My second question is: what other communities are on the list on a move-forward basis?

We are, of course, as I mentioned previously looking at replacing diesel so that we are looking at the thermal communities. I could perhaps undertake to provide a list of communities that we're looking at in the future. I don't have that list in front of me now.

With the savings that we are realizing and seeing here, is the Power Corporation going to pass that savings on to the ratepayer or the customer? In addition to seeing the benefits that are being created by solar power in the small community of Colville then applied to the other communities and the recent reduction and restructuring of the board of directors of the Corporation, that's an additional benefit as well. Are we going to see those benefits passed on to the consumer or customer, and are they going to realize in seeing that benefit on a monthly-end bill?

The prime objective of the Power Corporation is to supply customers with safe, reliable, cost-effective energy. As part of this, we are rolling out other projects that will assist in us arriving at that end. So I will say, though, at least initially, that often solar projects are quite expensive and do not result in an immediate reduction in the amounts that people see at the end-of-month bills. But there are other benefits to solar. It reduces the emissions that go into the atmosphere. So, again, the Power Corporation is intent on delivering power, whether it's diesel or other means, at the cheapest possible price that we can, and hopefully we will be able to pass benefits on to the ultimate customers. I don't see that reflected in bills in the immediate future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi. We've put one of the Ministers at the end of the row to work today, and I'd like to work with the other Minister opposite at the end of the row. Earlier today I did commend the Government for the changes that they've made to Income Assistance, but I'd like to ask the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment whether income assistance payments were increased or not on April 1, 2016, and why.

Masi. Minister of Education, Culture, and Employment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, the income assistance was not increased on April 1, 2016. However, they were increased on April 1, 2015. The reason we didn't look at the increase was, obviously, there was a federal announcement of the child benefits and we wanted to look at our regulations. The Member stated it very well in his Member's statement on why we were looking at delaying any type of increases. Currently the GNWT does have a northern market basket measure. We worked with the Governments of Yukon and Nunavut to create this. All other jurisdictions across Canada have a market basket measure that represents a modest basic standard of living in which they represent their income assistance. We've created one in 2014 for the Northern Territories, but that was the reason the federal government did make an announcement with the federal child benefit and we're looking at how we can benefit from that, and we are currently going through our regulations and changes right now.

I thank the Minister for his response and the efforts that his department is making, although I don't believe that an annual increase in Income Assistance necessarily should have been linked to things that were happening with other governments and sorting out things at our end. I'd like to ask the Minister if he is prepared to look into the issue of indexing income assistance payments to cost of living.

Yes. The department is always looking at reviewing our programs and services to make sure that they meet the basic needs of our clients in the Northwest Territories. Currently about 15 per cent of our department's budget is actually on Income Assistance. In 2014-15, we had over about 3,323 families on income assistance. With the low economic downturn throughout the Northwest Territories, it is increasing and on occasion we do bring supplementary appropriations before the House for approval to offset some of those costs.

As I mentioned to the Member, the Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut have created a northern market basket measure which was finalized in 2014. We do base that on when we were reforming or changing the level of benefits available from the income assistance programs. Last time it was done was April 1, 2015, and as I said, the department is always looking at reviewing our programs and services.

I want to thank the Minister for helping me make the case for indexing of income assistance payments. I'm wondering, though, if he could commit to looking at this issue within the next year and bringing that back to the appropriate committee.

The Member did bring up these questions during business plans. We did direct the department to look at what other jurisdictions are doing from 2014. The Member did mention that Yukon is doing something similar, so we will look into what Nunavut and Yukon are doing in terms of indexing to the cost of living. I think our northern market basket measure is effective when we are reviewing our programs, but we will see what Yukon and Nunavut are doing and if they are in fact indexing their income assistance and programs.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Frame Lake.

Mahsi. I do appreciate the Minister's commitment on that and I look forward to sitting in on the committee work on that particular issue. I do note, though, that we have a number of other income support systems in place where payments are made to families and individuals. I'm wondering if the Minister could commit to review whether we should be incorporating indexing into all of those programs as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Obviously as our Minister of Finance said, the best social program is a job, having job creation. One thing that our department has done was create five positions, employment transition officers, and I think it's the first year that they've gone through it. We're trying to get people out of income assistance and relying on government and getting to the job workforce, and it's been very successful so far. We're hoping to continue to support people getting into employment. In terms of bringing income assistance, we are going to be going through an income assistance review and how we work through those, and we will be obviously taking the information from standing committee and I look forward to our discussions moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Earlier I spoke about young people working as surveyors, and these young people had a very great opportunity in the early stages of their careers in working with mentors that help refine their careers and their work as surveyors. My questions today are for the Minister of Lands. Could the Minister provide some examples of survey work that is currently taking place in the NWT? Mahsi.

Masi. Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't have any ones off the top of my head. I mean, I will follow up on that and see if there is work that is ongoing right now, but I take the Member's point and I appreciate his comments about trying to get our young people interested in the trades, surveying and community property assessment and that. It's a thought that we've shared, and if we can encourage our young people to take those types of training, then there could be some opportunities available for them.

I'm glad the Minister didn't go on an obtuse tangent, but he committed to the idea of the point. Would the Minister agree or commit to work with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, municipalities, and other departments as required to find meaningful ways to recognize the work of First Nations surveyors in building our current communities? Mahsi.

I'll refrain from going on another tangent that the Member speaks of. I will be very diplomatic in my answers. Mr. Speaker, could I ask the Member to repeat that question please?

--- Laughter

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that was a 360. Would the Minister agree to work with the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, municipalities, and other departments as required to find meaningful ways to recognize the work of First Nations surveyors in building our current communities? Mahsi.

I could have just said yes in answer to his question. Yes, I will work with the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. We all know that he can be difficult to work with sometimes, but I will commit to working with him and seeing what kind of opportunities we can put together for people. I have been looking through a number of courses offered through other institutions and looking at what the requirements are, and there is no reason why we can't maybe look at making some of those opportunities available here. Again, the first part of it is to try to get our people across the Northwest Territories interested in this type of occupation. There will be opportunities for them.