Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Maybe the Member can answer for me where the nine months comes from. An agreement is signed April to March, so the funding is known for that year but the planning cycles may be somewhat different. So if I could get some clarification there, please.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Hawkins, would you like to clarify your question?

I will answer the question too, Mr. Speaker. If I have to work both sides of this House, I will for the citizens of Yellowknife. Sorry; I was on a soapbox there. Mr. Speaker, the issue is the budget for the City of Yellowknife passed on December 31st, but it only has three months left in that calendar year of that agreement. So essentially, the City of Yellowknife is passing their budget with only three months left of a funding agreement. They have to wait for the new year to be rolled out by MACA and the new year is signed in April. So would the Minister at least agree today that this is a serious concern with the City of Yellowknife? Would he at least agree today and open up a small discussion with the City of Yellowknife to hear their perspective and concerns on this issue? If he feels it's appropriate, we can finish...

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. I heard the question there. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am aware that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is doing a review of community funding and how that's structured. Once that work is done, we will look at what we can do as a government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I acknowledge your last thought there. Mr. Speaker, this is a problem with the FAA. It's not a problem with MACA. MACA is doing their job. The problem is the FAA restricts the ability for these multi-year rolling agreements with provisos. Would the Minister agree to at least hear the City of Yellowknife's concern on this matter and if he feels it's appropriate -- I underline that -- then we will take it to another stage once he's consulted with the city. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our process as the Government of the Northwest Territories is through the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs. They work with our community governments throughout the Northwest Territories, so there is contact there. Once this review is done, we will look at it and see if we have to make changes overall as a government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions this morning are for the Minister of Health and Social Services, related to the alarming reports about the incidence of sexually-transmitted infections in the Northwest Territories. The report filed indeed signals that we need to take some very strong action. The information presented in this document is not all that complete. I wanted to ask the Minister, at this stage, what has been done to put more detail on the plan and make a turnaround in this very sad situation possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To give two quick examples, the Department of Health and Social Services is working with Education, Culture and Employment to look at revising the current curriculum to make it more effective and have more of an impact on this area. As well, Mr. Speaker, we have a significant network of resources in all the communities with, on the clinical side, nurses, community health reps, social workers, and this document. On the practical side, trying to make sure we review the standards we have, the ability to track contacts and working with the people who come through the door to try to make sure we are emphasizing this issue more effectively. So we are looking at the systems we have, the resources we have, and trying to refocus more effectively in this area. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, I am not hearing the kinds of things I would like to hear when it comes to really building a strategy that people can get onboard and have some faith and some ownership in. The strategy needs, Mr. Speaker, to say who is responsible, what will the work be, what are the measurables going to be, where are some targets and some budgeting. The information presented is very general. Will there be more advanced work on setting out some actual work plans to help us achieve some turnaround in this situation? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Dr. Corriveau has indicated that they will be reflecting this increase and renewed emphasis through the business planning process that we do at the departmental level. Plus, there will be ongoing work with the authorities and the other partners in the coalition on this issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will look forward to that information. The Minister indicated part of the strategy -- which I think is one of the most relevant and necessary -- is bringing sex education into grades at a younger age. There is a move underway right now, I think, in one of the Maritime provinces, to do this. Has this initiative been taken to the district or community education level to get their initial input and buy-in into this idea? Have we gone there yet? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated, there is work going on with Education, Culture and Employment to look at revising curriculum and it is my understanding that the revised curriculum requires feedback and there is a process of input between the departments, the authorities, the DEAs and DECs where the service is going to be delivered and provided. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, the one target that is outlined in the document is that we can at least see the possibility of bringing our rates down below the national average before the end of this decade with the trends that are outlined in here, the incidence of sexually-transmitted infection. That is an enormous task. I wanted to ask, is this doable? Is this really achievable? Are we potentially setting up an unattainable expectation here? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.