Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier, and it’s in light of my statement. There is a Senate committee which is studying rural poverty in the northern territories. They are in the Yukon on Monday; they’re here in Yellowknife on Tuesday and Wednesday; then they’re going to Iqaluit on Thursday.
I think it’s important, Mr.
Speaker, that we as
government intervene and also have a say in regard to what — especially with the cost of living in the Northwest Territories for our residents, especially in rural parts of the territories, and realizing that part of our deficit situation is just that: it’s the cost of delivering programs and services and providing to communities where we don’t have an economic base for people to be able to live on. I think it’s important that this government also takes part in these hearings and also that they intervene on behalf of the residents of the Northwest Territories.
I’d like to ask the Premier: are there any scheduled departments or people from the Department of Health and Social Services, or EC&E, who will be intervening on behalf of this government during these hearings?