Thank you to the Minister for his reply. I appreciate it. The Minister spoke about this a little bit earlier. We have a number of forthcoming strategies: the Energy Strategy, the Climate Change Framework; we also have the Mineral Resources Act, and other environmental pieces of legislation under review and set for change. Are these new strategies and laws being looked at through the lens of having the economy grow while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions at the same time?

As I've said, we are very concerned about this. When we went out and did our public consultation, some of the biggest things we heard is the cost of living and how it relates to our economy and how we're going to move these initiatives forward. We have to be very careful, and, at the same time, we have to meet our commitments that we've signed on to. As I've said, this is all a whole bunch of departments working together on how they pull these things together, and a big part of it is going to be our federal infrastructure dollars and how it rolls out and how do we invest those dollars and our commitments to the federal government on how we spend that money. We'll continue to work on that at the same time to meet our greenhouse gas emissions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife North.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you to the Minister. My final question: I spoke about industry taking the lead toward initiatives such as toward zero mining impact and meeting new ISO certifications. I would like to ask the Minister: is our government talking with industry specifically about how we can both reach our goals of enjoying economic wealth but while also meeting our global demands to reduce emissions? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Yes, industry is a big part of our consultation process as industry is one of the biggest parts of our GDP of our Government of the Northwest Territories, so we have to consider their factors in, as well.

When we start talking about industry, I tend to lean a little bit more towards the mining side because they're the biggest part of our economy right now. We've taken their concerns into serious consideration on how we're moving this forward. There has been some great talk with them specifically around the carbon tax and how this is going to make implications on them. At the same time, we have to identify a model, as I've said, to meet our international goals and our Canadian goals, however we're going to meet our greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, we want to minimize the impacts on our economy and the cost of living for residents of the Northwest Territories. These things are all considered while we're doing that. We don't know where we're going to end up on the carbon tax side of things as yet. There are ongoing discussions with the federal government. Going forward, we will be working very closely with industry. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Marsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my member's statement, I speak of the importance of hand games to the youth of the Northwest Territories. I'd like to ask the Minister of MACA questions: does the Minister and the department support and encourage funding for hand game tournaments? Thank you.

Masi. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs recognizes that preserving Aboriginal culture is important to the residents of the Northwest Territories, and hand games is part of that tradition. There are a couple of requirements though. Of course, if there's money being exchanged during the hand games, we tend not to support that as that is more promoting gambling than the actual physical activity of hand games. Then we also try to encourage that because traditionally hand games are more for male, men and boys’ sports, so we also try to encourage the applicants to look at a traditional activity for girls and women, as well.

Mr. Speaker, we see school championships such as Super Soccer and Spike It, to name a couple. Does the department fund a territorial championship for hand games?

The department supports the Aboriginal Sport Circle's annual middle school territorial games championship, which includes hand games during those games.

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister about, you know, I talked about all the benefits of hosting events and so on: does the department help fund the traditional games that go on across the territory?

As stated in my previous answer, yes, through the Aboriginal Sport Circle, we do fund the annual middle school traditional games championships. If the Member is thinking of other games that we should be looking at, I am more than willing to work with the Member to consider those as options, as well. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Member for Tu Nedhe-Wiilideh.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the department do or get some reports on the traditional activities, traditional games at middle school games, as the Minister stated, and report that to residents or develop some sort of report that the MLAs can see? Thank you.

Yes, the department does report on these events. I'm not sure about the past, but, if we haven't been providing those to MLAs, I will make sure that we do provide those reports in the future. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Masi. Oral questions. Member for Deh Cho.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are to the Minister of Lands. As people might be aware in this House, the very fundamental questions on the ownership and jurisdictions in the sovereignty of the Deh Cho hands is being negotiated. My question is to the Minister of Lands. Why is the government requiring Dene elders to lease the land they live on, now designated as Commissioner's lands? Mahsi.

Minister of Lands.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Currently on Commissioner's lands, lessees are charged 10 per cent of the assessed value of the land. As was mentioned previously by the Member opposite, we are looking at reducing that to a more reasonable amount of 5 per cent. Currently, those leases are still charged and assessed.

Mr. Speaker, you know, despite the modest decrease in terms of the rates, the bills are still piling up for elders and has put them in a very stressful situation. What will the Minister do to remedy this injustice?

As I mentioned earlier, we're contemplating lowering the rate we charge from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. In addition, seniors do receive a 50 per cent discount. We have made efforts to make life easier for our senior citizens.

Mr. Speaker, I think there are a few elders that would be more likely categorized in a very stressful situation where their bills have piled up to the point where they're more likely pondering the idea, if they're aware of the option, of bankruptcy. Could the Minister and his department consider an interim arrangement? How long would it take for the Minister to remedy this injustice?

Mr. Speaker, once the leases are in arrears, the matter goes to the Department of Finance, who will then send out letters. I know they try to work with individuals to see if they can repay the amounts that they owe. I do also understand that, under Section 3 of the Income Assistance Policy Manual, applicants who reside on Commissioner's land from the Department of Lands or the NWTHC may qualify for a monthly allowance to assist with the cost of the land lease. There are various ways that seniors could be assisted.

As I mentioned earlier, apart from reducing the proposal is to reduce the current leases from 10 to 5 per cent. In addition, of course, there is the seniors’ discount. We are doing things for senior citizens, and there are other programs that appear that they could access. Thank you.