All health and social services are available to all residents of the Northwest Territories. They don't always occur in the community where somebody lives, but we have mechanisms to bring people to care or provide care by individuals coming in from time to time. We can meet the needs of our residents.

I recognize there are some challenges, but I would once again say, work with us. Get the Members who are having their concerns talk to the quality assurance so that we can investigate the individual issues to identify the root causes for some of these problems and work with the communities.

I'm committed to working with the communities to help restore confidence and bring back some confidence in the system for those communities where they're struggling. I've made that commitment in Fort Liard. I made that commitment in Nahanni Butte. I've made the commitment to the Member. I've talked to the public administrator. We all want what's best for the people of the Northwest Territories. We want best health, best care, for the best future here.

Thank you, Mr. Abernethy. Mr. Blake.

Thank you, Mr. Blake. The Minister of Justice, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Initially, there were some concerns about the accommodation. I am happy to say today in the House that we have worked with the NWT Housing Corporation. We're in the process of installing a two-bedroom portable unit that will allow the RCMP to use it overnight for accommodations for its members who are on patrol in the community of Tsiigehtchic. We expect the installation to be complete and members able to overnight in the community this coming fall.

By the fall, I believe, is too late because by then we'll have freeze-up. Just this week the ferry just went in in the community.

Why can't we have this portable trailer in the community starting this summer?

We will do our best to ensure that that accommodation unit is in Tsiigehtchic at the earliest possible time. We're looking at the fall. But if we can speed that up, we will do that. The RCMP made 21 patrols to Tsiigehtchic between January 1, 2015, and the end of April, and there were 14 calls for service in the community during that time.

We also have issues of nursing, and the department has been working with the community. Every fall and spring they send a nurse into the community to spend - whether it's breakup or freeze-up - with the community.

Will the Minister work with that department to set up some sort of arrangement like that?

We can certainly have that discussion with the Department of Health and Social Services on coordinating times those services are provided in the community.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the press release issued recently by Northland Utilities, it identifies a number of government policies as a reason for the rate disparities in communities, particularly in Hay River and Fort Smith. It also states its willingness to meet with this government, NTPC and First Nation groups to discuss and fix these policies. Is the Premier prepared to do this?

Thank you, Mr. Dolynny. The honourable Premier, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Of course, we're always prepared to meet with anybody who wants to meet with us.

Can the Premier explain why NTPC has been knowingly overcharging customers in Hay River power since 2008, and actually, looking at the records, overcharging them roughly $6 million in the last six years alone? Can the Premier explain that?

I'm not sure where he's getting his numbers from but my understanding is it's only a difference of one or two cents.

Everything is public record. The Minister of NTPC and the Premier have said many times during the session that the government has no intention to expropriate Northland Utilities from the NWT. It's hard for me to believe that when this government has introduced government policy after government policy and has penalized Northland Utilities' customers just because of who serves them. For example, when this government eliminated community-based rates and moved to seven rate zones in 2010, this government allowed NTPC to inappropriately transfer $4 million of its costs to Northland Utilities' customers without any cause or reason.

Is the Premier ready to accept responsibility for Northland Utilities' customers who are being overcharged on their power bills?

I'm not aware of these numbers that the Member is putting forward. I don't know who's feeding him this information, but if he sends it to us we will deal with it.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final, short supplementary, Mr. Dolynny.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Again, public record. A number of government policies obviously exist to penalize Northland Utilities' customers throughout the NWT. There seems to be very little action on the part of this government to do anything to fix these NTPC overcharges and disparities, given its recent directive to the PUB to not allow these disparities to be corrected.

Will this Premier meet with Northland Utilities and First Nation groups before the territorial election in November to speak about these specific policies and to work together to address them?

All of the rates that are approved have to go through the PUB process.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The Member for Hay River North, Mr. Bouchard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have questions for the Minister responsible for Seniors. I know we talked about seniors quite a bit in the House here. One of the questions that has been coming up through Regular Members is the issue with snowbirds and the time that they are allowed to stay away from the Northwest Territories. I know the Minister has talked about this in the House before. I'm wondering where this currently sits in relation to other jurisdictions.

Thank you, Mr. Bouchard. The Minister responsible for Seniors, Mr. Abernethy.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently, residents of the Northwest Territories need to be in the territory for six months plus a day, which works out to about 183 days. But over the last number of years, a large number of jurisdictions within Canada have been decreasing that time period to about 153 days, so they only have to be in their province for 153 days to be eligible for a health care card. Those jurisdictions are British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta and Ontario.

We have done some analysis based on questions that have been asked in this House and questions that have been asked by seniors, and as a result, I have actually directed the department to follow suit. To that end, the department is actually preparing some revised guidelines that will change the requirement for people to be present in the Northwest Territories for 153 rather than 183 days to be eligible for the NWT health care card.