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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to go on the record that I support this recycling program in the Northwest Territories. I think it is good. I think it is about time that the government is taking a stance on this. I am having some difficulty understanding the implementation. I want to ask the Minister about the implementation of the program. It is fairly high, in terms of the deposits and the handling fees. I understand people in other territories pay less for this type of project, because of the different rates. I wonder if the Minister has given some thought of being on an equal level for handling our deposits and handling fees for this product. Would he consider looking at the Northwest Territories? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I provided the Members with a chart that laid out all the costs in other jurisdictions, as well, just to give them a sense...the Yukon, Alberta, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. As you go through the list, there are a few that we are higher, and some that we are not. There is a mix on the different sizes and types of containers. We have tried to clearly recognize, as we do when we have discussions with Ottawa, that we

have costs in terms of transportation and distance and other challenges when we implement these kinds of programs. We tried to be as reasonable as possible but still make it a doable program. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources with regard to the implementation of the Beverage Container Program. I, too, have to speak against it. To me, it is still not the right time to implement this program. I still don't think it is well thought out. As well, it is because it is self-sufficient in nature and, basically, that means that our constituents are being taxed. The best estimates we have here are that we have an average family of four, that is like $10 a week, and the cost of living increase of $520 a year, Mr. Speaker.

It is just not acceptable, especially in the smaller communities. I still think that, yes, in Yellowknife, it is a workable solution. It can work in Hay River as well, but in the smaller communities, at this point, Mr. Speaker, it is just not acceptable. Has the Minister looked at that? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have been working on this program since the legislation was passed, back in the 14th Assembly. It is our opinion and there are plans to roll this out across the entire Northwest Territories in all the communities, because the issue of recycling and reusing, the challenge of litter and protecting the environment, is an issue across the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I, too, am certainly in favour of any legislation that is green, but I am telling the Minister that, in this case, it just doesn't appear to work. We can do it, but I am just saying not today, Mr. Speaker. I know that we have seven days left to do something about it. The whole focus is on the three Rs, but I would like to offer the Minister three Ds; that is, defer, delay and detain implementation of this legislation. Can the Minister do that, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the D that this Cabinet prides itself on is the D for delivery.

That is the approach we intend to take. I appreciate the concerns of the Members from across the House. We are making, I believe, every reasonable effort, and then some, to make sure that this program is going to roll out successfully. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is one other D the Minister failed to recognize, and that is deny the fact that people are going to pay for a service that they are not really ready for. That is what I was trying to convey to the Minister, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister defer this legislation, or else can this government at least pay for the first six months of the cost of this legislation, because the people are just not ready for it? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe people from across the Northwest Territories are ready to recycle and to take an extra step to protect the environment. We are going to work to ensure that every community has the capacity to help people do what they think is a good thing which is recycle, reuse and be environmentally conscious, and to help protect the environment, cut our litter, help reduce the 25 million beverage containers that now currently go into our landfill, or in our ditches, and in the bush, and make the North what it is supposed to be: a pristine, wonderful place with an unparalleled environment and beauty. That is our intent, to work with the people to deliver. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, share the vision of the Minister in maintaining the great beauty of the North. It is just that, Mr. Speaker, once again, we are taxing our residents to implement this program. We are already paying taxes to our government to take care of our land and our future. Now we are asking them to pay more taxes. It is truly taxation legislation. I am fundamentally opposed to that. Once again, is there room for the Minister to defer and delay this legislation until we come up with a better plan we can offer the people of the NWT? Thank you very much.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are going to make, as I have indicated, all the necessary steps to ensure that this plan can roll out across the Territories. It is a fundamental issue. It has been a clear direction of this Legislature, from the 14th Assembly carried forward by this Assembly, and committed to, and it is part of what we see as a fundamental underpinning in terms of protecting the environment. So we are going to work through whatever bugs may be there, but this is a very important program. It is one we intend to follow up on. Thank you.