas development and mining, so it probably wouldn't make sense to pull a position like that into the Mackenzie Valley office. That is not to say that they will not be working closely and collaborating very closely with this office. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I see it, there will still be departments off doing their own thing, unbeknownst to the Mackenzie Valley pipeline office. How is this coordination? Why can't someone take charge of this vitally important initiative and direct PYs and resources to it in no uncertain terms? Why isn't this happening and why can't it happen this way as opposed to coming back to this House looking for $850,000? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This office will coordinate the activities of this government. The Member is suggesting that that is lacking. I would concur. I would agree that that is lacking and we don't have the capacity currently to coordinate and manage all the activities related to oil and gas and pipeline development. We are hoping that this office can do that. It's going to need direction from the joint committee and need direction from Cabinet and ordinary Members. We can't simply set up this office and hope that it will find its way through the myriad of challenges that will be this pipeline development. The Member has a number of concerns and suggested yesterday that we find the money to fund an office like this from within. I would say, Mr. Speaker, given we are looking to find $20 million in lower priority items in savings as a government this year, then de facto that is what we're doing. We are talking about funding a higher priority item. I would suggest that this is of the highest priority, and we will find money for this office, in this department and in others, in looking at lower priority items. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Your final supplementary. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, the Honourable Michael Miltenberger. The situation that has arisen with the group home in Edmonton around some of the problems that they were having, has brought to light and brought to the forefront again the subject of northerners being cared for in Alberta institutions, and our government's seemingly lack of ability to repatriate these northerners. So I would like to ask the Minister how many northerners with disabilities are currently being cared for outside of the Northwest Territories, I'm sure mostly in Alberta? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member raises a good point, the issue of repatriation is one that is well on our agenda, and as we speak in relation to the case that has brought all this discussion to light. We are looking at the possibilities. As I indicated in this House over the last week, we believe there's an opportunity in the short term to repatriate these clients into existing services, and then we are going to actively look at a longer-range plan. So I concur with the issues and concerns raised in the House by the Members this morning as we talk about this issue, that we are mature enough now, I think, in many cases to look at that kind of repatriation, that we are capable of providing the services. I would suggest we're going to do the review that's necessary and we will be building that, as well, into our business plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, right now are there any facilities in the Northwest Territories similar to what is being offered right now where these clients are accommodated in Alberta? Are there facilities currently open with vacancies in the North at this time? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a variety of resources, as the Member knows and has indicated, in her community. In Yellowknife there are a number of supported living situations, as well. There's capacity in Fort Smith, there's some capacity in Inuvik. It depends on the particular needs of the client involved, and it has to be done on a client-by-client basis, which is what we're doing. At this point we've had very senior staff in Edmonton for the last two to three weeks, working through this APYS situation. One of the issues that has come to light, as I indicated, is the potential in the short term to do some repatriation. As well, I will work with the department on the longer-term plan. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I had asked the Minister in a previous question how many Northerners -- I don't need to know exactly -- I don't believe he answered that question. Does he know how many northerners are in southern placements right now currently funded by his department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are over one dozen. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Your final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

That's an interesting answer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

Perhaps with a little bit less vagueness the Minister could tell me approximately what kind of dollar value is associated right now with placements outside of the Northwest Territories of persons with disabilities. What kind of dollars are being expended by this government for those clients, those over one dozen? Thank you.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.