Good morning, Members. Welcome back to the House. You may have noticed this morning that we had a bit of a change in our procession. I would like all Members to join me in welcoming our Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms, Derek Edjericon, into the House.

---Applause

Also, for Members' information, the second language in the House today is North Slavey. Orders of the day, item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr .Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the House that the Honourable Joe Handley will be late arriving in the House today due to his attendance at the official opening of the new Government of Canada building. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last February, I introduced a fiscal strategy that took the necessary steps to ensure the ongoing fiscal sustainability of our government. This meant taking strong action to reduce spending while still making the necessary investments to help us achieve the goals and objectives set out in our strategic plan.

The cornerstone of our fiscal strategy was the introduction of the fiscal responsibility policy. Simply stated, the policy requires us to continually monitor expenditures to ensure we achieve the necessary cash surpluses from operations to finance 50 percent of our annual capital investment.

Our ability to fully adopt the policy is conditional on the federal government amending an existing federal Order-in-Council, which currently sets out an arbitrary debt limit on our government of $300 million. The amendment we seek is to base the limit on reasonable measures of what we can afford. The affordability measures we propose are contained in our fiscal responsibility policy. I will be pursuing negotiations on this important matter with the federal Minister of Finance, the Honourable Ralph Goodale.

Mr. Speaker, in the short term, we have been successful in maintaining sufficient operating surpluses to stay within the guidelines of the fiscal responsibility policy. However, our supplementary requirements have exceeded our forecasts and resulted in a reduction of our projected operating surplus from $49 million to $26 million. Although these supplementary appropriations are for important and urgent needs, we are cognizant that we must exercise care that we do not introduce a level of spending we cannot afford to maintain. We must always closely match our additional spending with increases to our revenues so that our bottom line results stay affordable. As I flagged in my budget address earlier this year, the government must also ensure that it has the cash that will be required to repay a large corporate tax overpayment that we received a few years ago. Next year, the repayment amount will be close to $300 million.

Mr. Speaker, as I stated in the February budget address, the formula funding arrangements after 2005-06 are uncertain. In future years, our financial agreement with the federal government will be heavily influenced by the recommendations of the Expert Panel on Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing. Over the summer, we have made strong arguments and presentations to the expert panel to ensure our unique needs and issues are understood. It is anticipated that the expert panel will be ready to report to the federal Finance Minister by the end of December 2005. We anticipate that the federal government will then go through a process to review and discuss the recommendations before final decisions are made.

We are hopeful that the Territories' realities and needs will be well reflected in the expert panel report and that the federal government will act appropriately. However, the uncertainty about the outcome of this review forces us to be conservative in our fiscal outlook beyond 2005-06.

In September, the Premier and I met with another panel, the Council of the Federation Advisory Panel on Fiscal Imbalance. Provincial and territorial Premiers established this panel to investigate and make recommendations on the fiscal imbalance between the federal, provincial and territorial governments. The panel was able to visit the community of Behchoko while they were here, and from the many presentations, conversations and discussions they had, got a good sense of the challenges we face here in the North. This panel is expected to report in March 2006, perhaps in time to influence the federal government's consideration of the expert panel report.

Mr. Speaker, our government welcomed the federal government's commitment to provide $500 million over 10 years for the social and economic impacts of the Mackenzie gas pipeline. However, this funding only flows if there is a pipeline and it only flows to communities directly affected along the route of the pipeline. These

funds do not address the impacts of mining and other resource developments and are not specifically for GNWT impact requirements. Although we intend to work closely with aboriginal governments in the management of these funds, the GNWT role will be more of an advisory nature.

It is important to point out that a one-time fund, no matter how large, does not provide a long-term source of sustainable revenue upon which firm planning and decisions can be made by either the GNWT or aboriginal governments. The importance of successful negotiating with the federal government a fair net fiscal benefit from resource revenue sharing must be recognized. Although we welcome and support responsible resource development and all the economic benefits it can bring, our territory is, and will continue to be, impacted by resource development. Our government's social and infrastructure expenditures are being impacted by resource development, yet the royalties and other resources royalties from this development are flowing to the federal government. In 2004-05, the federal public accounts revealed that Indian and Northern Affairs Canada took in over $270 million of resource royalties, including those from the Norman Wells field. This must be addressed soon. Negotiations on resource revenue sharing have been stalled for a number of months as the federal government waits for the recommendations from the Expert Panel on Equalization and Territorial Formula Financing. We must get these negotiations back on track as soon as possible. The Premier and I are working diligently towards this end.

In summary, our short-term fiscal situation remains sound, but we face many trials and uncertainties in the future. We will do our best to turn these into opportunities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Earlier this week, I officially launched Family Violence Awareness Week in the Great Hall of this building. The focus this year is the prevention of violence against women and children with disabilities.

Members of this House know the impact violence has against all members of our society. Its corrosive effects eat away at our communities and families. We must work together to eliminate violence, and we must be especially vigilant in our efforts to eliminate violence against the most vulnerable members of our society.

Mr. Speaker, people with disabilities are particularly vulnerable to violence and exploitation. Their right to a safe and secure environment must be a goal we all strive to protect. Those who prey on vulnerable individuals must clearly understand the people of the Northwest Territories and that they will not tolerate such behaviour.

In all our communities we must hear the message loud and clear: Violence is not acceptable; it cannot be used as a tool of control, nor as a way of taking out frustrations. We must work towards eliminating violence, and we can only do that through honest and open dialogue and through working together.

Mr. Speaker, this annual campaign is a great example of how community organizations and governments can work in partnership to make a difference.

I'd like to thank the Status of Women Council of the Northwest Territories, which has coordinated this year's Family Violence Awareness Week activities with the help of the Coalition Against Family Violence. This coalition represents a number of community organizations and includes representatives from the Government of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories response to the NWT Action Plan on Family Violence - A Framework for Action also sets out several examples of how partnerships increase the effectiveness of actions taken to work towards eliminating family violence.

I would like to provide you with an update on some of the actions in the government's framework that are being undertaken in partnership with community agencies and other governments.

Mr. Speaker, the Protection Against Family Violence Act was proclaimed April 1, 2005. The Honourable Brendan Bell will provide a detailed update on the successful implementation of this act.

Several other activities are underway including a joint Federal/Territorial Working Group on Family Violence. The intent of this group is to look at funding practices across the GNWT and federal departments and develop a process to coordinate funding for larger projects intended to reduce family violence.

As well, the GNWT is expecting feedback from 50 stakeholder groups on a series of standardized definitions of family violence terms. Having standardized definitions will allow governments and community agencies to have a single comprehensive set of definitions of family violence terms. This will help to ensure consistency in the development and delivery of programs for those affected by family violence as well as set the baseline for data collection.

Finally, Mr. Speaker, the GNWT will host a workshop with the Coalition Against Family Violence in November 2005. This workshop will look at our progress in implementing the actions set out in the framework for action and how we can better work together.

A full status report updating the public on the progress of all the actions will be available in November.

Mr. Speaker, I want to end today by reminding everyone in every community in the Northwest Territories we must stand firm in our resolve to stop family violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to provide an update to Members on the

implementation of the Protection Against Family Violence Act.

It's appropriate that we are joining people across the NWT in marking this week as Family Violence Awareness Week. It is a serious problem in all of our communities, in all types of families.

This law has been in force for just over six months. It allows victims of family violence to get protection quickly and easily over the phone. People can get an emergency protection order within a few hours from any community in the Northwest Territories, or they can ask the court for a protection order, which gives longer-lasting protection.

Although some people are applying for orders in person at their local RCMP station, most people are using the toll-free number. We've taken calls from women, men and elders, but we are starting to see a clear pattern. The typical caller is female, with several children. Her partner has been abusing her for a long time, and the violence has been getting worse. The women who call are desperate for help, and they report many different forms of family violence. An emergency protection order is usually not the only thing these families need to stay safe, Mr. Speaker. Trained family violence counsellors and RCMP officers work with them to make safety plans and to talk about things they can do when they think they're in danger.

Mr. Speaker, last week we had our 50th application, and the numbers are still increasing. This usage is the highest per capita in the country. I must say that we were surprised to get this response, but it is a clear indication that family violence is an ongoing problem in the Territories. There have been applications from 14 different communities, and the orders have ranged in length from two to 90 days.

Mr. Speaker, although the new law gives people a new choice, an emergency protection order isn't right for everyone. If a crime has been committed, some people will go through the criminal court process. Shelters provide emergency housing for people who need a safe place to live. Other people will get help from local victim services groups or their social workers, and some people will want to use a combination of the things I've just mentioned, Mr. Speaker.

We all know that family violence is a problem that will take a cooperative approach. To implement this new law, the department has been working very closely with the RCMP and the YWCA. On the broader issue, we continue to work with our partners on the family violence action plan. Department staff have been travelling to communities with the Coalition Against Family Violence's demonstration projects. We're talking to people about what's happening in their communities, giving them information and helping them develop a plan to respond to family violence, and we're learning how we can make our own laws and policies more effective for people who are dealing with violence every day.

Mr. Speaker, I will be tabling a status report on the implementation of the Protection Against Family Violence Act later this session. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to speak today about the significant progress that has been made to incorporate midwifery services into the NWT health system.

Midwives work with women and their families, before, during and after birth to keep them and their babies healthy. Midwifery care is women-centred, family-centred, and responds to the unique strengths and needs of each woman and her family, and honours traditional and cultural birth practices. Midwives monitor the physical, psychological and social well-being of the mother throughout the childbearing cycle into infancy.

In addition to being involved in the delivery, whether it is a homebirth or in a health facility, midwives are part of the primary community health care team actively involved in a broad range of activities including:

• • health promotion in the community, including education on healthy choices related to pregnancy such as drinking, smoking and birth control;
• • information and education to prepare families for the birth of the baby;
• • offer counselling and support in getting started with breastfeeding and continuing to successfully breastfeed;
• • work with the mother and family on how to care for a new baby, including facilitating the father's participation in caring for and bonding with the baby, and help with family adjustment;
• • check on the mother's and baby's health;
• • assist the mothers through counselling on diet, exercise and stress reduction;
• • identify other resources in the community available to the mother and the family.

This is a newly regulated profession in the NWT, and all midwives in the territory work as part of an interdisciplinary maternity care team. The success to date is a direct result of the collaboration, cooperation and support of the health professionals, communities and individuals.

There are currently two midwives practising in Fort Smith and one in Yellowknife, with plans to add an additional midwife to Yellowknife. Building on the success in Fort Smith and Yellowknife, the hope is to expand midwifery services to other communities in the NWT where the appropriate supports are available.

Since April 2005, the midwife in Yellowknife has delivered 22 babies and the midwives in Fort Smith have delivered three babies; two were delivered at home and one was delivered in the Fort Smith Health Centre.

Next month a representative from Health and Social Services will sign the Agreement on Mobility for Midwifery

in Canada, which recognizes the NWT midwives' credentials in five provinces, and the GNWT in turn accepts midwives from these five provinces.

Mr. Speaker, the Midwifery Profession Act has been a success in the NWT with its 25 births since April. It has provided mothers with another option and the ability to be close to home. Midwives know that if we keep our mothers healthy, they will give birth to healthier babies and take good care of them as they grow. Furthermore, this will have a powerful influence on the health of all members of the family and the community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, October 9 to 15, 2005 is National Fire Prevention Week and, as such, is a fitting time to announce the recipients of this year's Northwest Territories Fire Service Merit Awards.

In 2002, our government established the Fire Service Merit Awards to recognize the important contribution of individual firefighters and fire departments in the Northwest Territories. Firefighting is a dangerous occupation. We must not forget the sacrifices that firefighters make and the risk that they face on a daily basis.

In 2005, the department has once again received nominations to recognize the special contribution of individual firefighters and community fire departments. Individual nominations are assessed by a committee of local and territorial fire service and community government officials, against a set of established criteria. These nominations have now been assessed, and I am pleased to announce the 2005 winners at this time. Two individuals have been chosen to receive the Fire Service Merit Awards for 2005.

The first is Cyril Fyfe of the Yellowknife fire department who died in the line of duty on March 21, 2005. We were all deeply saddened by the tragedy involving Mr. Fyfe and Mr. Kevin Olsen at the Home Building Centre and are so proud of Cyril's courage and long-standing efforts to serve the community.

Mr. Randy Hilworth of the Hay River Fire Department was recognized by his colleagues for his significant contributions to their fire department and community.

The department also received nominations for the Community Fire Service Merit Award. This award is presented annually to recognize the success of a local fire department in improving the overall fire protection system in the community over the past year.

Mr. Speaker, in all our small communities, maintaining an active fire department can be a real challenge. To a great extent, we rely on volunteers in all our communities. Finding enough people who are prepared to dedicate their time to taking the training, being on call, going into difficult and dangerous situations is not easy. It is encouraging to see all the efforts that many communities are making to ensure their fire departments are up to the challenge. At this time I am pleased to announce that the 2005 Community Fire Service Merit Award is awarded to the Town of Hay River Fire Department.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, I would ask that all Members of the Legislative Assembly please join me in recognizing the two recipients and the Hay River Fire Department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to acknowledge the work of the RCMP in Project Gunship, a major sweep in the city of Yellowknife and Edmonton yesterday, Mr. Speaker. It was quite by coincidence that while we were having a discussion in the House yesterday afternoon about community policing, this major exercise, which I understand involves some 50 officers, was unfolding. The information that has been made public so far is that we have seen 29 arrests here in Yellowknife and two in Edmonton. Substantial quantities of cash, drugs and handguns have been seized.

Mr. Speaker, we are constantly reminded of, and reflecting on, the impact of drugs on the safety and the security of our communities and our neighbourhoods. At this time, it is very early in the process. We need to be mindful, of course, of the judicial and the justice processes that have to unfold from now. But citizens and businesses, I think, are breathing a bit easier today knowing that a major impact has been made on the supply of drugs here in Yellowknife, and consequently to other communities in the Northwest Territories.

We need to stay vigilant, Mr. Speaker. We know that the impact of drugs and crime, organized or otherwise, is a fact of life in our society. Exercises like this will make a difference, and we are very grateful to the efforts of the RCMP and other law enforcement agencies for the difference they are making. But we also know, Mr. Speaker, that every citizen also has a responsibility to stay vigilant, to stay involved and to do everything they can to ensure the continued security of our communities, their safety and protection from the impacts of drugs, crime and violence. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to hear the Minister of MACA congratulate the people who deserve the awards during

Fire Prevention Week. However, Mr. Speaker, I am deeply concerned about the recent house fire in Colville Lake. My heart goes out to Dora Duncan and her family and to the people of Colville Lake who could do nothing but stand around hopelessly as the house burned to the ground. People could do nothing as the house burned to the ground because there were no fire trucks, roads, or real fire extinguishers in the community for fires of that magnitude. There are only little fire extinguishers that were of no use for this fire. This is the sixth house in Colville Lake that burned to the ground in 10 years, Mr. Speaker.

When I look at the situation in New Orleans, we know the devastation brought on by hurricane Katrina and the carelessness of the government. At this time, I thought we were fortunate to live up here because I thought we could look after our people better than they did down South. Now, I am not so sure. I don't understand why there is no fire prevention or firefighting equipment to be had in these remote and isolated communities. Housing is at a premium and expensive, too. How can we be so careless about people's lives in their homes such as in Colville Lake? Mr. Speaker, I will have some questions to the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to make a statement today that I hope will help our constituents understand a very key element of how we accomplish work on their behalf. There are many ways to approach our constituency work. We can make statements in the House, ask questions during session, write letters to Ministers and departments, send e-mails, have meetings, issue press releases, hold constituency meetings, have newspaper columns, publish newsletters, et cetera. But to be very specific, many constituents we don't often hear from unless they have an issue with their dealings with GNWT programs or services. In the case of these specific requests for information or assistance, we very often contact the office of the Minister responsible. That is when we either get prompt, wholesome and helpful responses, or not. Each of the Ministers in our government are responsible for a wide range of topics. Our government delivers and participates in the same vast range of areas that any government two, three or four times our size would. So Ministers are busy.

The good news is that although we have a small number in Cabinet, we have a correspondingly small number of MLAs to which this Cabinet is accountable. Being a Regular Member, of course, I think that MLAs and issues they represent on behalf of their constituents should be the very highest priority of our Ministers.

We are a small territory. We represent relatively small constituencies where it is quite possible to know every one of those constituents. This results in constituents feeling quite at liberty to contact their MLAs quite freely about just about anything. That is a good thing. Our ability to serve our constituents well has a lot to do with the seriousness and importance that Ministers place on our issues. This will always be evident in the demeanour and attitude displayed by the Minister's office.

I could offer compliments and kudos to several offices, different offices today of Ministers, but I want to focus on one department. After being an MLA for the past 10 years, I could say that about 50 percent of the inquiries that we deal with in our office relate to health and social services. So I am happy today to commend the Minister of Health and Social Services and his ministerial staff for prompt and thoughtful responses to many of the inquiries we make and issues that we raise. There are many challenges. I want my constituents to know. Make no mistake...I need unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. I want to make it abundantly clear that I know extremely well, as do the people across the North and in Hay River, that there are many challenges facing health and social services in the big picture. But I want to say that a good working relationship is the premise of why I remain very optimistic about continuing to address those concerns. I would just like to thank the Minister for his attention to those issues. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, like my colleague, the MLA for Great Slave Lake, would like to commend the RCMP on their investigation. Last night, when I was returning to the apartment, a lot of activity was taking place in the downtown area. As I listened to the 5:30 CBC news last night, it was reported that the RCMP was conducting an investigation. Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend the RCMP on the ongoing investigation.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I say to the RCMP officers in the Northwest Territories and in Canada, we commend you on your endeavours to have peace and tranquility throughout Canada. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have spoken numerous times in this House about the devastation drugs are having on our communities and families here in the Northwest Territories. As a Member of this House, I have gotten phone calls from constituents heavily addicted to crack cocaine trying desperately to get some help. They get treatment and they try to get their lives back together. However, when they get back to Yellowknife, they face

their demons head on once again. Drugs seem to be everywhere they turn on every corner, and they can't seem to get away from using the drugs.

I have heard numerous times from constituents that access to hard core drugs like crack cocaine can be easier than buying lottery tickets, Mr. Speaker. Trying to get the drugs and dealers off of our streets is something that people have been waiting patiently to see. I was very encouraged to hear the media reports yesterday of the RCMP's Operation Gunship that targeted upper-level drug distribution networks both here in Yellowknife and in Edmonton. I would like to publicly thank the RCMP for this much needed coordinated drug crackdown.

During the last budget session, I was pleased to support the additional $1.2 million to help fund new positions for the RCMP here in the Northwest Territories. Part of that funding, Mr. Speaker, included a new search and rescue and drug dog and a handler that will be based here in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, I will continue to support the additional resources that the RCMP need and require to carry out their work here in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Speaker, what I would like to see is a firm commitment from this government to have all of the necessary resources in place to deal effectively and to the full extent of the law with those charged with drug trafficking here in the NWT. All of the hard work by the RCMP yesterday and in the days and months ahead of us has to have an impact. Our justice system has to be ready to deal with this hard work in a fashion that will be meaningful. At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Justice. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to address an issue important to Nahendeh and other regions in the Northwest Territories: adequate regional representation. Yellowknife and Hay River seem to have consideration based on representation and attention on many issues. Their size and accessibility to administration gives them a considerable advantage over policies and implementation. This policy must address these inequalities and implement the policies of our previous governments to have balanced regional representation.

Reviewing the NWT Public Committees, Boards and Councils Handbook, other than regional ones, the Nahendeh has only a handful of committees, boards and councils with regional representation. The following are just a few high profile examples which lack: Territorial Board of Revision; Worker's Compensation Board; Worker's Compensation Board Appeals Tribunal; Safety Advisory Committee; Public Utilities Board; NWT Power Corporation's board; NWT Social Assistance Appeal Board; Liquor Licensing Board; and I can go on, Mr. Speaker. Out of roughly 35 committees, boards and councils, almost 29 have no regional representation from Nahendeh. Furthermore, it would be partially understandable if these groups had only one or two members, but many of these groups often have up to 10 members and with no reason for regional exclusion.

Another alarming trend I found was the enormous percentage of committees, boards and councils with all, or high numbers of, representation from Yellowknife alone. Why does the government, who continues to pride themselves on the diverse culture, unique geography and being a government of the people, continue to alienate the regions with little or no representation? The following are a few examples of committees, boards and councils with all Yellowknife representation: Student Financial Assistance Appeal Board; Public Records Committee; NWT Judicial Remuneration Commission; Medical Registration Committee. Residents of the NWT recognize some committees, boards and councils require considerable expertise and experience in this field. However, even these groups must...

Mr. Menicoche, time for your Member's statement has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and colleagues. Residents of the NWT recognize some committees, boards and councils require considerable expertise and experience in this field. However, even these groups must have representation from the average residents from all of the regions. The responsibilities and functions of these groups are trusted to them by the Legislative Assembly, the GNWT; the government of the people. These responsibilities affect all of us and have deep implications. Therefore, all regions of the NWT must have adequate representation and not what is convenient, Mr. Speaker. With that, I will be asking our government, at the appropriate time, to state to this House what our regional representation policy is. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on September 15, 2005, I attended a graduation ceremony held in Deninu Kue to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of three students of Deninu school. Mr. Speaker, I again would like to take this time to congratulate Chantelle Beck, Raddanz Hunter, and Vanessa Sanderson for their significant achievements in reaching this important milestone. It was truly with great pleasure to have been part of such a wonderful celebration of local achievement.

Mr. Speaker, I also want to congratulate Don Catholique of Lutselk'e who graduated from Joseph Burr Tyrell High School in Fort Smith on May 27, 2005. I would encourage all of these Tu Nedhe graduates and all other NWT

graduates to continue on with their educational pursuits and aspirations.

Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize the people behind these achievements, the principals, teachers, the DEAs, and the many community members and organizations who have done a wonderful job in coming together to support and encourage the youth to stay in school, and for instilling value of education in all of their minds so that students of tomorrow can also look forward to finishing high school and making the wise choices which result in a brighter future for all northerners young and old.

Mr. Speaker, the residents of Deninu Kue and Lutselk'e are truly proud of seeing four more graduates coming out of these two small communities. Once again, congratulations. You have all, indeed, set a fine example for the younger people of Tu Nedhe. Thank you and mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to commend the Justice department. However, Mr. Speaker, I am very concerned with the delivery of RCMP services to the Tlicho communities. There are the same concerns that are echoed in other small communities.

Tlicho residents have told me that on average the police response is 48 minutes. That is quite outrageous in the Tlicho region.

Mr. Speaker, some of the problems with response times relate to dispatching being done out of Yellowknife headquarters. This leads directly to my next question. What are the hours of operation in the local detachment in the Tlicho region?

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned, too, that the police will sometimes not respond to a call because an actual crime has not been committed. It seems to be that that attitude is totally contradictory to the basic concept of community policing. Part of the responsibility of the RCMP is to provide a proactive presence in the communities, not just reacting to crimes in process, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am not saying the RCMP are ignoring the needs of the communities. I suspect that if anything RCMP are overworked because of the impacts of resource development in the North, and that concentration on serious crime is the only way it can be dealt with with the workload. I am sure the RCMP want to have a more proactive role in the community, Mr. Speaker, and be able to work with the people to reduce crime, rather than just reacting to immediate threats to life or property.

Mr. Speaker, we must address policing issues. Locally, residents must do everything they can to support RCMP to do their jobs. The Tlicho and the GNWT leadership have a role to play in ensuring that the RCMP have adequate resources. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Justice at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've been hearing talk of the pipeline for a long time and, as one of my colleagues asked this morning, what pipeline? It's time to quit talking, Mr. Speaker, and time to get working. Most people in the NWT stand to benefit from the construction of the pipeline, but now it seems that the project is running into one delay after another while everyone tries to think of what they can ask for next. The problem is, Mr. Speaker, that there are many excessive demands from all parties, and this is preventing the project from moving ahead and we may never see a pipeline.

There are many young people along the valley attending or planning to attend school for training to take advantage of any potential job opportunities from construction of the pipeline. As a result, many positions will be filled by well-trained and qualified northerners who are not just hired to fill a quota.

Mr. Speaker, there are many businesses along the valley that have already planned and prepared for the pipeline by increasing their capacity to absorb the potential workload. It is unfortunate, however, that the future of the pipeline still seems uncertain, and all the time, money and energy in preparing may be lost. Claimant groups are demanding to be compensated for crossing their traditional lands. I firmly believe that these groups should be compensated by the proponents of the pipeline and by the federal government. This land is their inheritance and they should not sell their birthright for a morsel of food.

People are and will be paid big bucks to negotiate on the claimant groups' behalf, so they will continue to benefit while many of their people live day to day. Many groups have formed joint ventures with some of the companies, and they will benefit from the construction of the pipeline. We even have a one-third share in the pipeline itself.

The proponents have asked for concessions on the money they plan to spend. They have potential revenues of $40 billion, yet they want the Government of Canada to give them a break. I say come on, give us a break.

Even the NWT can't get a deal like that.

The North has a lot to offer in the way of resources, and everyone is entitled to a good deal that will work for us all. A few leaders in the NWT, our Premier included, know that this project should allow us to be independent and are trying to move it forward.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays?

There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. McLeod.

We should lock all the parties in the same room until they can reach an agreement that will work for everyone.

I do not believe this project is doomed, contrary to what some people think; however, we have lived without this pipeline for years and we'll survive without it, but with so much at stake, we have to think of our children and grandchildren and we must help pave the way for their future.

Mr. Speaker, this project, along the Mackenzie Valley highway from Wrigley to Tuktoyaktuk, should be our legacy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, education of our children is right up there with the health of our citizens in terms of its importance in determining quality of life, and I believe that the constituents of Range Lake have every right to expect the very best out of this government. This is the best gift that life in the North has given to me, and I take my job of improving on this tradition very seriously, and I have to tell you that this Minister and this government is not doing a very good job in this regard.

Mr. Speaker, reducing the PTR and reducing special needs funding is not translating into real, tangible benefits in our classrooms. I agree with the Minister that we can't spend millions to do a formal assessment, but I would suggest that walking through our schools and talking to the parents, teachers and students should give him all the information he needs. I encourage the Minister and his officials to do more of that across the North.

Mr. Speaker, PTR, pupil/teacher ratio, of 14 students to one means absolutely nothing to students of a French immersion class of 31 in a local school. Mr. Speaker, a special needs funding increase from eight percent to 15 percent says nothing to a Grade 5 class of 28 students in Yellowknife where there are four special needs students with no assistance whatsoever.

Mr. Speaker, section 7 of the Education Act, the inclusionary schooling provision, as the Minister read yesterday, "that every student is entitled to have access to the education program in a regular instructional setting in the community in which the student resides and that an education body shall provide a student with the support services necessary to give effect in accordance with the direction of the Minister," is not worth the paper it's written on for those parents with children with autism or any other serious special need who have to line up every year through the school board to convince them that they need special needs funding, and to pray that they're going to get somebody, and to be told that they can't because there's just not enough money to go around.

Mr. Speaker, it's not just the students with special needs who are suffering. This affects the ability of all children in every classroom to learn and the ability of the teachers to teach. Mr. Speaker, I'm looking for real improvement in this area, and I suggest to you that the Minister saying he's doing a survey every five years or talking to the chairs of the boards...Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement?

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm looking for real improvement in this area and not just empty statistics, and I suggested to you that the Minister saying that he's doing a survey every five years or that he's talking to the chairs of boards twice a year is just not going to cut it. I expect nothing less than our school system knowing at any given point what the special needs of our students are and how we are meeting them all across the Territories. We wouldn't think of treating patients with illness randomly and choosing who's going to get service, and I don't know why we think it's okay for us to do that to our children with special needs and the general student population.

Turning a blind eye, closing our eyes and throwing some arbitrary sum of money aren't going to deal with this very important issue, and I expect the Minister to give us more precise information and more precise action. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement today I spoke about the problems the residents of Tlicho had with accessing service from the RCMP. Can the Minister of Justice inform the Assembly whether there's a standard service level that a community of a particular size can expect to receive? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me start by saying I want to thank the Members in the House for the support they're showing the RCMP. Obviously, yesterday was a banner day for the Northwest Territories, for the RCMP, and will go a long way toward ensuring the safety of our residents.

In terms of standards of service, the RCMP, with the resources that we provide them, determine where

manpower is most needed and scheduled accordingly. They are and have made one of their priorities working with us. One of the priorities we've talked about is staffing in small communities, especially those without detachments. We recognize that there is a challenge in responding. I know the Member is very concerned about it, and certainly we intend to meet with the Tlicho leadership. I know the MLA was instrumental in setting up a meeting that the dates had to be changed. We're certainly still committed to coming into the communities to talk about the service levels in those communities. But as per standards, I think it varies by community. There isn't a determined service level on the basis of size of a community. There are so many variables that come into play: proximity to other closer regional centres, et cetera. So it does vary by community, but let me assure the Member that it is of highest priority that we work on improving the service levels in our smaller, outlying communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I stated in my Member's statement, the RCMP workload is impacting on the service levels in the isolated communities. Can the Minister inform the Assembly whether there's a plan to increase the number of RCMP officers in the communities so that they can take a proactive role, rather than a reactive role in community policing? Mr. Speaker, mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Member is absolutely correct in saying that when the RCMP is taxed and pressed because of the level of activity, they end up having to, first and foremost, respond when crimes are committed. They want to and are committed to doing proactive work, working with the community, working with the schools. We know that their presence alone in a community goes a long way toward acting as a deterrent, and that's something that is very important. So the RCMP is absolutely committed to that approach.

As a government, we've been responding to the RCMP's needs through the business planning process. They've submitted a business plan to us. It was a three-year ask for resources. We're going into the third year of that plan now and we'll be discussing that in the upcoming budget session. Suffice it to say there will be additional resources for the RCMP, but until that budget session I hesitate to get publicly into the details. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday I spoke to Chief Richard Kochon of the Colville Lake Dene band, and we talked about the recent house fire in Colville Lake. You could hear the sadness in his voice over the phone. He was wondering about the response from this government. Mr. McLeod, the Minister of MACA, recently made an announcement, and I quote, "Fortunately, there are many things residents can do to make their homes safer. Fire Prevention Week is a time when the local fire departments reach out to the communities, teaching people at every age how to prevent fires." Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask Mr. McLeod if there are any types of fire prevention programs scheduled to be in Colville, being there is no fire department. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our responsibility for fire prevention flows from the Fire Prevention Act. Our department has many duties and responsibilities in that area, from investigations to inspections to building reviews; it is also involved in training, and we also provide capital for equipment. Colville has been a community that has wanted to live a traditional lifestyle. We've had the fire marshal going in two and sometimes three times a year to work with the community over the last while. The community has recently passed a BCR to create a fire department. As of yet, there is no active fire department. We continue to work with them and hopefully will have something in operation to provide fire services for that community.

But I want to point out, Mr. Speaker, our responsibility in those areas is in the form of support. We cannot force people to be on a fire department. That has to come from the community, and the municipality is responsible for creating the fire department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and Mr. Minister. I understand that the community of Colville Lake wants to maintain their traditional lifestyle in Colville Lake. However, Mr. Speaker, the Minister is saying that they cannot force anybody to be on the fire department. But for people in Colville Lake, that's where we have flexibility, and there could be some creativity by this government to look at training people in the communities that do not have any type of fire department training or prevention or other services. So they're going to sit around and see another house burn down. My question to the Minister of MACA is, how many times has someone from his department gone into Colville Lake to deliver some sort of fire service training, fire prevention program, public safety or education courses? That's the question. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have that exact detail. I know over the

last three years we've been there at least once if not twice to set up training programs. We cannot force the community to attend. We have been very unsuccessful in attracting people. The community has agreed that we should have it on those specific dates; however, if the interest is not there, that's not something we're in a position to deal with. It's very costly to set up these programs, it's costly to go into the communities; however, we can't do it by ourselves, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if there are no fire trucks or no other means of having some sort of support there to fight these fires, how can you...People are not going to be interested. You need some equipment, you need some roads and some water. You need some equipment to get the people there. So it's ludicrous. My question to the Minister is because there aren't any kind of provisions in terms of protection against house fires, can the government look at some provisions to have the equipment there for the people to use? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure what kind of equipment we can put in the community of Colville Lake at this point. Maybe we can sit down and talk to the Member. As the Member has pointed out, you can't put a fire truck in there because there are no roads and there is no water plant at this point. So it's something that we have to be very creative about. There are mobile water pumps right now; there are dry chemical provisions; but it's very difficult until we have the infrastructure in place to house a fire hall, a fire truck and the roads that they can travel on and the system to fill up. We can't provide that type of equipment, so I'm not sure what type of equipment the Member is referring to. If he has some suggestions for that, we would take that into consideration. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a lot of suggestions and Colville Lake has tons of suggestions to stop this type of situation happening in Colville Lake. Are there any future plans to start spending money in Colville Lake to look at fire equipment or some creative solutions in terms of training in Colville Lake? I guess the question would be, when will the Minister come to Colville Lake and talk to the people? They will certainly give you solutions when you get there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am glad to hear the Member say that. We are very open to going to Colville Lake to talk to the community, to talk about the different infrastructure needs there. There is a plan to put in a water plant for next year. However, it's still a question of how do we get the water from the plant to the fire. We still need that mechanism. I would be glad to send our officials up there. I am hoping to have somebody in a position to attend the community meetings myself. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Minister of Justice. It gets back to my Member's statement, where I was talking about the drug crackdown that took place here in Yellowknife and in Edmonton yesterday. I know there is a good deal of work that went into the operation yesterday and the ongoing investigations that are in place. I wonder what the Department of Justice is going to do to ensure that all of the hard work yesterday by the RCMP will have the maximum impact of keeping drug traffickers off of our streets. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. I will allow the Minister to answer the question, but I would just caution Members that the judiciary is a separate arm of government and we have to watch it. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think I understand where the Member is going with this and the nature of his question. The Member knows that it is the GNWT that is responsible for the administration of justice in this territory pursuant to our Northwest Territories Act and that, of course, is separate and apart from the prosecution function which, in the NWT, is the mandate of the federal Department of Justice.

In the past, when we've needed additional courtroom space for the administration of justice, we've gone out and found that. I am not sure that would be the case here. I doubt it. If it was, we would certainly do that. I can assure the Member that -- and I think he referred to people being back on the street in his Member's statement -- nobody is going to be back on the street because our Department of Justice failed to provide a courtroom, a court reporter or a court clerk. I can give the Member that assurance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for his response. I will be careful with my

questions. I know and can appreciate the difference in the Crown prosecutor's office and the Minister's department. Are the resources currently in place in the Crown prosecutor's office to deal effectively with those being charged with drug trafficking? That's the question, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That's not my department. It is the federal government's Crown prosecutor office. I don't think we have seen a case to date, I don't believe, where the Crown prosecutor's office, for lack of resources, has had to stand down a prosecution. I can't imagine that that would be the case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know the operation yesterday was targeting more high-level drug trafficking. Could the Minister let the House know if the department is working with the RCMP on targeting the street level crime that's taking place and the street level drug trafficking that is taking place here in the city of Yellowknife and other communities around the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a very real problem and certainly a priority for our government and the RCMP. They've been listening to and hearing from our public for quite some time that not only do they need to go after the big fish or the high-level dealers, but deal with the street level. The RCMP intends to do that. We've been working with them. They have now unveiled a pilot project called the NWT Street Team. It will dedicate some officers to dealing with disrupting the supply of drugs in our communities, which is very important. So there will be a lot of work going into this over the next year. We have to be cognizant in communities to work to reduce the demand, and support people to get the help that they need. The strategy has to be multi-pronged. But I can say that this is a priority for the RCMP and they are moving forward on this, and I am certainly happy to see that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the RCMP's operation yesterday, they brought in a drug dog from Peace River and one from Wetaskawin, Alberta. I know in last year's budget, we had approved funding, $1.2 million, which included a search and rescue/drug dog and a handler. I wonder if the Minister knows when that resource will be on the ground here in the Northwest Territories able to help tackle the drug wave here in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, I indicated I believed the dog was already present in the Northwest Territories. In fact, that was wrong. I understand the dog will be here November 6th and will be based in Yellowknife but available for use right across the territory in their operations. I think we can look forward to that. That gives us some additional capacity in this regard and it's much needed. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the honourable Minister of Public Works and Services with regard to the procurement practices of our government. Recently in Fort Simpson, the PWS leased some office space locally, and I am here to say that I don't think it was done properly in following a proper procurement process. There were no tenders put in the newspapers or asking the general public to bid on the contracts, Mr. Speaker. So I would like to ask the Minister today, what is the procurement process when you are looking for office spaces in our regions and communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of practices put in place about how we procure supplies or lease office space in communities. We put out a public request for proposals or a tender on facilities and rate them through the proposals that are received. The others would be in the communities themselves where we know there isn't adequate space available; if there was only one supplier available, we would go directly to that supplier and have an arrangement made with them. It's almost case by case because, for example, for office space, there are standards that have to be met that we would look at if we decided to go out for a public offering. In the case in the Member's community, I believe the example he is looking at is one where we have gone directly to a supplier in that community for space that was available.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is absolutely correct and that is what the government chose to do. They went directly to one owner, one building in the community when there is another

business that offers office space. What happens is you have two providers for the service and our procurement policy, Mr. Speaker, is we offer the opportunity to everybody for goods and services that we need. In this case, it didn't happen, and I would like to ask the Minister why.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the community the Member is speaking about, there was a search done to see what would have been available in that community for these offices that we are looking for. One of the conditions we have is it has to meet a certain standard. The other business the Member is referring to did not, from what I am being informed, have the adequate space available to meet what was being requested. It was on that basis that we made the decision to proceed with doing a sole source to one company.

I am prepared to sit with the Member and go over this file if he feels we were not provided accurate information on what was available in his community. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the procurement of office space in Fort Simpson, that's exactly what has happened, Mr. Speaker. There was no opportunity given to this other provider. He's got office space. It's a prefabricated building, which is like a trailer. One of the reasons he was given, Mr. Speaker, is because it's a trailer-type office space and the government says they don't even consider that. If I asked a written question today to ask the government to list all the trailers that we do rent throughout the NWT, I am sure it' going to be there. This reason is not acceptable. As well, can the Minister tell me in what process do we disregard a tender or public proposal call for sole source or negotiations only? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, it's a case-by-case review of what we are looking for. In this case, we were looking for office space. We are familiar with the community and went to the department with our own staff there on the ground in the community and did an assessment of what is available in that community and if it would meet the requirements for that particular office space. We were informed that there was only one suitable location available to us. On that basis, we made a decision to go to a sole source process. So it's case by case. If there are other opportunities out there, if you are aware of other adequate building spaces, then we would use an RFP process. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this case, it appears there is a wrong here, and the wrong is that our protocol wasn't followed, Mr. Speaker. In fact, I think our policies dictate that it's Cabinet that determines to authorize negotiations. In this case, it's apparent that regional staff or administration decided who gets the contract and who doesn't. I don't think our government should be able to do that. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister who authorized the sole source negotiations on this file? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are a number of procurement policies that we do have within the government: sole source is one of them, negotiated contracts is another, and public tender process is the one we use most commonly. In this case, it wasn't the staff on the ground in the community who made that decision. They provided the information to headquarters here and, from that information, it was brought forward to me that they were proceeding to make that decision based on the information that they had in hand. That decision could be made here in headquarters and that is where it was made, not at the regional office. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I share the views of other Members in congratulating the RCMP for some of the major arrests that went down. The thing is that once the smoke from this clears, we still have to address the needs of those who are addicted to cocaine and drugs and that is an ongoing issue that we have to pay attention to. So my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. The people who are involved in dealing with those with drug addiction speak about the need for a spectrum of services that have to be available to those who need them. The spectrum speaks to a treatment centre that people often speak about, but there are lots of other programs. People can go to a treatment centre, get dried out, be treated and sober, but they have to live their everyday life and they need support in that regard. I know there are groups in Yellowknife who are working to set up a transition home for men, especially, who have substance abuse problems. I know they were looking at submitting an application to the Minister for some funding. Would the Minister indicate whether or not he supports providing that assistance? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are working with a number of

groups, and we give all these proposals serious consideration of what fiscal resources may be available to meet such requests. Thank you.

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

Am I to understand, then, that the Minister is not aware of a proposal at this time?

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.