Good afternoon, colleagues. Before we begin, as a notice to Members, we have translators in the House today, both Tlicho and French translators. The Tlicho will be channel two on your mics and French will be channel three. Orders of the day. Ministers' statements. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

(English not provided)

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Ministers' statements. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Monfwi.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to speak on something very important. It is a seniors' home. I want to say a few words regarding that. I had mentioned this issue many times in the past. We are talking about the old folks' home in Behchoko. It's been in existence for over 20 years and we want that facility to be replaced. So I will question the Minister regarding this later. I have mentioned this concern many times. Many past leaders have mentioned this before. So today I want to ask that same question again. (Translation ends)

...on the most important thing for the elders of Behchoko and the surrounding communities and that's Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home in Behchoko. Mr. Speaker, back in March and May of this year, I spoke of the need for replacement of or repair of the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home in Behchoko to ensure the well-being of the elders who made their home in the community. Mr. Speaker, during the May session, in questioning the Premier as the Minister responsible, it became apparent the preliminary consultant's report is recommending replacement of the facility.

Mr. Speaker, Premier Handley also stated that the plan was to repair the building so the building would last the five years it would take to build a new facility. Mr. Speaker, I having been here a couple of years now, I know that my job is to keep the Ministers' feet to the fire to

get a commitment that will benefit my people. I certainly hope the Premier is wearing good shoes today.

Mr. Speaker, I thank the Premier for the commitment, but now we need to move forward and make sure the Jimmy Erasmus Seniors' Home gets into the capital and that the dramatic population growth is taken into consider when designing a new facility, that a new facility meets the needs of the Tlicho elders.

Mr. Speaker, in conclusion, I will have questions for the Premier on the final report of the facility, which was to be completed in June of this year, on the steps the Housing Corporation is taking to repair and replace this facility. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my Member's statement is on the Mackenzie Valley highway, the proposed highway that is being considered by this government and past governments. One of the key issues I want to hit on, Mr. Speaker, is the isolation the people in the Sahtu are feeling. There is an enormous amount of interest by oil companies, mining companies. More importantly, the people in the Sahtu are saying enough is enough. When is this government going to make a strong commitment in pushing down the Mackenzie Valley highway, bring jobs to the Sahtu, bring the cost of living down in the Sahtu, raise the standards of living in the Sahtu and bring our interest and free our people in the Sahtu...

...from the isolation, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the rest of the Northwest Territories, except for Nunakput, and my honourable colleague from Nunakput and other areas in the Tlicho area are also isolated; more importantly, in the Sahtu and up in Nunakput. Other communities enjoy discussions of paved roads, fixing the bumps here and there, putting a bridge here and putting a bridge there. We talk about the cost of living, Mr. Speaker. People in the Sahtu dream of your discussions.

They can only dream of having paved roads. Even bring the standards of our goat roads up in the wintertime, Mr. Speaker. The cost of living is high. We want to contribute to the Northwest Territories. We want to be part of the Northwest Territories in terms of shaping our economy and contributing to the political structure. We can't do it in the dark. That's what this government is doing in terms of postponing the bridge, postponing the highway, not having a serious discussion with the federal government when they had a chance to and say open up the North.

Part of Diefenbaker's dream was to build a Mackenzie Highway right from Tuktoyaktuk. Let's put it through. Don't go sidetracking to another road. Put the money where it's supposed to be. Put the money there and free our people again in the Northwest Territories. The Sahtu people need to be free. They need to make a contribution to the Northwest Territories and bring that standard of living to everybody in the North. That's what good government is all about. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Merci beaucoup, monsieur le president. One of the most frequent issues that I have raised in this House and had a little bit of an inventory done 50 times, Mr. Speaker, in the last eight years, has been the plight of injured workers. It's not about those people whose injury or disability has been expeditiously handled by the WCB and the vast majority of cases have, indeed, been handled this way. Rather, my concern has been for those injured workers that have complex, unconventional injuries who have challenged the WCB for years. In their quest for justice, some of them have lost virtually everything in their personal and professional lives, everything that is except their dignity and their belief that the wrong that's been committed against them must be made right.

Mr. Speaker, the Auditor General's review in the performance of the WCB in this area discovered some 30 injured workers with longstanding, regrettable, unresolved cases. In the case of one worker, Ivan Valic, I was full of optimism in December of 2005 when the Supreme Court of the NWT ruled that Mr. Valic, whose injury dates back 19 years, ruled that Mr. Valic had indeed been wronged, his Charter rights have been violated and his right to natural justice denied. Even today, 18 months after this ruling, he still waits for justice. He's not alone. Longstanding unresolved cases like his will, I am certain, continue and should come before this Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, on a forward looking basis, this Assembly, committees, the Auditor General for Canada, the Governance Council and Ministers have done excellent progressive work on new legislation that is now before this Assembly. This is a cause for optimism that our WCB will indeed improve in the way it meets the needs of all workers and employers.

It is important for this Assembly, Mr. Speaker, for workers and for employers who pay the cost of this vital part of the society to stay engaged and involved as the WCB moves through the important changes that it faces in the future. Merci beaucoup.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Beluga whales were spotted in the Husky Lakes area late last week and once again the Tuktoyaktuk Hunters' and Trappers' Committee are concerned they may stay trapped inside the Husky Lakes if the Department of Fisheries and Oceans do not do something about the beluga whales.

The Tuk HTC discussed the issue of beluga whales at the annual general meeting and I should note the superintendent of ENR from the Inuvik region was in attendance. Mr. Speaker, subsequently, we had an opportunity to speak with an official from Yellowknife and was provided with information that generally beluga whales migrate into Husky Lakes every five years. This is the second year in a row that belugas have entered Husky Lakes, Mr. Speaker, and the HTC is concerned about their well-being.

Mr. Speaker, the Tuk HTC would like to do something about these whales. However, they do not have the resources or funding. The Tuk HTC have decided they will let nature take its course and hopefully these belugas will eventually find their way out of Husky Lakes.

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned earlier, belugas were trapped in Husky Lakes last year. Fisheries Joint Management Committee and DFO decided to let nature take its course and hope the beluga whales will eventually migrate out. Unfortunately, they were trapped in ice that formed around them. Mr. Speaker, as...(inaudible)...as it was last fall, the HTC decided to harvest the beluga whales for distribution to other Beaufort-Delta communities. The harvesting of these belugas by the Tuk HTC was conducted only because they received necessary resources from the Department of ENR. The outlying communities were very thankful to receive the muktuk.

Mr. Speaker, the Fisheries Joint Management Committee is responsible for the management of fish and water mammals around the Beaufort-Delta region. I would appreciate and request the Minister of ENR to communicate with FJMC, DFO and Tuk HTC to resolve the problems of the belugas in Husky Lakes. Mr. Speaker, in the fall season, if something cannot be done to chase the whales out of Husky Lakes, there is a possibility they will remain in Husky Lakes and die eventually.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, beluga whales are one species that the Inuvialuit depend on for traditional meat. Let's hope the appropriate government will rise to the occasion to what is right: free the whales. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to speak again today about the Deh Cho Bridge project. In May, Members passed a motion in this House to come clean on what the costs and benefits would be for the proposed Deh Cho Bridge. Mr. Speaker, we had a briefing in July behind closed doors and as protocol would dictate, I can't publicly discuss what things I learned at this meeting. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, there was nothing new. The public still doesn't know what the impact is going to be and all we know is that the Deh Cho Bridge project is going ahead. The Premier and government have been quite clear about that since May. Mr. Speaker, I am having a tremendous amount of difficulty understanding how this project has gotten to the stage it is at.

The Premier is planning a groundbreaking ceremony this Friday, the day after the last session of this government is concluded. To my knowledge, Regular Members haven't even been invited to the party, Mr. Speaker. What is so hard to believe is why the government is relying solely on a five-year-old piece of legislation passed by the last government to build the Deh Cho Bridge. Nowhere in the Deh Cho Bridge Act does it say build the bridge at any price. That act was conceived and vetted publicly when the project was 60 to 70 million dollars and tolls would be under $5 per tonne. At the time, a thorough cost-benefit analysis was done on the cost of the project. Mr. Speaker, that was five years ago. My motion in May and my standing here again today is to ask the government where is the 2007 cost-benefit analysis? The government has yet to prove to me that a bridge built for $150 million with tolls, when completed, of over $7 a tonne would not have a negative impact on the cost to consumers in the North Slave region and the city of Yellowknife. At no time in the last four years have the Members of this House had any discussion on completing large infrastructure projects.

In his sessional statement, the Premier says the additional $2 million the government required to put into the project would not come out of education, housing or health care. How is it possible for the Premier to say this? Just because we have a better formula financing arrangement with Ottawa does not mean the Members of this House said it's okay to spend an additional $2 million a year on a bridge. That money could be used in education, health care or housing. Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That money could be used in education, health care or housing. It's just that now future governments will have no say in the matter, and that, Mr. Speaker, is a shame. Mr. Speaker, once again I will state for the record that I do support a bridge being built across the Mackenzie River but not without substantial funding from Ottawa and not without the proof from this government that costs will not increase in the city of Yellowknife or in the North Slave region. I just cannot believe the government is moving ahead with this project when it's faced with so many questions that remain unanswered. There has been no transparency from the government on this project, Mr. Speaker, and that is the sad truth. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Villeneuve.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to raise the very serious issue of suicide awareness and prevention here in the NWT. This issue has been raised many times here in the past four years, Mr. Speaker, but recently has become a very sensitive issue for myself due to the fact that my family has been affected by the suicide of a close relative.

We are all aware that the NWT has more than two times the national average of suicide rates in Canada. We have not seen any real improvement in programs and services related to suicide awareness, suicide prevention or aftercare services provided by this government over the last five years.

There is definitely a real need for ongoing community awareness, community counselling, and training to individuals and affected families who have been devastated by incidents of suicide. Even years after, families are still feeling the effects of such incidents, especially how it's affecting their families and siblings of suicide victims. As they grow up with these dark memories and without any good counselling or support networks to turn to, they may take it upon themselves to resolve their issues themselves by contemplating suicide themselves, Mr. Speaker.

In my constituency, many people have been raising this issue and have been working to develop some on-the-land programs to address suicide amongst our youth, only to be informed that there is not even health and social services dollars to move forward with a plan or there are just too many hurdles in government to get access to dollars. Mr. Speaker, that has to change. If we do not take this issue more seriously for the future, Mr. Speaker, then the talk amongst our youth about suicide will no longer be about just talk, Mr. Speaker; it will be acted upon more often. To me, this is a very serious trend that we, as a government, seem to be taking just too lightly. We have to act now to address this issue and I encourage this government to seriously review their suicide prevention programs in all of our smaller communities across the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I would like to talk about the value of nurse practitioners in the delivery of health care in the North.

Availability of training for nurse practitioners in the North is still a relatively new undertaking. Although nurse practitioners have been present for several years in the North, their work in the larger communities is still in the pioneer phase. The primary health care model sees them as a vital part of clinics, hospital emergency wards and outpatient departments. Hay River has the good fortune of having two nurse practitioners operating in our system. We consider them to be a very integral part of the delivery of health services in Hay River.

With the relative newness of their presence in the larger communities, we believe that the model they are working with needs to be clearly defined in order to realize the maximum benefits of their training, skills and proficiency. This clearly defined working relationship with other health care providers would ensure that anyone new coming into our system would be oriented to that system whether they be administrative or front-line personnel.

Nurse practitioners have much to offer in terms of their ideas about the operation of the various settings in which they work. The network of nurse practitioners in the North are supported by professional development, resource materials, updates on best practices and conferring together. For reasons which I will pursue during question period today, Mr. Speaker, Hay River has been left out of that network to the despair of our nurse practitioners. They, too, would find benefit and opportunity to connect with their counterparts throughout the territory. This would only serve to enhance what they have to offer our community and as with all professionals, particularly in medicine, they want to stay apprised of ever-evolving best medical information and practices. Investment in this professional development is an investment that would benefit their patients.

It's very important that physicians, whether permanent or locums, understand the role of our nurse practitioners and would then work with them in a collaborative practice that was intended. Failing to do so makes it virtually impossible for nurse practitioners to realize the unique role and responsibility that they can offer to enhance the health care delivery system.

I would like to thank all of our health care providers in Hay River and today recognize our two nurse practitioners Karen Benwell and Sue Balmer. The efforts that they have made to enhance their education and skills have been a tremendous asset to Hay River residents. Later today, Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health and Social services regarding improvements to the support for our nurse practitioners. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the subsidies that this government provides to its residents are probably the best in the Northwest Territories. We have over $118 million roughly in subsidies and there are still some inconsistencies in the delivery of these programs that causes me some concern, Mr. Speaker. A good example is there is a young man that I know who is a summer student who is working for the summer. His family is on income support. This young man is getting his wages clawed back by income support because his family is on income support. That's not sending a very good message to this young man. He may be better off, he may think, staying with relatives and he's paying for his family for being on income support. We have to send a better message to this young man.

Another example would be land claim agreements are included in the assessment of income for calculating how much you receive. I was under the impression that land claims agreements were constitutionally protected and shouldn't be included in the calculation of income.

ECE, when they took over the assessments from the Housing Corporation, the policy says that summer students' wages will not be included in the household family income. Yet, ECE includes his in his family's income and they claw some of the money back from his family. That's not fair, Mr. Speaker. It's not fair, Mr. Speaker, especially to the young man who is trying to work through the summer and who is trying to get a good work ethic and make some money before going back to school. Yet, he is penalized because the support payments to his family are cut back because of the money he's making, so he's having to supplement his family's income with the money he's trying to make.

So I will have some questions, Mr. Speaker, for the Minister of ECE, because I think this is an unfair situation for the young man and we have to try to do what we can to send a good message out there and support him trying to work for the summer. Thank you.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to draw attention to the plight of a constituent who is falling through the cracks of our system. This woman is suffering from a debilitating illness and, in her doctor's opinion, requires round-the-clock care. However, she is entitled to home care services for up to 10 hours a week. The only alternative beyond that is she has been offered to be hospitalized. In order for her to be able to stay at home, her partner had to quit work to provide the care she needs. As a result, the couple now relies on income support. This couple owns their own home, but they are not able to make the mortgage payments. A family member, Mr. Speaker, a father, stepped forward to help them with this. He stepped forward to help them make those payments. However, this assistance is clawed back from their income support, leaving them to struggle to maintain their home.

Mr. Speaker, is hospitalization really the best we can do for this woman for this family? Surely a hospital bed would cost our government far more than providing more home care service hours or, at the very least, allowing them to keep the financial support from their father in order to make those mortgage payments before they are clawed back. Whose interest, Mr. Speaker, is it possibly in? Are we helping these individuals to go forward? Haven't they been burdened enough? Why should we be making a choice: be with your family but be in poverty or go to the hospital? Mr. Speaker, those are not fair choices this family should have to make.

The system we have in place requires a greater deal of flexibility, sort of a real life real experience policy, Mr. Speaker, that takes into consideration that we are making sure we are allowing people to look after their families, not to penalize them.

Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that this government can see its way to find a solution to ensure this woman, Mr. Speaker, this family, can work together in this situation. It is my hope that this department can look through the situation and allow the dignity of this family to stay home and get the care they need. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the Minister of Health later today. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Members' statements. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it has been said that diamonds are a girl's best friend. I have to stay I don't have enough of these best friends, but I don't mind because I know that the diamonds have become best friends of Yellowknife and the NWT. I know that our friends in Tlicho will also tell you that diamonds are a Dogrib's best friend. My colleagues in Hay River are working hard to make sure that diamonds become Hay River's best friend.

Mr. Speaker, but I have to say that I am not sure if this government has been diamond's best friend. The first thing is that the government has not done enough, in my view, to ease the logistical pressure in getting supplies to the diamond mines by extending the winter ice road season.

Mr. Speaker, I think they should be clear what this is about, because I am hearing a lot of confusion even in this House about what we need to do. Mr. Speaker, diamond mines and the resource industry are not looking for an all-weather road to their areas at the expense of other capital projects. Also, this is not about the race between the NWT and Nunavut as to whether or not if Nunavut builds a deep sea port first, that we will lose our chance. The lead for the extension of the winter ice road exists whether or not the port in Nunavut is built.

Mr. Speaker, what we need to know is that the worst impact of the climate change and the global warming is sitting right on top of where these diamond mines are. We have the most warming pattern in temperatures in this area than any other area in Canada. This is really placing the viability of supplying the mines through the winter ice road into serious question and jeopardy.

Mr. Speaker, all of the information is there by the joint venture committee and it is imperative that this government takes a very serious look at the situation and become an active participant on how we address it. Mr. Speaker, the government, both the NWT and federal government, has an obligation to support the infrastructure for the life of mines for the next 20 to 30 years.

Mr. Speaker, again I need to say that this is not a competition with Nunavut because if anyone who is interested in getting to the facts even if Nunavut builds a port, they couldn't do all the work that the winter ice roads do now as efficiently or effectively. Mr. Speaker, may I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement?

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to conclude her statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. You may conclude your statement, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Even if there is a port, we will still need to supply the mines by road. The only way to do that in the most efficient way is by extending the winter road. The way to do that is to build some infrastructure in the entry point where there are soft spots and really shortens the winter road season. There are other parts throughout the ice road that needs enforcement that this government can do to extend the ice road and to be able to withstand some of the warming trends. So, Mr. Speaker, I would like to say, for the record, that I support the joint committee's proposal to work on this issue. I urge this government and the federal government to get on it and take care of the business. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

(English not provided)

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very pleased to stand here today and recognize my wife of almost 30 years now, Valerie;...

---Applause

...my mother of all my life, Esther; a great friend and teacher of many people across the North, Ed Jeske.

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Mr. Speaker, I would also like to recognize a constituent and leader in the arts community here in Yellowknife, Mr. Glen Abernethy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In this case I don't mind being scooped by Mr. Braden by recognizing our fine visitors, but I, too, wish to recognize Mr. Ed Jeske, Mrs. Esther Braden, and I will also recognize the other Mrs. Braden and a friend of mine in the gallery above me, Mr. Glen Abernethy. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for the Deh Cho, Mr. McLeod.

I would like to welcome all of our visitors here today. A couple of individuals I would like to recognize: Mr. Darryl Bohnet, who was a long-time government employee and mostly worked for Diavik; and somebody who has developed a real high level of interest in politics in the last while and must be watching how much fun I have been having here, my brother Bob. I would like to welcome them both here.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize my constituency assistant, Ms. Donna Bernhardt, who is down here to assist me to chaperone my two Pages here from Ulukhaktok, Tyler Inuktalik and Trevor Okheena. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to recognize Mr. Ivan Strang. Mr. Strang is a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Alberta for the constituency of West Yellowhead.

---Applause

He sits on a number of Alberta Legislative Assembly committees. Mr. Strang was born in Winnipeg but was raised and finished high school in Hay River and was also a resident of Yellowknife for a number of years and worked at Giant Mine.

---Applause

Mr. Strang is accompanied today by his mother. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize Bob McLeod today who I think has lived in Yellowknife South since 1988. That makes him one of the original Yellowknife South constituents. The riding isn't that old. Welcome to the gallery, Bob.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not too often you get to recognize your long lost relatives in the House. I would like to recognize Bob McLeod who is a relative of mine.

---Laughter

He just found out.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. If we have missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you are enjoying the proceedings. It is always a pleasure to have an audience in here.

Acknowledgements. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are to the Minister of Health and Social Services on the heels of my statement today, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister to agree to look into my constituent's case to see if anything can be done to ensure this family receives the assistance they need without requiring them to move into a hospital for the rest of their life or requiring their partner to remain unemployed by making some discussions and headway on the income support policy we have. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like the question referred to the Minister of ECE. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. The honourable Minister for Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Income Support Program being delivered by Education, Culture and Employment, it is probably more appropriate that I respond to questions around that program. Mr. Speaker, apparently the Income Assistance Program is one of last resort. In this program, the way it is set up right now, clients are expected to use up all of their assets and all of their resources before any supports are provided. I have recently announced, though, that there are some changes beginning on September 1^st with the program which will allow clients to keep an increased level of assets going up to $50,000 from the current limit of $5,000 and you have a program that is going to provide increased supports. There is going to be a somewhat more flexible program.

With a case managed approach where ECE workers work with Health and Social Services staff as well as Housing staff, we are hoping that we are going to be able to find ways to more effectively deal with unique circumstances that families may find themselves in. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, fortunately I was prepared in case the Health Minister didn't want to answer the questions. I was ready for the income support Minister. Mr. Speaker, my next question will be for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Will he look at addressing the shortfall that is created by this Income Support Program? The Income Support Program only allows the person up to $1,200 a year as little extra money that they can declare without it being clawed back. Mr. Speaker, my constituent's mortgage is way more than that and has to be paid 12 times a year. So what is this Minister going to do to make sure this family doesn't have to use up all of their assets that he has cited and lose their home because we cannot find a simple balance to work through this problem? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is just a point of clarification. The current rules of the program don't allow for a $1,200 exemption. The beginning of September the 1^st, up to $1,200 or $1,200 of unearned income can be exempted by a family. That is in addition to the $400 per family plus 15 percent of all earnings above that that can be exempt from the program. So the program is changing significantly from a program of simply last resort to one that is intended to better support people. But any program like this where government subsidies are given out is a balance between affordability and what people need. So the government has had to set some limits on what supports are available. We are quite confident, though, Mr. Speaker, that in any case we are providing adequate supports for families in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Minister would take time to look at this scenario and this specific case he would realize that this family is going to lose their home by these fair rules designed by the system. Mr. Speaker, because we do not exempt the mortgage that a family member is paying and this government doesn't pay the mortgage and fact that a doctor tells them that they need full-time care at home, that leaves no one left to go to work to pay the mortgage, Mr. Speaker. So when the father helps, they get it all clawed back so they lose any net gain they would have gotten from income support. The bottom line is, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister look at this specific case to find out what is wrong with this situation and find a balance to make it work so they don't lose their home? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are always prepared to look at cases of families in the Northwest Territories. As I said, beginning September 1^st, we are hoping to be able to improve the services and the supports we provide to families in the North. In fact, we know we are going to improve the supports that we provide to families in the North.

We also need to make sure that we have all of the helping agencies at the table. We need to make sure that we have Education, Culture and Employment, Health and Social Services, and the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I can make sure that all three agencies are involved and looking at what is possible given our current rules. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, the Minister keeps pointing at September 1^st that everything is going to be okay, but the fact is this family is in jeopardy of losing their house. I will tell you for a fact today, Mr. Speaker, that if they sold this house to a brother, sister or close relative for $1, we could rent it from income support and pay the full cost of the mortgage through a rental program. But yet we can't seem to find a balance between getting help and solving this problem. So, Mr. Speaker, I want to hear a commitment today. Will the Minister go look at this whole situation and find some flexibility in this program so this family doesn't lose everything? In another month or two we will be covering every single cost, not just helping them here on this situation. We are going to lose and we are going to have to help them everywhere and this family is going to be broken up. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As things stand right now, the program is governed by regulations. Those regulations change on September 1^st. So the rules may change then, but I can't arbitrarily change them today. There is no flexibility built into the program that allows a Minister to do that under our current legislation and regulations. As of September 1^st, there may be a different method of looking at this program. In advance of that, there is no reason that ECE, Health and Social Services and the Housing Corporation can't be working together to ensure that all that is possibly available to a family in need is provided. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions today are for the Premier. I want to say the Minister responsible for the Deh Cho Bridge Corporation, which would be the Minister of Transportation, but for my arguments today and my questions, I would like to ask the Premier. Getting back to my Member's statement earlier, nowhere in the Deh Cho Bridge Act does it say that a bridge across the Mackenzie River should be built at any price. What the Deh Cho Bridge Act does is give the government the ability to negotiate, on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories, an agreement. But the problem, Mr. Speaker, is that Regular Members on this side of the House have not been party to any of those negotiations. The project has gone from 60 to 70 million dollars to now $150 million. What residents here in Yellowknife and the North Slave region want to understand and have is peace of mind. I think the government should come clean on a cost-benefit analysis on the Deh Cho Bridge project based on those current numbers. That is $150 million and that is $6.75 a tonne today and in 2010 when that bridge is going to be completed it will be over $7 a tonne. I would like to ask the Premier how come there has not been a cost-benefit analysis on the Deh Cho Bridge project with current numbers? Mahsi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The bridge is a result of negotiations for financing, contracting, consultant services, oversight and so on. There is a whole range of negotiations going on. That kind of analysis is an ongoing exercise. Mr. Speaker, I give the Members assurances that that bridge at today's prices is doable for $6 a tonne in 2002 dollars. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that is 2002 dollars. It is five years later. The cost of those tolls is going to be $6.75. That is in today's dollars. When the bridge is constructed, it will be 2010. You can rest assured, due to inflation, those costs per tonne are going to be over $7. Again, I would like to ask the Premier, where is a cost-benefit analysis of the Deh Cho Bridge project based on current factual information? That is $150 million. That is $7 a tonne. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am really disappointed that the Member is so reluctant to move ahead with an important piece of infrastructure here. Clearly, he hasn't seen the empty store shelves, the shutdown of construction projects because there is no material, the mines to construction industry, everybody being affected by this let alone the number of students who can't fly home at Christmas. There are no assurances and so on.

Mr. Speaker, when we come to negotiations, we don't negotiate this in public any more than we negotiate most things that are negotiable in public. We are elected. We will do the negotiations. We will assess whether or not it is viable. We will go ahead based on whether or not it makes good economic sense. Mr. Speaker, the bridge, as the Member has said, is roughly $6.75 per tonne for heavy loads going North in today's dollars, exactly what it will be 10 years from now or five years from now, I can't give any assurances for 20 years from now, but it is indexed. It was indexed based on a formula in 2002. That is all doable without having to ask anyone to bail out of the bridge somehow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, all I have been critical of with the government is I just want to see the proof. Show me the proof and I can support the project. The government hasn't been able, for whatever reason, to show me the proof that the cost of living in Yellowknife and in the North Slave region will not go up if this bridge is built.

I would like to ask the Premier if these numbers, that is $150 million, that is $7 a tonne or $6.75 a tonne, has been shopped around to stakeholders here in the North Slave region. I am talking about industry, transportation companies, municipalities, chambers of commerce, the Tlicho Government and the Akaitcho Government. Has the government spoken to those organizations, Mr. Speaker? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just find it really odd that of all of the public infrastructure we build, the MLA would choose this one to say we need to have all of the facts. Are we going to have to do this every time we replace a culvert or pave or chipseal a piece of road? This is a piece of infrastructure. We don't do that often. We do our assessment. We run good government and we make sure that what we are doing is in the benefit of all of the people of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I just don't understand the reluctance here. Mr. Speaker, do we talk to everybody? Yes, we have talked to everybody going back to 2002. We have talked to everyone about this. Now, as I say, we are not negotiating everything in public. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a big difference between building a culvert and building a $150 million bridge, that is a kilometre across the Mackenzie River. There is a huge difference there. I think the government and the Premier has all but admitted it. They haven't gone back out with the new numbers. Sure, we talked to people in 2002. That is when the project was 60 to 70 million dollars. It is $150 million now. Is the government going to go out and consult with the stakeholders? The cost of living is going to go up here in the North Slave region and the government should go back out and should consult with the public. That, to me, is good government, Mr. Speaker. Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Some of us believe it is our job in this Legislative Assembly, it seems, to just keep consulting and consulting and studying and so on. Some of us believe it is our job to do things. Mr. Speaker, we are going to do this. We are not going to every step of the way go out and get people's opinions again. We got people's opinions since 2002. We know we have a good deal. We know it is workable at the $6 a tonne in 2002 dollars or $6.75 today and something else in 2010 when it is completed. We know it is good for Yellowknife, the North Slave region and the mines. It is another important piece of infrastructure. We are going to go forward with this unless something really goes sideways on a final contract. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, thank you. My questions this afternoon are for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Krutko. It regards the plight of longstanding unresolved cases of injured workers and specifically the widely publicized case of Mr. Ivan Valic, a worker who was injured while he was helping to build the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool here in Yellowknife some 19 years ago now.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Valic's case was a subject of a Supreme Court ruling that found the WCB's policies and procedures wanting and an instruction developed to make sure that his case was reheard at appeal. But my understanding is that even 18 months after that court ruling, Mr. Valic's case still remains unresolved. I would like the Minister to advise the Assembly what is the status of Mr. Valic's longstanding case with the WCB?

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to this case, the individual was compensated for the outstanding case, but also at this time there is presently a dispute in regards to some outstanding receipts that the member has had. The Workers' Compensation Board has, along with the client, taken that case to arbitration. It is before arbitration right now and being heard in regards to the outstanding receipts that are being disputed. The individual was compensated and settled. We thought that was taken care of. But he, at this present time, is disputing some outstanding receipts in regards to his medical receipts and those have been forwarded to independent arbitration. Again, because it is before arbitration, I will not be answering any more questions on this matter. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, what steps will the WCB be taking to address the relatively large caseload of longstanding chronically unresolved issues for injured workers? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, we have revised the payment policy that we have in place in regards to chronic pain which is now part and parcel of that policy. That will hopefully improve and clarify exactly the situation around chronic pain. Again, we are coming forward with legislation to this House which will improve the system that we presently have, which again is an improvement of what we already have. Again, Mr. Speaker, those are some of the efforts that we are working at. Again, we are doing our best to satisfy workers. Again, there have been commitments I made myself in this House to get information back to the House in regards to the number of outstanding cases and cases that have been resolved to date. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, earlier I talked about the beluga whales that are presently in Husky Lakes. It happened as well last year. We were fortunate, Mr. Speaker, that last year ENR provided assistance for the Tuk hunters and trappers to harvest the whales even though it was late in the season, some time in late November or early December. Right now, Tuk HTC made it very clear, Mr. Speaker, that they will not do anything at the present time. They will let nature take its course in terms of the beluga whales trying to get out of Husky Lakes. I would like to ask the Minister of ENR if he can work with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Fishing Joint Management Committee and try to find a solution to this problem. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. The honourable Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We certainly will commit to working with the hunters' and trappers' committee and the Fisheries and Oceans who is the lead on this issue. I think there are about 85 whales trapped in the Husky Lakes area again this year. We are hoping that they will find their way out this fall through the channel that leads to the Arctic Ocean. We have to wait until some time later this fall to see if that happens. Failing that, we will certainly work with the community, the hunters' and trappers' committee and the federal government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A quick follow-up here. The Minister indicated they will wait until probably early September. I don't know at what point in time, but if it's decided that they require assistance for monitoring and trying to lead them out of the Husky Lakes, I'm just wondering if the Minister can sit down with the HTC at a certain point in time before it gets too late, unlike last year, and provide the funds required to either harvest or chase them out of Husky Lake. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We are monitoring the situation. We are certainly aware of the issue and the concern from people in the community. We will have some early discussions with Fisheries and Oceans on this issue and also talk to the community as early as possible. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can I ask the Minister right now, at the present time has he talked with DFO and FJMC on the Tuk issue to see about this horrible problem? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've been contacted both by the federal government, the Fisheries and Oceans, and also we've had some discussions with the community members. It's still early, Mr. Speaker. The beluga whales might find their way back out to the Arctic Ocean. We'll continue to monitor. We'll certainly keep the Member and his community informed. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the worst-case scenario, will the Minister at least provide the...(inaudible)...funding if it has to come to that? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last year we provided support to the situation when we had the whales trapped in the Husky Lakes area. We'll certainly commit to providing the same level of support as we did last year. Hopefully it won't come to that, but we still expect the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to take the lead and provide the bulk of the funding required. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the subsidies that this government provides are very generous and some of the questions that we have on this side of the House I think is in the inconsistencies in some of the delivery of the programs. They like to promote self-reliance and so do we. We've been self-reliant before and I think the day will come when most of us, or most of the people across the NWT, will be self-reliant again. The question I have for the Minister of ECE is I'd like to ask him if land claim agreements are constitutionally protected when they're calculating income for the amount of benefit they may receive from income support. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's my understanding that it's a matter of policy and not constitutional protection that has exempted some payments from consideration under the Income Support Program. So every government of Canada can make their own decisions about what is exempt and what isn't exempt for consideration when deciding whether or not to provide income support.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thanks to the Minister for that. In this government, is it ECE's policy right now to exempt benefit agreements from calculating income support? Thank you.