Supplementary, Ms. Mike.

I am concerned because most of the hunters, as you are one Mr. Minister, many times when they are out hunting, they will consume some the meat on the spot or a few hours later. If there is no way of telling whether the polar bear has been tranquillized, how is the hunter supposed to know besides waiting until he gets back to the community and hand in the tag and then try and find out when the polar bear was tranquillized?

Mr. Allooloo.

If there is going to be any scientific studies on polar bears we let the communities know. By then the hunters who are going after the polar bears should know if there is going to be any activity near their community. This normally takes place in the spring usually around April, May and June. Also, sometimes in the Northwest Territories there are studies of the polar bears during the summer. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on Thursday of last week I asked the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs if he was fully committed to the decentralization initiative of this government. The Minister responded by saying yes and then question period expired. I have another question to the same Minister, Mr. Speaker, in particular in my statement of last week, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs have been reluctant to make a decision to relocate the South Slavey Interpreter/Translator position from Hay River to the Hay River Reserve, to establish an office for this position on the reserve. Since decentralization is a policy initiative of this government and the relocation of this position has been strongly supported by the band council and the Dene people of the Hay River Reserve, could the Minister please tell me when he will give due consideration to the request by the band council to relocate this important position?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, we are not making immediate plans to move any of the language bureau offices stationed in Hay River to anywhere in the N.W.T. However, I can inform the Member that this does not mean it will not be considered during the bigger decentralization program which we are conducting. Thank you.

Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have served in this House long enough to know that if you do not get a definitive commitment from the Cabinet you do not have much. I would ask the Minister again, when can the Band Council of the Hay River Reserve expect a decision to be made on the relocation of the South Slavey Interpreter/Translator position?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I thought I was clear by stating that there are no plans for the purpose of moving the Hay River Office elsewhere right now. Everything else is under review for the decentralization program whether it is in the east or elsewhere, then that can also be considered. But, right now, as I said, I am not making any plans to move the Hay River office and Language Bureau position outside of Hay River.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Speaker. The Minister, in his response to my request, did say that there is a need to review and analyze the programs and services that the department provides and to develop plans for the future programs and services. Due to that, the Minister has indicated that no decision will be made at this time. I would like to ask the Minister then, when does he expect his department to complete the development plans for future programs and services?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I do not think my department is isolated from this transfer program and some of these transfers are scheduled to be complete within the year and there was also discussion in that some of the Interpreter Corps may be transferred to divisional boards. Then, wherever the divisional board office is at the time for some particular areas, then these will be considered.

So the decentralization is not only that they would stay in the same department, but some of the Language Bureau may be transferred to the divisional boards to serve that region and some of the Language Bureau will still be serving the main programs, such as Legislative Assembly and other departments. So this is part of the whole review, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. If I am clear on what the Minister is suggesting, and in response to what the Minister has said then, he does support regional governments taking on that responsibility?

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Speaker, I think we have a little misunderstanding here. I said divisional board. There is a consideration for the divisional board to take on some of the Interpreter Corps and some will be retained by the government as a whole. This is part of the decentralization program that we are undertaking that will be completed some time within the year.

I think you have had your three supplementaries, Mr. Gargan. Item 5, Oral Questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Patterson.

Yellowknife, Mr. Speaker.