Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The direction this government took years ago was to try to do the maintenance, the repair work and so on, using private companies, private entrepreneurs, in order to build up that level of expertise in the communities where we wouldn't have to rely on flying people in to do a minor repair on a furnace, for example, at great cost. If that is not working, then I am prepared to look at having some people who would be tradespeople at the regional levels or wherever, to be able to do what the Member is talking about, because it is important that we not have somebody out there with a faulty furnace that goes on for weeks because we can't get a repairperson to come and do it because they're busy with all the other economic activity in the Territories. Mr. Speaker, I'm ready to look at it. I can't make a commitment on it. It may not be feasible, but we have to respond quickly to repairs, particularly those that involve safety and the comfort of seniors. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is good to hear that it is going to be seriously considered. I know a lot of the economic activity that the Member did point out really ties up a lot of qualified staff at the district level, not to mention at the community level where it is very, very limited. I know feasibility is always a big question, but I am also aware that many of these seniors' programs that are available for NWT senior citizens are not all...The funds are not diminished all year. Sometimes there is leftover funding, like in the Seniors' Home Repair Program or the Emergency Repair Program. I am just wondering if maybe the corporation could consider just moving the monies around and possibly with the hiring of apprentices and journeymen certificate carpenters to have them available at the district level and using that money to subsidize their wages, travel or anything like that. Is that a possibility? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Housing Corporation already moves money around if it has to at the end of the year, in particular, for surplus. We don't want to be holding back in one region because they ran out of money while another has a lot. Mr. Speaker, we are working on plans for increasing apprenticeship, as well. So we have that expertise. As the Member noted, it is our heated up economy that does take a lot of the tradespeople out of the regions and makes it very difficult.

Mr. Speaker, I do want to respond to one comment by the Minister in his Member's statement this morning and that is it depends on who you know and how fast you get service. I would like to say, that is not, absolutely not, part of our way of doing business and if that ever happens, then I want to know about it. It does not matter who you are, where you are, everyone is entitled to equal service. The president, his staff and myself will make sure that happens. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Villeneuve.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't want to get off the topic of seniors with respect to who you know, but unfortunately it does happen and it does come to my attention that a lot of issues get sidelined and others get the attention that they require. That's something that is unavoidable here in the NWT, I guess.

With respect to funding arrangements, I know that the Housing Corporation does move around money and the Apprenticeship Program is actually starting to move forward again and it's going under review. I know the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Program is under review right now with the Labour Code applications and stuff like that. So when they are doing this review, can they include this option of providing the Housing Corporation with qualified staff and taking them under the wing of the Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification Program? Is that a possibility before this review actually goes forward? I know there is going to be some community input and that's going to be included in a lot of information that is going to be coming out of the community level. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Villeneuve. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, first of all, Mr. Speaker, I want to apologize to the Member. I referred to him as Minister in my last statement. I didn't mean to offend him.

---Laughter

No offence meant there. Mr. Speaker, certainly as we review the Apprenticeship Program and other programs for training, then, yes, we will be looking at people who are interested, people who are qualified, people who want to take up certification in trades. Hopefully we have some good people in the Housing Corporation and other regions who would take this up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Mr. Speaker, earlier today in my Member's statement about the accident on Highway No. 3 last November due to poor visibility conditions, I am talking on behalf of other Members and also to the residents of the Northwest Territories. A lot of the people using the road are from Gameti, Whati, since the road is leading to their communities. Every day they travel on Highway No. 3. That's why I want to ask the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Speaker...(Translation ends)

...the Honourable Mr. Menicoche, would the Minister consider requiring transport trucks using NWT highways be equipped with flashing rear safety lights for the safety of people travelling on Highway No. 3? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member's questions about safety considerations with respect to large commercial vehicles on the highway and blowing snow, I will just take this opportunity to say drivers should always remember to drive to the conditions of the road. Drivers must always slow down and pay extra attention when the visibility is poor. However, we are looking at some legislative changes to our Motor Vehicles Act. Some of the private legislative proposals are to have clean and clear taillights as commercial vehicles do travel down our highways. It has been in consideration for a couple of years now. I believe the Member is asking for additional safety lights, Mr. Speaker. Adding extra equipment may be beyond the scope of our government as it may be a National Safety Code requirement and getting manufacturers to install additional lights on their vehicles. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am looking forward to the plan that the department is working on changes to the legislation. However, I would like to ask another question of the Minister. Has the Minister identified any other measures that could prevent accidents involving transport trucks in blowing snow or other poor visibility conditions on Highway No. 3?

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The legislative changes are designed to look at that for the commercial vehicles to slow down or actually check their vehicles on a periodic basis to make sure their lights are clear from snow and mud build-up. This is one of the ways we are doing it. Currently, the Member is right; there is no specific pieces of legislation that requires them to remove the snow and ice on a periodic basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister if he would agree to review the conditions that lead to last November's accident on

Highway No. 3 and report back to this House on the measures he will take to improve safety and prevent future accidents. Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind the Minister that there was an accident last week again. How many more accidents are we waiting for to get a report? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can work with the Member and look at the number of accidents that are happening on our highway, particularly the section he's talking about, to see if there is definitely a trend that is occurring on this section. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister's willingness to sit down with us. I would like to find out from the Minister how soon can that take place? My chief from the community of Behchoko is waiting patiently to have an expedient meeting with the Minister dealing with these issues or planning stages. Mahsi.