Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Justice. Not so long ago, Hay River had a young offender facility. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice some questions about that. Hay River had a facility that was built up with a lands program and a very successful program for youth in our community. We were proud to see them involved in our schools and working in our communities. Those youngsters, those youth, were all shipped over here to Yellowknife. Our qualified staff were scattered across the North. Would the Minister of Justice consider reopening the Dene K'onia Young Offender Facility? I maintain to you today that if we had an ounce of support from the Yellowknife MLAs to keep the Dene K'onia operating for all these same reasons, we wouldn't be having this discussion today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, Mr. Speaker. We made a decision as it related to that facility and delivery of that service. We think it was the right decision. We are sticking to that plan. Of course, as the Members know, there will be additional programming now available at the former Dene K'onia facility. Thank you.

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

I just wanted to know.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am having a problem with anybody in this House suggesting that because something was taken from Hay River that we have to take something from Yellowknife, and that that is somehow the right thing to do, it's an acceptable thing to do and is something we should just accept. I expect that the establishment of the Hay River oil and gas office was based on merit; that the removal of Dene K'onia to Yellowknife was based on merit. We can't possibly be here saying that all these were just political decisions without any merit. My question is for the Premier. The Premier suggested earlier that this government works for everybody, and we have to do what's right for everybody. I would like to know whether moving a well-established program from Yellowknife to another community, because the other community needs it and because it's a politically sound thing to do, is an acceptable way of making the decision. If so, what does he have to say to those children in the treatment centre, the parents and the workers who really want to know from the Premier how

that is serving everybody in the Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes, every day we have to make decisions based on the best interests of people throughout the Northwest Territories. I agree with the Member; this was a politically sound decision that was made. We make political decisions every day. What do I say to the children? I say to the children we are going to make sure that they have the best possible services available to us as a government. I say that to children everywhere, whether it's in Yellowknife, Hay River, Inuvik or Colville Lake, we will provide the best service possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that one of the important things politicians have to know is that we are generalists. We are not medical professionals. We are not teachers. We are not youth treatment workers. We are not any of that. We are not required to be that. We are here to make these decisions, and we have to base our decisions on good information, not just political willy-nilly: this morning I got up and thought Hay River is missing something, maybe we will just move it from Yellowknife, and that's okay. What information could the Premier give that says to the children in care that their service will not be affected, other than his good word? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, that's a question of the detail provided by Health and Social Services, so I am going to refer the question to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, to recap briefly, this is a territorial program that can be effectively delivered in Hay River. It has the capacity. There is a facility that is newer than the one here that will give us greater life. They have the educational capacity, they have sufficient medical services and good transportation links to provide that service. It's cost neutral and it's going to serve the longer-term, broader mandate of the Northwest Territories to have services delivered as broadly across this territory as possible.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question goes back to the Premier. Since this was announced in the local media -- and the Premier is free to hand it out to anybody he wants -- and was not announced to the staff or parents, there have been numerous people in the community in the know, such as the teachers, child psychiatrists who come here to visit from Edmonton because we don't have that service here. Many of the workers that work in the facility, who know intimately the care and programs that these children need, have been writing to the Minister about why this program needs to stay here. Is the Minister suggesting that none of them knows anything about the needs of these children? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I am suggesting nothing of the sort. I am saying it is a program that has been delivered in Yellowknife, and well in Yellowknife. It can be delivered equally well in Hay River. The decision has been made for the reasons I have just articulated in my previous answer as to why we made that decision, clearly recognizing that it wasn't a question of the service not being satisfactory here, but that it will be well delivered in Hay River by the people there.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I started this question to the Premier and I am interested in knowing how the Premier manages decisions of Ministers in Cabinet. In making this decision, did the Premier ever ask any information about whether or not this program should be transferred, including political decisions? Was it based on decentralization?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this decision was done through the regular process where information was brought back through the bureaucracy, through the steps necessary to get to Cabinet. It was on that basis, and that information, that Cabinet made the decision. Thank you.

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