Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I watched a show on TV called Holmes on Homes and thought it would be great if we had a fellow like that in the Sahtu, especially associated with the CARE programs offered by the NWT Housing Corporation.

The CARE program provides a forgivable loan so that people on low incomes can cover the costs of preventative maintenance to their homes. According to the latest housing survey in the Sahtu region, the Sahtu region had the highest percentage of core need income threshold in the Northwest Territories.

The CARE program is a good program. It helps people in the North take pride in their home and I think it would do more for the elderly and disabled people in our smaller communities. Persons with disabilities can get additional funding to make their houses easier to live in.

Right now the CARE program provides a loan so that people can do the repairs themselves. Seniors and disabled persons are not able to do the work by themselves, so they have to rely on a contractor. They get a loan to do this. It’s not always possible to find contractors or tradespeople in our small communities. Also, building materials are expensive and special tools and parts often have to be shipped in from outside the Sahtu.

We can help the elderly and disabled in our small communities by connecting them with qualified tradespeople to do the work and by subsidizing the rate of costs. There needs to be a number they can call if their washer or dryer breaks down or hot water tank needs to be replaced. It would make life a lot easier for our people.

We have a small population of seniors and persons with disabilities in the Sahtu. It should be possible to develop a maintenance plan to meet their specific needs and the needs of other people like them in other regions. Our people deserve to live independently for as long as they can and a little bit of help would go a long way to ensure they get maintenance of their health and their homes.

Such programs would be in the best interest of the government. It costs a lot to house people in full-time care facilities and that money is well spent. However, can you imagine how little it costs if government could help them stay in their own homes for five or 10 more years? We owe it to these folks. Let’s show them how much we care about their homes.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Jacobson.

Quanami, Mr. Speaker. Despite all the differences and challenges in Nunakput when it always comes to living in small, isolated communities, one of the challenges sticks out from the rest. It’s something most people never even have to think about and that is community-based long-term care.

In Nunakput when loved ones become ill or, even worse, they are dying, they have no other choice but to go to regional centres as far away as Edmonton. Especially our elders, they can spend weeks out alone in a big hospital. This is wrong.

The government must make every attempt to provide adequate long-term care in the

communities so our people do not have to spend their weeks and days alone with no family and no friends because they cannot afford to bring them down.

In the community of Tuktoyaktuk, Kiglavik House is one that has been brought up time and time again for use as a long-term care facility. This building is designed for a fully functional long-term care facility. I ask the government what happened. Why did we let the people of the community down? How can we reboot this plan?

During the community meetings, whether it’s the community corporation or the hamlet council or just talking to people in Kiglavik House when I go visit, this issue is brought up time and time again. It evokes such passion in the people who keep bringing it up.

We do not want to see our elders and loved ones with serious medical conditions so far away from home and all alone. They should be at home with their family and friends. Caring for our elders and their health and well-being must be a pillar of this government.

During my various leadership positions I have always continued to try to improve the life of elders with things such as better living conditions, facilities and health care. I challenge this government to implement real plans for real changes and for the real problems.

I’ll have questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services at the appropriate time.

Thank you, Mr. Jacobson. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m pleased to recognize some partners in the tourism industry that are here today. With NWT Tourism: Mr. Mike Olson, vice chair; Jenni Bruce is the secretary of NWT Tourism Association, Greg Robertson is the treasurer, Gerry LePrieur is executive director.

We also have Kelly Kaylo, the co-chair of the Tourism Marketing Advisory Committee, and Andy Hutchinson, the executive director of the Northern Frontier Visitors Association. Welcome.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me great pleasure to recognize Mr. Gary Barnet, president of Extell Development Corporation, in the gallery with us today.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It gives me pleasure to recognize Mr. Greg Robertson, resident of Weledeh, to the House.

Thank you, Mr. Bromley. If we’ve missed anyone in the gallery today, welcome to the House. I hope you’re enjoying the proceedings. It’s always nice to have an audience in here.

Item 6, acknowledgements. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are directed today to the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment. They are in regard to positions of economic development officers in the communities. I think they are an essential position for communities, not only economically but developing a social fabric of our communities, especially taking advantage of government programs and services such as SEED and making sure we assist our business community.

I am speaking today about the position in Aklavik in which I just received a letter indicating that position has been vacant from December 3, 2007. We’re talking about capacity challenges in our communities, that we have to somehow think outside the box to try to ensure we have these positions filled and, more importantly, ensure the programs and services are being delivered.

I’d like to ask the Minister of ITI what the government is doing to ensure that we are filling this position and taking advantage of the programs and services this government delivers.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Industry, Tourism and Investment, Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Over the years we’ve taken a number of different approaches with regard to providing EDO services in communities. I think the community the Member is referring to is Aklavik. That position was filled by a government EDO position at one time. The position was transferred to the community as part of the Community Transfer Initiative. It was run by the municipality for some time and then it was turned back to the Government of the Northwest Territories. We’ve filled it on several occasions. Most recently we had tried to work it out on a training assignment. We’ve gone out to competition at least three times now without success.

I believe that there is some interest being shown, because from the last time that they put these positions out for competition I believe they had some seven candidates in regard to people who put their applications forward. That shows me there is interest. If it’s a question of capacity, I think it’s something that should be done either here, at headquarters, or at the regional office to provide that training or give them the tools to do the job.

I’d like to ask the Minister if there are any time frames we can look at to ensure this position is filled in Aklavik.

We have suggested a couple of options, expressions of concern by community leaders. I guess right now we have three options. The first option I think we pretty well exhausted, because we went out to competition three times. The second option is we offered the community to identify a candidate that we can train up to fill that position at some point. Thirdly, the community could take that position over again as part of the community transfer. Then they could fill it with whomever they feel is suitable to fill that position. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, one of the big challenges they face in the communities, especially filling positions, is dealing with trying to attract professions to communities, but also realizing that there are high costs associated with living in communities. When was the last time the department has increased the allocations for these EDO officers in communities so that we can attract people who will realize that there is a wage that is compatible to live in these communities, but, more importantly, that they basically come in line with other professions in those communities?

I guess a couple of initiatives that we are undertaking first of all was we made significant efforts so that community transfer EDOs were more closely aligned with the departmental officers and were participating in training and also being more aware of programs and services. Secondly, I think on at least two occasions over the past 10 years we have gone forward and obtained additional resources to top up the salaries of the transferred positions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mr. Speaker, I think that is the problem that we are seeing here in regards to attracting people to fill these positions in communities, but, more importantly, ensuring that their salaries are compatible with other positions in communities. I know we increased the amount of money for mental health and alcohol and drug positions. We are looking at increases to the amount of money for housing authorities and

whatnot. I think it is important that we also look at the area of economic development; make sure we have the resources there to basically ensure that the salaries that are being provided to these people in these positions are adequate and, more importantly, that we are taking advantage of those government programs and services for the communities.

Would the Minister seriously consider a review of the salaries of the economic development positions throughout the Northwest Territories? If possible, could he increase their wages so that they can come in line with other professions? Thank you.

As a government, we do that on a regular basis and, more specifically and more recently, along with my colleague, the Minister of MACA, we have identified $1 million to work with the municipalities so that we can work to find ways to not only attract suitable candidates but also make it more attractive for people to work with municipalities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Bromley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier and concerns the policy development without the input and review by Regular Members elected by the voters for that purpose.

First of all I would like to ask in reference to my Member’s statement and the contract by Angevine and Matthews Consulting, I believe it was. I note that natural gas represents about 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions relative to fuel oil but only if it displaces that fuel oil. When it is used in addition to other fuels, it represents a large increase. Considerable and well documented concerns that our natural gas will be delivered directly to tar sands allowing rapid expansion of this dirtier fuel and further promoting a rise in emissions is of concern. Were these concerns accounted for in this policy development and in the communications products? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.