Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will there be any more public meetings or sessions on this issue?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance in response to a remark he made in his address on the budget today. This concerns our very valuable program, the business incentive policy, which the government uses to encourage northern businesses. The Minister indicated that the government is currently reviewing this policy and is considering revisions. I am glad to hear that. I just wanted to find out if the government is still accepting opinions and recommendations from the public. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question was for the Minister of Finance, but he seems to have gone. So I will have to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to start off by wishing a happy birthday to my mother, Florence Erasmus.

--- Applause

I would like to tell the House about a constituency meeting that I had on April 10th. There were a lot of concerns expressed. When those concerns were expressed, usually someone else brought up a reason why this situation was in existence. Obviously, there are people who understand the situation.

One of things that were discussed was the name change of the Northwest Territories. Some people thought it was a waste of time and money. Community empowerment was a question mark. What has been done so far? Will it eventually create city states throughout the territories? Is that offloading?

Apparently from the municipalities conference in Inuvik, some people were changing their mind about empowerment after there was a workshop held by a southern consultant. In fact, it might be a good idea for Members to hear those concerns that were brought up by that consultant.

There was also support for community empowerment by some of the people there. It was recognized that people have been wanting community empowerment for years. It was also expressed that there is a need to hear hope and enthusiasm and that the government needs to look for alterative sources of funding. Standards should remain for privatization. I am happy to see that the budget announcement has addressed a lot of these issues and there is a plan in place.

I am also happy to report that there was not one question or concern raised regarding MLAs' salaries or pensions. I am also happy to report that there was not one question regarding the transfer of occupational health and safety to the Workers' Compensation Board, except by the media. Thank you.

--- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister make this public knowledge somehow so that we can ease the minds of the senior citizens out there who may feel they may not be able to live in these personal care facilities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services and it's in relation to personal care facilities for seniors. I have had several calls from concerned seniors that the rent at the Aven senior citizens' home is going up to $712 a month. It had always been my impression that people would be able to maintain a minimum of $200 a month from their pensions. Can the Minister verify whether this is true or not? Will seniors be able to maintain a minimum of $200 from their pension funds while living in these personal care facilities?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Removing the uncertainty isn't just good for the aboriginal groups, it will also be good for Yellowknifers, good for all people of the Territories and good for Canada. As federal funding shrinks, we need the tools to develop our own economy. Some of those tools we can't get unless the federal government gets serious at the table with the aboriginal people of the North.

We want to be more self-sufficient and we want to stabilize our economic climate. If the federal government is serious about supporting us, they will do their part as well. Thank you.

--- Applause

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All Members of this House have just spent the last four months wrestling with the huge deficit this government is facing. As we tried to find ways to reduce our spending, it became clear that we need to reduce our dependence on the federal government and people's dependence on social support programs. We must develop any economic opportunities we can to provide more employment for territorial residents. Before our economy can grow, we need to stabilize our economic climate.

One area which is contributing to uncertainty is unresolved aboriginal issues. For instance, we still have a number of unresolved land claims. As long as there are large areas of the North without claims settlements, it will be difficult to

encourage investors to see the NWT as a stable place to spend their money. It is time for the federal government to get serious about settling outstanding claims with northern aboriginal groups. The aboriginal groups have been making proposals for years, but seem to be hitting all kinds of roadblocks. For instance, the Treaty 8 people have been trying to negotiate a land and economic benefits agreement based on their treaty for the past several years. There has been one delay after another by the federal government. If the federal government is not willing to establish the reserves the Treaty 8 group wants, the Minister should say so.

As we have all heard before and heard again last week at the Aboriginal Summit, aboriginal groups have different ideas about land claims and self-government. The federal government needs to respond to these positions so that all territorial residents can move forward, particularly in the Western Arctic. For example, the position of the Deh Cho people is clear and has been publicly stated for years: They want their own territory. Again, if the federal government cannot or will not support this position, the Minister needs to say so. He also needs to say what kinds of proposals the federal government will consider. This is important not just to the Deh Cho people. The entire western constitutional process is being delayed while all of us wait for answers on the Deh Cho proposal.

The federal government has just announced what financial support it will provide for creating the two new territories. We need similar decisions from the federal government on land claims and self-government so we can get people working.