Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. One last question is do you have any group homes operating in the Northwest Territories right now and, if so, in what communities are they located? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we do have group homes in the Territories. I believe I'm aware of one in Inuvik and that's for younger children. As well, I believe there's one here in Yellowknife. I'd have to get the information to provide a full listing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Just I guess a comment more than a question, Mr. Chairman. Again I would suggest that if the foster care rates have not been increased in six years, that they need to be assessed and at least the rates should be going up with the rate of inflation. It's fine to say we can't get enough qualified or acceptable homes, but you really can't expect people to...It's a lot of work and if you want the children looked after well and have foster parents participating in extracurricular activities and doing all kinds of things, you need to compensate them properly. So I'd like to suggest that those rates should be reviewed as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we will take that advice and continue with that framework area and the support of the Assembly, as well, is important for that initiative. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have just a quick question on community health programs. On the community services level, the emotional and social problems such as suicide which we do have a problem with here in the NWT. In the last 15 years I believe there's been about 20 suicides a year, and it seems to be not going down by any significant rate. I just want to know why in 2005 when we had almost $2 million in that program for community services, now we're only down to $1.3 million in that program. Why are we taking money away from something as critical as suicide prevention and intervention, Mr. Chair? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I guess just for the record, on the suicide rates within the Northwest Territories we have seen a decline actually in the last number of years. In 2003, there were 11; 2004, 10; 2005, five; and 2006, four. The comparison, the drop, I believe the Member is using the 2005-06 actuals of 1.932 to what we're estimating of 1.326 in that area. The reason for the reduction, I'll have Mr...I'll have to bet that information as to what the actual reason for the reduction.

But what you see is difficult to compare. When you do a comparison of 2005-06 actuals, the actual main estimates for 2005-2006 could have been lower and just because of demand, the program was higher than anticipated. That's why you would see the difference. For example, if you look in 2006-2007, our estimates were different again from, we had anticipated 1.4 and it actually expended 1.1. So we're going up to 1.3 is our estimate. But ultimately it will become on program demand and how we can meet that. So this is an estimate put in place at this time. If the demand is higher we would have to look within and see how we can meet that demand. But I will get the actual information and provide that to the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess I haven't got an issue with the statistics, but my presumption is the more money we do have in suicide prevention and intervention and rehabilitation and the more demand that we do have out of that program, the better. I would like to see more money put into...Obviously the more money we put in, the better results we're getting, just from the statistics that the Minister just brought forward. I would be more inclined to say, well, gee, you know, we should put just maybe even more than $1.9 million, this year we'll put $2.2 million and maybe the decline will be down to zero, and if the demand drops out from underneath that, then that's even better. The rationale that I use is if we have money left over in the program that's good, but if we're running short in the program, we're falling short of money available, then that creates another problem. I guess that's just my rationale and in the way I would do this, the budgeting for a program as important as suicide prevention here in the

NWT, Mr. Chairman. I guess just a comment. Maybe the Minister could comment on what the budgeting planning rationale is on that side. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, there has been no reduction from the 2006-2007 Main Estimates or revised to what we're planning. There may have been some rejigging, but I will get that information. But there's been no reduction in the programming and training. For example, through the Department of Health and Social Services we fund the Northwest Territories Suicide Prevention Training Program. It's a unique northern curriculum developed by aboriginal and mental health groups. So that's one of the pieces in the NWT. We also have four aboriginal trainers who have taken the applied suicide intervention skills training and are working with us and collating a number of workshops. We're also working with Tulita for on-the-land programs for youth at high risk. As well, we have the aboriginal youth suicide prevention area that we work with. So we've not reduced any area and we'll continue to work with those areas. As I said, if we find the demand is higher than we have, we would have to look at that during the year to see if we can further support that. But we have not reduced the level of training or intervention programs that we have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I guess just for my information, I just want to ask the Minister on these on-the-land programs for high-risk youth, is there just a fixed trough of available dollars for the first-come-first-serve proposals that come through for that program? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the funds are, work through the health authorities, so individuals in the communities and regions can work with the health authorities on specific programming to see what's available and at some point, yes, if the authority found they were over budget in that area, they would either have to reallocate from within the allotment they have or come back to us to see if we could find some additional revenues. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.