Item 3, Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Ms. Mike on November 20, 1992 concerning additional renewable resource officers. After reviewing the transcripts I believe that the Member was asking me two questions. First, was I or my deputy minister briefed by officers who were out on patrol about the hunting that took place several weeks ago on the Ingraham Trail?

Second, did the Department of Renewable Resources have plans in place when caribou appeared in large numbers along the Ingraham Trail?

Mr. Speaker, the answer to the first question is, no. I have not been briefed by officers who were out on patrol. I also did not discuss enforcement activities with the officer who I accompanied when I flew out to Ross Lake to monitor the caribou movements. I rely on my deputy minister to provide me with information on any enforcement action that departmental staff may have taken. My deputy minister received this information from the regional superintendents who are directors to whom officers report.

The answer to the second question is, yes. Since the no hunting corridor came into effect in 1988, the department has had plans to respond to the appearance of a large number of caribou along the Ingraham Trail. These plans include bringing extra staff, doing extra road patrols, setting up check stations and conducting aerial flights to monitor caribou movements. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. This question will be for the Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board. On June 18, 1992 the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions tabled a report which recommended that the Minister prepare a legislative action paper outlining proposed amendments to the Workers' Compensation Act. This recommendation was passed as a motion of this Assembly. The motion called on the Minister to complete his legislative review and have the legislative action paper ready for tabling by December 31, 1992. My question is, will the Minister now update this House on whether he will comply with the committee recommendation and the House motion by December 31, 1992?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I will certainly endeavour to do so. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. You will recall that the proceedings of the standing committee's public hearings were provided to the House as Tabled Document 67-12(2). On May 13, 1992 the Minister appeared before the standing committee and talked about his plans for this legislative review. He stated, on page 100 of the proceedings that "first of all, that the board has agreed that they will largely underwrite the cost of such a review. I feel it is appropriate and something that could be underwritten by the board." My supplementary is, will the Minister confirm his earlier statement that funds for the review of the Workers' Compensation Act have been made available by the Workers' Compensation Board since last May?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, since last May there have been a number of difficult events occurring with the Workers' Compensation Board. A general manager was released and has left the board. The board was struggling with the difficult matter of rate increases which some honourable Members have referred to earlier. As a result, Mr. Speaker, the board was preoccupied with those issues following the tabling of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and

Commissions' report. The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is notwithstanding those demands, I have recently met with the new Chair of the Workers' Compensation Board -- that was another thing that happened, the Chair was replaced -- I have been assured that the board has made some funds available for the legislative review. They are under a very tight financial situation and they had to look hard to identify some funds in this very difficult year but I have been assured, just recently, that some funds will be made available for this legislative review. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Recognizing that the Minister stated on May 13, and I quote "clearly the legislative review is a major issue that should be dealt with." Recognizing that the Minister assured the standing committee that he made a commitment that the Workers' Compensation Board would underwrite this legislative review, will the Minister explain to the House exactly why there has been a lack of significant progress on this initiative?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I have been apprising the standing committee through its chair of some difficulties that I have encountered in getting this process moving expeditiously. The chairman knows that I had developed, early on, terms of reference for the legislative review and I believe he also knows that I had identified a person who I believed was well qualified to undertake that review.

In fact, the preliminary work began on the legislative review and the review of background material. Unfortunately, recently, I was informed this particular individual would no longer be available.

As a result, Mr. Speaker, I have had to scramble to identify another qualified person and have received a recommendation for a very highly qualified individual who, unfortunately, to this date, has not been able to confirm availability due to possible other commitments elsewhere. So, Mr. Speaker, at the moment, I have a second highly qualified person who is possibly going to soon be available to commence that work although I have yet to receive the final word on that.

These are the factors, Mr. Speaker, that have prevented the review from actually starting to date. But I can assure the Member that, because of the previous major reviews of the Workers' Compensation Board, because of the excellent work done by the A.B.C. Committee through its hearings, I think that the completion of the legislative review by the deadline required by the committee is still possible and that a great deal of the background work has already been done and it is simply, in my view, putting together work that is already in place in consultation with labour and industry. So I am confident, even though we will be starting late, that the committee's deadline can be met or come close to being met. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the standing committee recommended that the size of the board be enlarged. I think that recommendation was made before any of us knew that there would, in fact, be sizeable rate increases with significant negative consequences to rate payers in the Northwest Territories and I do believe that when it comes time to consider the recommendations of the committee on the board, that we are all going to have to scrutinize and consider carefully the costs of the operation of the board itself because I think the ratepayers, who are expected to pay increased rates, are going to want to be satisfied that the Board is as lean and as cost effective as possible and that may mean reconsidering, in fact, the size of the board. However, I can assure the honourable Member that I will take into account the recommendations of the committee as far as the composition of the board goes, whatever size the board turns out to be. I want to assure the honourable Member, as well, that I will work with the A.B.C. Committee and other honourable Members in restructuring and re-appointing members to the board when the appointments come up, as they are coming up shortly. Members will know I have solicited M.L.A.s and other interested parties for recommendations on appropriate people to serve on the board and as Chair. Thank you.

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

Mr. Patterson.

Well, Mr. Speaker. I believe I have the authority under the present act to appoint the board and to constitute it as recommended by the committee without

legislative change, so I think that matter can be dealt with fairly expeditiously with the legislative review not necessarily being complete. Thank you.

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