Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the value of the jobs that these people do is very high. The work they do is very important, dealing with children, and we are attempting to be as sensitive as possible. But if I can hearken back to the previous session when there were discussions of closures in other communities, it is an issue that causes, understandably, distress and concern in the community among those who are directly affected and we’re trying to be very sensitive. We met with the contractor and we’ve talked with the department. We’re working out a plan to be as mindful as possible as...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, May 27, 2005, I will move that Bill 7, Personal Directives Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it’s our intention to build a lot of this detail with regard to this particular program into the upcoming business planning process, which is already in the developmental stage. We will be coming forward, given the time frame of 18 months, to do that. So there will be an opportunity for the Members to look at the detail both on the capital side and on the program side. But I want to assure the Member and this House that very clearly, in my opinion as Minister and as a Minister who has experience in running child welfare programs of this nature, that this...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At present, they have one program in Yellowknife and that is the Territorial Treatment Centre. We are in the process of relocating that program and the service it provides. If children need that service, then they will have to go to Hay River to access it when that transition is made. There are other services available in Yellowknife, but at that level, should that residential program be required, it will be in Hay River. There is no plan at this point to move TTC and institute another institutional program in its place right now. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the table for some time, since the money was first put in the budget to renovate TTC a number of years ago and the money was carried over as we looked at possible alternatives given the age of the facility here in Yellowknife. So in the last number of months, more detailed work was done and some basic preliminary technical assessments were done of the building. The comparison between the two, given the government’s stated position that they’re prepared to look at opportunities to decentralize, was there was an opportunity here that...

No, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct; this is a contractual arrangement with Bosco Homes, which has been providing a very excellent level of service both in Yellowknife and Fort Smith for a good many years now. There will be an opportunity for people in Hay River, including those individuals who got laid off at Dene K’onia, to look at the jobs that are available, look at the job descriptions and the job requirements. If they are interested, they will be able to apply to access those jobs. It is our hope that that same opportunity will be given to those folks currently...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there will be impacts as we move through the transition, but the quality of the program that Bosco delivers will not be impacted, in my opinion. They have a track record in Fort Smith where they have delivered a contractual program since the mid '90s, I believe, and they’ve invested a lot of time and effort. They have a lot of skilled people available and we’ll get through the transition, and, as we have in the past, we will be provided with quality child welfare programs in Hay River. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. By definition, territorial facilities are there for the benefit of all 33 communities. Once again, by definition, the other 32 communities are going to have to generally travel to access the service that is in the one community where that service may be, be it Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Inuvik, Hay River, or anywhere else. When we have a territorial facility, we plan and budget for the travel that is required, as we will do in the case right now with TTC, which is here, and children come in from all the other communities. The process will be the same, only they will...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I indicated that I would follow up on the Member’s assertions and that we would take every step possible to be sensitive and mindful of the situation that the affected employees are going through, and that’s what we intend to do. Thank you.