Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I had questions for the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation and I'm going to continue because I can appreciate his crafty way of saying no, because at times I thought he was going to say yes and then he whipped it around and gave me a no at the last second. Mr. Speaker, I will say I appreciate the Minister's willingness to give me a one-off, but the fact is we don't have a clear and consistent policy that demonstrates consistency. Mr. Speaker, we have some people who can receive housing mortgage assistance though their loans that their arrears get rolled in and then, on the other hand, we have those it doesn't apply to, so they can't get this. So would the Minister be willing to address this in a consistent policy to provide everyone, who is able, that opportunity? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member says we don't have policies. Well, we do, and one of the policies is that you cannot be in public housing if you have arrears. In order to get around that policy, there is also a provision that allows for people to work a payment plan out with the local authorities to pay down those arrears. I'm not saying you pay it off overnight. Make an attempt to pay down those arrears over a period of time to get your name back on the waiting list for public housing. In regard to the Member's question, right now we are looking at the mandate of the corporation and we are going to look at the whole idea of our programs and also looking at our procedures and policies. So we are open to that but, again, we do have to follow existing policies that we do have and the policy is clear: You cannot be in public housing or get into public housing with outstanding arrears. So that is the policy.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't need a long preamble. The Minister just said exactly the problem. You have arrears, we have a policy, you can't be in public housing. That's the problem; you have to pay it all off before you qualify. Would the Minister be willing to look at a policy that will allow people to qualify for public housing who have arrears who are willing to make those types of payments? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I know I'm going to be repeating myself, but we do have a provision that allows for people with arrears to get back into public housing; by signing a payment plan with the local housing authority to make it clear they are going to commit themselves to paying down those outstanding arrears while they're in public housing. So they can get back into public housing, but they have to work out a plan with the local housing authority to ensure that they live up to their obligation to pay down those arrears while they're in public housing. So there is a way you can get back in, but you also have to commit yourself to making those payments. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister just said something different than what we've been talking about. I've been to his office on this very issue. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister just said you can be part of a payment plan and in housing. So I'm a little confused on what is actually happening here because I was upstairs dealing with a constituent and it was completely the reverse. So could we get it very clear today? If you have arrears and you start a payment program, regardless of what the number is, can you qualify to be in public housing at that time that you're paying your arrears; not excluded until they're paid for? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if the tenant has arrears and they're given notice of eviction, if they make an attempt to work out with the local housing authority to pay down those arrears...Knowing there's a possibility of being evicted, in most cases they will work out this payment plan. The idea is to assist these people in social housing to remain in social housing as long as they make the attempt to pay down their arrears. But once your appeal goes forward, with regard to the tenants act and you're being evicted and then you are evicted, then in order to get back in you have to basically ensure that you've paid off those arrears to get back into public housing. But if you're a tenant, there is a provision that if you're given notice of being evicted, if you come forward and say, okay, I'm willing to work out a payment plan to pay off my arrears not to get evicted, that is the way you remain in public housing. But again, you can't have both. You have to have consistency in our policies for people who are good tenants. Like I

said, 90 percent of people in most public housing pay their rent. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Final Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wasn't talking about people being on the eviction list where we're sending the leg-breakers down and saying pay tonight or else. I'm talking about the people who have arrears who are not in public housing who are at risk. Those folks need to get into public housing, but as it's designed right now, if you have arrears, you can't get into social housing. As it's designed now, you have to make a special deal to qualify to get your arrears rolled into a mortgage so that could be paid. I'm talking about when we're not getting any money from folks, let's set up a plan so we can get money coming in on the arrears side, as the Minister had said. Would the Minister look at that type of policy with that type of flexibility? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are looking at alternatives for people to work themselves back into public housing but, again, they have to attempt to pay off a portion of those arrears before we'll consider allowing them back into public housing. We are open to that idea, as long as they make that attempt to pay down those arrears. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, my questions this afternoon are for Mr. Bell, the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. It concerns the recent issues surrounding the management of the Bathurst caribou herd. Mr. Speaker, you know we're well into the age of consultation and inclusion in the Northwest Territories on management and co-management issues. Indeed, on wildlife, we have invested extraordinary amounts of money and time in trying to make sure we're covering all the bases. But I've been advised when it comes to this particular herd, or for caribou management overall, that the Barren Ground Caribou Outfitters Association does not have a voice at this table. I would argue, Mr. Speaker, that there's a lot of expertise and a lot at stake with this organization and they should be at the table. So, Mr. Speaker, why hasn't the Barren Ground Caribou Outfitters Association been invited to sit on the Bathurst Caribou Management Committee? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are a large number of stakeholders who have an interest in management or in maintenance of this herd. Resident hunters, non-resident hunters, outfitters in the region, outfitters in other regions, hunters in other regions. The membership of the Bathurst Caribou Management Plan is made up of departmental officials from RWED, federal government officials and representatives from First Nations who have a responsibility for co-management of this herd. The Bathurst Caribou Management Plan was drafted and has been submitted to government for consideration. Our next step is to go out and have a broader consultation where we engage stakeholders, including the group the Member has just referred to. Again, no decisions have been made to reduce tags or anything of this nature, and wouldn't be done without consultation and certainly discussion with the group the Member has referred to. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You know, I think the point should be argued there are some groups that really do have a principal, fundamental, front-line role in this kind of thing. Mr. Speaker, this group of business people brings, through their clients, several millions of dollars into the NWT a year. They harvest less than one percent of the kill. Each animal they take is estimated to have a value to the Northwest Territories economy of $4,000. What influence can the Minister use to make sure that their voice is included, at a more formal and earlier stage, in these management planning exercises? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I've indicated this spring we're going to consult with stakeholders and it's at that point that I would propose that we meet with Barren Ground outfitters; meet with all the outfitters who have an interest in the viability of this herd, Mr. Speaker. But the membership of the planning committee can't be changed and I think the membership of the planning committee is valid. As I indicated, and I'll go through the partners again: DIAND, RWED, Dogrib Treaty 11, Yellowknives Dene First Nation, North Slave Metis Alliance, Lutselk'e Dene First Nation, KIA, Kitikmeot Hunters and Trappers, Nunavut Wildlife Management Board, and NTI. These are groups with the responsibility, under land claims provisions and under our legislation, for co-management of this herd. The Barren Ground outfitters don't have that same responsibility. I'm not trying to diminish the role they play or the interest they have in it, and certainly we intend to consult and involve them in management of this herd, but in terms of a legislated requirement for co-management, these other groups that make up the membership of this committee have that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.