Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My last closing question is thanks for the support and I look forward to concluding this request over the next few hours, meaning the very near future, on a proposed development submission. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. I didn't hear a question there. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education, Culture and Employment has a great Income Assistance program and it's all based on a client-to-client review, and any persons with disabilities do have to set up a meeting with the client service officers within their regions and there are services provided to people with disabilities in the communities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I'd like to thank the Minister for his reply. The services that the Minister outlines, can he provide an explanation in terms of those services that are available to disabled persons at the community level, and at the same at the territorial level?

Mr. Speaker, the income security programs provide for the basic needs whether it's market rental housing, clothing, food, just the basic needs for anybody looking to live an independent lifestyle whether it's a senior or persons living with disabilities. To get into more details, it is on a client-to-client basis on any income that they might have as well. So to get into more detail anyone that's applying for income assistance that needs the help that they do need, I would encourage them to go to see a client service officer and work out a plan moving forward.

Mr. Speaker, it seems that the government has almost an open mind in terms of taking a case-by-case analysis in terms of the needs of persons that do indeed need income assistance, and for that matter, you know, when was the Northwest Territories monthly disability allowance and incidental allowance reviewed and updated?

It is reviewed on a regular basis. Right now I believe we are going through a review and we will be making some comments to that during this session and we will have information provided to committee as well as all Members.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've seen other jurisdictions across Canada successfully provide incentives for people with disabilities. In the Northwest Territories we already have precedents. Precedents of providing assistance to seniors' fuel subsidies as one example. Will the Minister commit to review this issue through the government's inventory of available services? Mahsi.

One thing that the department is doing is that we're trying to make it a little bit clearer for people living with disabilities and the seniors who are on a fixed income to not have to report their income on a monthly basis; making it easier for them to access these programs and services. For other people that are on income assistance, we will have to look at the income on a monthly basis. But for persons living with disabilities and seniors on a fixed income I think we're moving ahead in terms of the reporting that they have to do on a monthly basis, and I think that that's a big improvement in terms of the time that persons with disabilities and seniors are putting towards filling out the paperwork.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Hay River North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll be quick, about a minute here. Yesterday I spoke about the long-term care issue in Hay River. Minister Cochrane was nice enough to come and tour the site yesterday while she was in Hay River and we discussed the uses for the old hospital, the possibility of expanding the current plan. So just very quickly, and because there's been a lot of people wanting to re-use that old hospital building I want to get the numbers out there and I was wondering if Minister Cochrane has numbers as to the cost of deferred maintenance on the old building; the cost of replacing the sprinkler system if it needs it? Any of those kinds of things that would be prohibitive to an NGO or someone from taking over that building? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Even though you have a minute left, you still have time. I'll allow you to finish your four questions. So you don't have to speed up. Minister of Public Works and Services.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The deferred maintenance actually that is on the H.H. Williams Hospital is over actually $38 million at this point. Currently, we're spending $632,000 annually on utilities and about $400,000 on regular maintenance. So it's a very expensive building to operate. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I wish I would have known that before I asked all my questions at once.

---Laughter

So I imagine there's been…clearly, there's been reports done on this building, like inspection reports, and Public Works must have come to some conclusions. So I was wondering, is the ultimate fate of that building to be torn down once the long-term beds are moved out of it?

Thank you for acknowledging that I went to the community yesterday to specifically look at the location, et cetera. At this point, once the old hospital is emptied out, we will do a final assessment. My assumption at this point is that it won't be valuable to renovate versus tearing it down. The other really important point is that once that hospital is taken down it will be another option that Health and Social Services can look at when they're developing their long-term care for long-term care beds.

Thank you for that answer and again, I do appreciate the Minister coming by. I'd just like to make a final comment, that if that building does have to come down, I'm glad that both Minister Abernethy has reserved that space so that they can expand and that Minister Cochrane sees the value in sort of a seniors' area or long-term care area where we can have other complimenting facilities.

Masi. I didn't really hear a question, but I'll ask the Minister of Public Works and Services to answer if she wishes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

Oral questions. Oral questions, the time has expired. Item 8, written questions. Member for Nahendeh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have written questions regarding the maintenance contract at Highway No. 1. My questions are to the Minister of Transportation.

1. What is the annual maintenance budget for each section of Highway No. 1, including the ice crossing?

2. What is the total amount spent on maintenance on Highway No. 1 since 2010-11?

3. Which companies have been awarded maintenance contracts on Highway No. 1 since 2010-11, and what was the rationale for selecting them?

4. How does the department review contracts or contractor and in-house maintenance work on Highway No. 1?

5. How does the department monitor and consider the impact of weather conditions on the maintenance work it performs on Highway No. 1?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Written questions. Item 9, returns to written questions. Item 10, replies to Commissioner's opening address. Item 11, replies to budget address day 2 of 7. Item 12, petitions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.