Yes, Mr. Speaker. I will be pleased to do so. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for the W.C.B. All we have been talking about this afternoon is ministerial authority and accountability. What I am a little confused about is, why is it that during the A.B.C. public hearings the Minister took such pains to debate with my honourable colleague for Thebacha that he had the power to influence board decisions, even though the act gives the W.C.B. exclusive jurisdiction. He referred to his own authority to act under section 91 of the Financial Administration Act and he talked a lot about his authority over board appointments. Now he seems to be saying that he cannot take a direct role until after the legislation is amended. Why has there been such inconsistency in what he is saying now as compared to what he has said to us in May, 1992? If I may, I would like to request an extension of question period, Mr. Speaker.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent to extend question period. Are there any nays? There are no nays, question period will be extended. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I recall the debate in the previous session of this Legislature, and as I recall it the point I was making to honourable Members is that quite apart from the strict letter of the law, and there are differing opinions in hand about the extent of the Minister's role in the management or direction of the W.C.B., quite apart from those legal opinions and legal interpretations about which even good lawyers seem to have different views, the point which I was trying to make is that a satisfactory and a close working relationship between the Minister and the Chair should provide the kind of communication, accountability, and influence that Members of this House are pressing for in their various recommendations about the W.C.B. I pledged that I would use my good offices with the Chairperson to attempt to have that influence, in fact if not in law, but through a good working relationship. I have worked mightily on that, Mr. Speaker, not with success in all areas but I have worked mightily on that and I think I have developed a close working relationship with Mr. Roberts and Mr. Hill that has lessened the critical nature of legislative reform in that area because the influence has been there. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question ends the issues related to the Workers' Compensation Board. I am going to ask my question to the absent Minister of Renewable Resources. Mr. Speaker, I will direct the question to the Government Leader. Could the Government Leader review the policy with regard to the traps which are being used for replacements and consider using the conibear 1-10 as a replacement trap in the Trap Replacement Program? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, yes we will do that immediately.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Dent.

Senor Pollard.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We still do not know what the total cost is. There will be an interim statement provided to the House before the end of this session. Mr. Speaker, there are also some claims upon us by people who said we made commitments to buy products from them and we are investigating those claims and I would not want to present the Legislative Assembly with half the story. When I do come here with the final bill, I would like all the pain to be at one time, Mr. Speaker. If I can make a commitment to do it by the end of this session, I will do so. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 5, Oral Questions. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Renewable Resources. I do not want to sound petty but it is important because the majority of my constituents are hunters. There is a C.B.C. news transcript which says "the Minister of Renewable Resources indicates that eating the meat of polar bears, which have been tranquillized, could have a harmful effect on people but he also says there should be no harmful effect if people wait until three days after the bear was drugged before they eat the meat". I would like to know, Mr. Speaker, what does he mean by that?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My response to the Member for High Arctic was taken as a negative one by C.B.C. What I meant was that if there are activities by scientists who are studying the polar bears, we discourage people from eating the polar bears for up to one week. The doctors tell us that the traces of the drug which is used to make polar bears sleep cannot be traced after three days. Thank you.

Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How is the hunter supposed to know when the polar bear was drugged, whether it be a day, two days, a week, or four weeks ago?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Normally if there are polar bear studies taking place anywhere in the Northwest Territories, the closest communities are informed. If there are going to be any activities, we go into the communities and inform the H.T.A. and the public that there are going to be these activities taking place near their communities. In the event that a hunter gets a polar bear with an ear tag and tattoos on the polar bear's lips, the scientist or my department are able to inform the hunter when that tattoo or ear tag took place. Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Is there a date on the ear tags or the tattoos on the lips?

Mr. Allooloo.