I just wanted to make some comments on the same issue. Some of the communities in my riding are in the same situation. They are seeing increases in their assessment for up to 300 to 400 percent. I had a call from one of my constituents voicing concern over this. They are very worried that it is going to result in an increase in the taxes.

When he bought his property, it was worth a little over $2,500 and the last assessment prior to this one was assessed at $4,000. There have been no improvements to his property. His house is the same one. Now, he is being assessed at over $24,000.

He does not see why. When I asked the question in question period, I was told the assessment was based on improvements to the property, improvements to the house. In this case, there were none. He is still seeing an increase in the assessment, which will result in increased taxes.

I wanted to ask the Minister what is the assessment based on? I understand in some other communities, the taxes are based using other southern cities or towns as a base. Can you explain to me what is used as a base to base the value of the property on? I cannot see the value of property in the community of Enterprise, for instance, being worth $50,000 or $60,000, when ten years ago they were selling for $2,000. How do you justify it?

I have heard you say improvements to the property and the house, but in this case, this example that I have used, there were no improvements at all. I have to think there were other things built into this assessment. Thank you.

One more comment. I agree that some communities have higher costs because of the system that they set up. I have attended Association of Municipalities' meetings and these issues were brought up. We had cases where people stood up and asked "how do you expect us to live with this cap when you have built our sewer lagoon 45 minutes away, and we can only pump out three houses?" I have a community right within my riding, the Hay River Reserve, that is experiencing a similar problem. There is no way they can run as efficiently as people can because they are considered part of Hay River. They have to drive two houses, three houses at the most, and drive 26 kilometres to dump. I would like to know if the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs would recognize the reserve as a completely different community instead of lumping that community in with Hay River.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I want to pick up on a line of discussion that Mr. Krutko was talking about in funding to the communities and some of the problems that I have experienced as a former mayor. Over the years the funding to the communities has been an issue that was raised at the association of municipalities annually. The problem that we raised with the funding is that there is no incentive there for communities to operate efficiently.

Over the years we have seen non-tax-based communities...inaudible...through a budget; all increased drastically. A couple of years ago the department looked at ways to try and alleviate that problem and indicated to the communities that they would be looking at a type of block funding, and we all welcomed that. What it came out to was a cap on the dollars for services. In a way it has helped the department in terms of holding the increases down.

I see a different solution to the problem. The way the system is set up now it does not encourage efficiency. If one community operates very efficiently and it generates a surplus at the end of the year, they are not allowed to keep it. It goes back to the government. If another community operates and spends a lot of money and runs into a deficit situation, they are bailed out. When the cap was set, there was a rating, an analysis done by the department, on all the communities in the North on the water and sewer program. The community of Fort Providence was rated number one in terms of efficiency. It was capped at a level that they were spending for that year. Other communities of the same size, the same population, were capped at a much higher level and that is the money that they operate on to this day. In a way, the community of Fort Providence was penalized for running a tight ship, for operating efficiently.

I have never been able to understand why we cannot incorporate a method of encouraging people to try to run a surplus operation. I would like the department to look at that kind of a scenario. Maybe the community is allowed to keep a percentage of the money they save. I want to ask the Minister if they have considered incorporating an incentive to run a tight ship, or balance budgets.

I think this whole issue of taxes requires immediate attention. Several of the chiefs have instructed their members not to pay the taxes. I could see a lot of people through the housing program be evicted. I think it is something that blew up in our faces. Under this heading of grants, it states here to provide for property tax forgiveness. I would like to know who qualifies for this?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanted to raise the issue of property tax as I see a line for grants and property taxes regarding the elderly and disabled home owners, and also to provide property tax forgiveness. In some of the communities in the Deh Cho, and I am told by Mr. Nitah there are also communities in the Akaitcho territory that are experiencing a lot of problems with the issue of property tax. Both these regions are in negotiations over the question of land. That may be some time yet as to coming down to a decision as to who really owns the land.

In the case of Fort Providence, I know there are upwards of 15 people who are refusing to pay property taxes. It is becoming quite an issue in that community. The chiefs brought it to my attention. I believe he has also brought it to the Minister's attention. They are asking for a deferral on property taxes until such time that the issue of land ownership is decided. I would like to ask the Minister if he can give us an update on this issue, if he had done anything in this area.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that there are several institutions in the south that can provide oil and gas training. Can the Minister inform this Assembly whether an individual from the Northwest Territories can access such a program using student financial assistance or apprenticeship training?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform this Assembly whether the oil and gas training has a practical component that allows students a hands on experience?

I would like to ask if there will be minimum standards or tests that have to be passed in order to enter into oil and gas training?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. In the 2000-2001 business plan, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment identifies $500,000 for oil and gas industry training. We have yet to see a strategy developed, and as this funding is to cover our training for oil and gas across the Territories, I do not believe it is enough.

I would like to ask the Minister if he could tell this Assembly whether the Oil and Gas Training Program, envisioned by his department, includes a literacy component? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.