Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has my 125 percent support in terms of making it equitable and bringing down the cost of living in the Sahtu region. Mr. Speaker, my question for the Minister is, when will the Sahtu see a significant, effective reduction of the fuel costs and increase to the standards of living? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First step is to plan in February, but that's not to suggest that all initiatives are on hold. I know the community of Deline is doing some very good work looking at some local hydro options. I've been very impressed with their ability to look for solutions and not wait, obviously, for a government plan that tells them these things make sense. I think intuitively they know that. We're prepared to support that community and other communities that want to look at local solutions, Mr. Speaker. I'll give the Member this government's assurance that those communities have our full support and we'll continue to work with them to find solutions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to get back to my Member's statement from earlier. Again, I am standing up in this House and questioning the government on sleep apnea and how the government is dealing with this issue. Last year there was a substantial wait for persons wanting to access the Sleep Centre at Stanton Hospital and the former Minister stated last May that a report was being done by Dr. Remmers from Calgary in regard to the modernization of a Sleep Centre at Stanton. I'm wondering if the Minister of Health and Social Services can tell me exactly what the report of Dr. Remmers of Calgary did last year said about the Sleep Centre at Stanton and what exactly the disposition of that centre is today. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm not familiar with that report and would have to make a request to the department as to where that report is and what recommendations may have been made. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On May 30th of last year the former Minister stated in this House, on page 75 of Hansard, that there is a working group currently reviewing this issue. I'm sure that they will be giving us suggestions on the best way for this program to be covered. This program, Mr. Speaker, is the CPAP machine that sufferers of sleep apnea require as part of their treatment. I'd like to ask the Minister, is he aware of the recommendations that this working group came up with? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I stated earlier, I'm not familiar with that report and would have to get the information. So, no, I'm not aware of those recommendations. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's not only sleep apnea patients that can use the help of the CPAP machine. A constituent of mine suffered from a heart defect and had severe arrhythmia. One of the most significant symptoms was a marked decrease in oxygen while he slept and, Mr. Speaker, once he was tested and given oxygen while he slept he felt immediately better and the stress to his heart decreased significantly. I'd like to ask the Minister to tell me why the use of these machines and the purchase of these machines is not fully covered by the NWT health insurance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the process we have in place today, my understanding is through a contractor we do testing of individuals who are referred to them by their doctor for testing. The testing can happen in any one of our regional centres, more normally done here in Yellowknife at the Stanton Hospital. With those results of the tests that are sent back to one of the internal medicine specialists, who would look at the information and depending on that process, if there is an additional medical condition attached to it, a prescription, as we call, is sent up to the office that deals with sending out requests and coverage

under this area of HIB, and that, in fact, is what we use today. We use the same requirements that are put upon us by the NHIB. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't think the Minister quite understood my question or answered my question. Given the fact that the use of these machines is fundamental to the sufferers of sleep apnea and other conditions, I believe the government should fully fund the purchase and the use of these machines, because they increase the quality of life for individuals. Again I want to ask the Minister, why are these machines not fully covered by NWT health insurance? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the department itself or the Government of the Northwest Territories does not cover those on its own. We do from time to time, depending, as I stated earlier, if there is a medical condition as well related to this and this helps relieve that condition a prescription is made to our office and is sent through for coverage in line with the same guidelines used by the NIHB. That's the process that we use today. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, today is Halloween and by golly we got some scary news the other week from the federal government, didn't we? About a million-two, I understand, lost to the NWT, $160,000 to the Volunteer Initiatives Program. That's scary. The Literacy Program, the Literacy Council here, $300,000, a third of their revenue is gone. They may have to close down some of their programs or lay off some of their staff. Frightening, Mr. Speaker. The amazingly successful program that we have got going, and I believe it's with Nunavut, to help curb smoking and help stop kids from smoking, the Butthead program, is under threat, as well as contributions to our museums.

Mr. Speaker, I wanted to ask my questions of the Premier to see if he could advise the Assembly, Mr. Speaker, of the cumulative impact on programs, on our communities, and specifically on initiatives that this government is involved in. How are we hurt because of these program cuts by the federal government, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Premier, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have all the numbers on the cumulative impact. Let me tell you that on literacy alone it's in the neighbourhood of $500,000. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.