(Translation) Mr. Chairman, thank you. I am not too sure if this is going to be the right topic or issue that I have to ask about. Can I ask this question at this present time with regard to the local housing association in the communities, the authorities or associations? I wanted to find out as to what type of authorities and rights they have. Can I ask this type of question at this present time? Mr. Chairman. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to NWT Housing Corporation. The Minister stated yesterday in a Minister's statement that the social housing rents will not be increased before April 1999. Some of my constituents have been notified through a letter and verbally which states that sometime in June of this summer, social housing rental increases will be in effect up to 90 percent. At the present time, they are paying at a ceiling of 60 percent. I just want to find out from the Minister, I believe what he said in his Minister's statement yesterday. Will my constituents be notified that their rental increases will not be increased? Thank you. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would also like to recognize the individual who used to be a Member of the Legislative Assembly with me for nine years. I am happy he is in the gallery today. I would like to recognize, Mr. Pudluk. Thank you. (Translation ends)

--Applause

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in regard to the statement the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation made yesterday. I do appreciate the fact that he indicated that social housing rent increases will no longer be increased in the Nunavut area before division. I appreciated the fact that there will be no rent increases, however, in my riding the housing managers in the local communities received a letter stating that as of June 1, 1998, there will be a 90 percent increase of social housing rents. The Minister stated yesterday that this will stay at 60 percent and will no longer increase to 90 percent. This was going to be put in effect June, 1998. I will be asking the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation a question regarding this matter and ask him to clarify this situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I do understand what you are saying. Would it be the Minister of Education himself who can approve this or can I do it myself? For example, do I have the power to change this or would it be up to the House to change this? Thank you. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am directing this question to the Minister for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment. My question is that they do have local education authorities in each community or hamlet. On July 1, 1997, it was enacted and the advisory board would be removed; also they would be elected at the same time and also they would have another election for the education authority boards every two years. A lot of the communities feel this is not appropriate. For example, it would be more appropriate to have half of them there for the first term and then for the next term. Is this a policy? Can you tell me if it is up to the community to decide how they would like to have a board? Thank you. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today one of our own is one step closer to officially becoming an elder. It is 50 years ago today on February 19, 1948, that this Member was born. He was first raised in Red Knife River and has since spent his life in the community of Fort Providence. This Member's years in this House and the growing amount of silver hair have earned him the title of Dean of the Assembly. As you might have guessed, Mr. Speaker, the

birthday I am talking about is yours. You are now a half a century old. On behalf of all your colleagues, I wish you a happy 50th birthday. Mr. Speaker, I hope your next 50 years are filled with as much joy as your first half a century on earth. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

--Applause

(Translation) This is not a new comment that I want to raise. This is not new to the Department of Justice. When people commit a crime and they are waiting to go to trial, they sometimes commit suicide because they are depressed. The reason why they commit suicide is because they have such a long wait until they are put in front of the judge. The waiting period is much too long. I understand that we cannot have judges every time we have a crime in our communities. The judges are very busy, as well, in their own communities. Perhaps, if the Department of Justice was given more authority to give out responsibilities to the judges to be a bit more quick in their response time, this might be part of the answer to the problem that we are facing today. As well, with regard to inmates who are sent out to other communities, other than their own communities, I will be using Igloolik and Hall Beach as an example, they can go back and forth quite regularly by skidoo. Sometimes a person from Igloolik is sent to Hall Beach and sometimes a person from Hall Beach is sent to Igloolik. They are usually given a warning not to go back to a certain community. Sometimes problems occur when they have trouble by skidoo with regard to this type of travelling back and forth within nearby communities when you have to deal with an inmate.

If one community does not want to receive an inmate, maybe they can establish an elder's group or a justice group who will decide whether they should receive this inmate or not. Another ongoing problem that has arisen from time to time is the same people going back and forth to the correctional institute doing the same crime. You see people going back and forth from YCC or BCC and then doing the same crime again. People do not understand why the same criminals go back and forth all the time. Is it because they do not have a proper home anymore, or is it because they are getting free meals? I do not understand why this happens. This has been an ongoing problem for quite some time as well.

In some communities the elders are being involved as counsellors to people who commit crimes and for offenders. Maybe it would be better if the elders group in some communities are given the right to see this offender before they go in front of the territorial court. This might be a way to deal with repeated offenders, in particular. Another concern of mine has to do with justice in regard to people when they are dealing with older offenders, like elderly offenders. I am talking about people who are over 60 or 65. Sometimes these elders commit a crime and go through the courts. I am not saying they do not do anything wrong. With regard to older people who are over 65 and who have to be incarcerated, being an Inuk myself, they suffer a lot because they cannot communicate as well as a younger person would today, if they were in a correctional institute. This is my concern, when an older person is taken into correctional institutes. I do not mind if an older person is taken to jail or brought before the courts because of sexual abuse involving a young child, but I am concerned about older people who have to go to court who do not get enough support when they are in correctional institutions away from their homes. I am not in support of incest but, at the same time, I feel for the older people who are brought before the courts.

These are the types of concerns that I would like to raise, Mr. Chairman. Thank you. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is the Premier aware of any other subsidy in other jurisdictions? (Translation ends)