Mr. Speaker, I must say that, going right back to our strategic plan in the government, we talked about a strong economy and having a good fiscal environment. I hope the Member refers back to some of those documents. In terms of consensus government, that has been talked about for the last I don't know how many years; certainly the life of this government and the government before.

Mr. Speaker, we are working with industry, and, as I say, with all industry, not just the pipeline, but everybody to create that certainty. We've talked about it I don't know how many different occasions with all the Members. This doesn't come as any surprise. But we believe in a good fiscal environment. We also have to, as I said earlier, Mr. Speaker, keep these issues separate. We're not going to use somebody as a pawn to achieve something else. Our negotiations on resource revenue sharing are with the federal government, not with Imperial.

Mr. Speaker, I have to say, I am really heartened by the commitment that the Prime Minister-designate has made toward a devolution of those responsibilities to us and the fact that he has said that we should be the primary beneficiaries of the resource revenues, and he has also said that he believes in resolving that whole fiscal imbalance issue right across the country. But, Mr. Speaker, those are things that we're working on at the same time here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Yes, going to be wearing out lots of running shoes here, Mr. Speaker. Is it now official GNWT policy to give letters of comfort and certainty to all resource related projects that might come up in the future before having to talk with his colleagues on the other side here? Is this going to be the way we will continue now to develop letters of comfort, letters of certainty?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In terms of the principles in the letter, those are long understood and agreed to. Mr. Speaker, I have to again remind the Member to check back in his notes. He will find that the Minister of Finance met with the committee before the letter went out. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, one of the terms of comfort that we offered was to say that it's the intention of the GNWT to maintain a post-devolution royalty regime for the three anchor gas fields. Now, we have always said, government has always said that First Nations' governments have got to be at the table whenever we talk devolution. Did we consult with the First Nations on this position? Did we compromise their interest by agreeing to lock in to royalty rates in a post-devolution environment?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, again I have to remind the Member that the Aboriginal Summit has been in existence for years. There are ongoing discussions with them on resource revenue sharing. There are bilateral discussions between them and us. There are trilateral discussions between them, us and the federal government. They are involved. They know our positions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It appears that we're strong with...We're starting with a bang in this first day of five weeks of session to come.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, my question, however, is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. It's in regards to the respite care program. Mr. Speaker, for many months and the number of years I've been here, there has been a call for the need, or speaking about the need, for the respite care program. We've finally got one in Yellowknife. It's being run by Abe Miller and the Association for Community Living. But, as far as I'm aware, it's a pilot program and the last time I asked questions to the Minister, he indicated that he was reviewing the program with the view of continuing it. So I'm wondering if the Minister would tell this House where he's at with that review process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The issue of respite care is an issue of concern for all communities. We have had a pilot here. It has been evaluated. It can be very successful. We put the funds forward to carry down towards the end of the fiscal year

and we are coming forward to continue the program and to look at expanding it outside of Yellowknife. That will be in the detail of the budget coming before this House. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that answer and the efforts that the Minister and the government are making in that regard. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister stated, there is a huge need for this, and I think Members on this side of the floor have been getting lots of calls from those parents or caregivers who are able to get some relief, which is what this program is meant to do, except I think there is an opening for about a dozen placements and there is a waiting list of probably five times longer, if not longer than that. It seems like there is no system in place to move these services along. I would think that once someone has a need, it doesn't really change. So I would like to know if the Minister has looked into how best to manage the programs, so that we serve as many people as possible but also give more people a chance to access that program. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member identifies some of the challenges that face us in the administration and delivery of this program, and we are working in Yellowknife to identify who will administer this and to identify the pool of available individuals who are willing and able to provide the respite service. So those are legitimate concerns and we are addressing those. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that we will probably have an opportunity to discuss this in detail as the days come along, but I am just wondering if the Minister could indicate to the House as to whether there were any programs under federal funding that he's aware of, or are we already accessing any federal money on that? The previous government in Ottawa spoke about homecare funding and I guess we need time to sort out all the promises and commitments by various parties, but could he indicate to the House about any federal funding available for this? Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. For this particular program, we are looking at and intend to access or make use of the territorial health access fund that was agreed to by the former federal government back in September 2004.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe this is a pilot program. It's running out of Yellowknife, but I have no doubt that this will have to expand to other communities. I am just wondering if the Minister could commit to this House to make this one of his priority issues to deal with his federal counterpart as soon as that person is known to advance this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Mr. Miltenberger.