Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak today about aurora tourism here in the Northwest Territories. In the year 2000, there were over 13,000 Japanese tourists who came to the territory to view our

aurora filled night skies. The unprecedented terrorist attacks of September 11th cast a very large shadow over the entire tourism industry throughout North America. The year after the attacks, the number of Japanese visitors had been cut over half, to roughly 6000. From 2002 to 2005, our numbers showed a steady increase to just over 10,000 visitors. Preliminary numbers would suggest that the 2006 numbers will be approximately the same. What is troublesome is that it looks as though the numbers for this season are down substantially from last year.

Mr. Speaker, research would suggest that we do have some competition in the aurora viewing market. Alaska, Yukon, and northern Alberta are all showing growth in Japanese visitation. The industry needs and demands the attention of our government to take the necessary action to ensure we stay competitive.

One of the bigger challenges remains: the number of flight connections and difficulty the Japanese visitors experience in getting to the Northwest Territories. Both Whitehorse and Fairbanks have the ability to handle large, fully-loaded charter aircrafts such as the 747 and 767. This certainly gives them an advantage. Now that charters are in play, they have cut the flying time from 20 hours to seven hours to get to Fairbanks. This year seven direct charter flights of 747s will be bringing more than 2,200 Japanese visitors to Alaska. In Yellowknife, we've been talking about extending the runway to handle large charter aircraft for years, but it still remains not a reality.

In 2004, the Department of ITI spent $250,000 on the Aurora Recovery Program, which worked to brand the Northwest Territories as the destination for aurora viewing in Japan. This money was leveraged with CTC money to put almost $1 million into the branding effort in Japan.

Mr. Speaker, given the fact that competition is getting more noticeable and numbers are down, what is the government's plan to help this industry become more competitive? Tourism 2010 speaks of an additional $14 million being spent in marketing of key leisure markets which includes aurora viewing. How realistic is that number? Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of ITI at the appropriate time. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have a pressing need in Hay River. We have a medical clinic which has existed, I don't know how long, but prior to my arriving in Hay River 32 years ago.

A medical clinic is a public building frequented by many residents on any given day. There are two physical problems with getting into our clinic. One is the door configuration. The door is heavy and it has no automatic door opener. Secondly, there is no barrier-free access to our clinic. This is particularly unacceptable, given that most people going to the medical clinic are unwell, injured, recovering from injuries, or elderly.

New buildings built in Hay River are required to have barrier-free access to meet the National Building Code. Buildings leased by government must be barrier-free. Older buildings have been modified, ramps have been built, door openers have been installed. Federal buildings, such as our post office, have been brought up to compliance. Private commercial building owners have invested in compliance. So ironically why would a busy medical clinic not have barrier-free, easy access?

The community has made many accommodations, the Town of Hay River, in the construction of sidewalks, curbs, ramps, and how could a building owned by this government be allowed or want to fail to respond to this issue?

Mr. Speaker, when I asked the Minister yesterday in Committee of the Whole about this issue, the response, I believe, was related to a master plan for facilities and where the Hay River clinic will ultimately be located. But, Mr. Speaker, we need action on this now. The capital plan for a new or renovated hospital is a few years out. This is 2007 and we want a medical clinic that is barrier-free for our residents and we want it now. I understand that there has been some discussion with the Hay River Health Authority about some funding to do this. It's not a huge amount of money, but I just want to stress that this is not an acceptable situation. We want it addressed right away. We cannot wait. It's unthinkable in this day and age that our government can own a building that the people in our community who have to go to a clinic cannot get in the door. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since I was elected, I've had the fortunate pleasure to be able to meet many seniors and elders in their homes across the Northwest Territories. Some of these elders and disabled people live in homes built by and owned by the Housing Corporation. Some of these people are lucky enough to have their home accommodate their personal situation, but, Mr. Speaker, many out there are not. Simple things like having their hallways wide enough to navigate their mobility aids, like scooters or even wheelchairs, down their hallways, lowered counter tops, ramps and doorways that allow for easy access, sit-down tubs with access doors, are all designs that can make a difference between independent living with dignity or having to move into an assisted living situation.

The NWT Housing Corporation appears to be taking into account the needs of seniors and the disabled people in their recent designs. Mr. Speaker, evidence of that is the 8-plex barrier-free construction apartment that they're building in my riding, which is soon to be open.

The department is making great strides and they deserve significant credit for their efforts, but I see the need to go a bit further, Mr. Speaker, helping to ensure the present and future needs of our seniors and disabled residents are met through the housing designs the Housing Corporation funds and constructs. Initial spending on such design

features could save large sums of money in extended care costs and help elderly people keep their independence and pride as they live on their own.

Mr. Speaker, there is a need for formal policy, a clear declaration that outlines design factors and equipment that must be incorporated into any unit being built by or paid for by the NWT Housing Corporation aimed at our seniors and disabled persons. This would allow many more people to age in place and not have to be relocated into a health care environment.

Mr. Speaker, we need functional, practical designs based on best practices that meet the needs of our seniors and disabled people now and in the future. Mr. Speaker, I will be challenging the Minister later to help address this concern. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. I'd like to welcome everyone in the gallery today to the House to observe the proceedings. It's always nice to have an audience in here. Welcome to the House.

---Applause

Colleagues, before I go to the next order on the Order Paper, oral questions, I want to draw Members' attention the fact that we only had time in this House yesterday for 10 oral questions. This is in spite of the fact that you have agreed to limit the number of supplementary questions from three to two. The reason for this is that the preambles to both your main and supplementary questions were excessively long, as were the answers being provided to some of the questions.

Members, I am a servant of this House and I administer the rules that you have set for yourselves in this Chamber. However, in interpreting those rules, I have to be fair to all Members.

I will once again urge each of you to limit the preamble to your main questions to one short, carefully crafted sentence. There should be no preamble to supplementary questions. The Ministers should make every effort, a greater effort in keeping their answers short and to the point. I will do my best to assist Members in respecting these rules. Thank you, Members.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my Member's statement today, I believe that there needs to be a firm policy document specifically outlining the required design features that should be incorporated into the Housing Corporation units for seniors and disabled persons. So can the Minister tell us whether a firm policy document exists to guide the construction of units for seniors and disabled people? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure what a firm policy document is, but, yes, we do have policies with regard to facilities for seniors.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell me today what this policy is based on? Is it based on barrier-free, visibility, or what are the policy baselines? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, it varies depending on the needs of the seniors. Thank you.

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

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister bring it forward to the House? Because it was my understanding that there was no formal policy as of a few short days ago. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I'm not sure exactly what a formal policy means, but I will bring forward a copy of the policies that we use when dealing with seniors' housing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement spoke of the need for multi-year funding for NGOs. They provide an essential service. We have to let them know that we value their service. I'd like to ask the Minister of Health and Social Services, what can we do as an Assembly to ensure that these NGOs with proven track records can be multi-funded? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are working with the overall government direction through FMBS to look at the matter of multi-year funding with NGOs that deliver programs on our behalf. That's our first phase. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister, who has the authority to approve multi-year funding for NGOs? Thank you.