Good afternoon. Before we commence with Orders of the Day, I would like to welcome in the gallery the frontline workers in the field of family violence from 16 communities. They are in Yellowknife for a week long conference.

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Item 2, Ministers' Statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Excuse me, Mr. Kakfwi, is this an emergency statement?

Proceed with your emergency statement, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Ministers' Statements. Item 3, Members' Statements. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On behalf of the women working against family violence, it is my pleasure to make a statement directed to all of the politicians. "We are frontline workers of family violence, representing 16 communities across the N.W.T. "We are discussing the shocking levels of violence against women and children. How do you see your responsibility in terms of rectifying the problems? How do you think the male leadership can best provide direction on these issues?" Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Members' Statements. Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to a question asked by Mr. Pudlat on November 20, 1992. Mr. Speaker, it concerns the search and rescue boat that Mr. Pudlat was requesting for Sanikiluaq. Mr. Speaker, search and rescue funding is provided under the new initiatives program administered by the National Search and Rescue Secretariat in Ottawa. Funding is provided to federal departments having a direct or indirect search and rescue mandate to develop search and rescue response capability throughout the country. Federal departments having a search and rescue mandate include the R.C.M.P., the Department of National Defence, the Canadian Coast Guard, Atmospheric and Environment Services and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs.

Any vessel purchased under this program would be owned by the sponsoring federal agency and could not be turned over for other community uses. Therefore, Sanikiluaq's request could not be accommodated by this program. Emergency Preparedness Canada administers the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program commonly called J.E.P.P. J.E.P.P. is a cost sharing program between the federal government, the provinces and the territories to enhance the emergency response capability in every region in Canada.

Municipalities, provincial and territorial government departments may access funding. Although funding is available to acquire equipment, facilities, training, planning and education, it is not available to purchase search and rescue boats. The Department of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Speaker, has funding programs which provide for the creation or expansion of businesses through the acquisition of new equipment and infrastructure. A private commercial venture could put together a business proposal to purchase a boat for commercial fishing, tourism, or freighting and could come to the department for assistance. If the business plan shows there is a market for the boat's services, that a profit can be made, and if the applicant has sufficient equity, the proposal will be considered for assistance.

In summary, a boat to be used for commercial purposes as well as search and rescue may qualify for departmental assistance, assistance from E.D.A. or, perhaps, from the Canadian Aboriginal Economic Development Program. Interested Sanikiluaq residents should contact the local economic development officer. The Sanikiluaq economic development office has indicated that the community would like assistance in getting a marine surveyor to assess the condition of an older boat which is in the community at the present time. The surveyor would recommend what repairs have to be undertaken. In this instance, Mr. Speaker, the department can assist. We look forward to their proposal. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Pollard. Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Ms. Mike on November 23, 1992, regarding the method of determining distance of daily polar bear travel; the longest distance a female polar bear with a radio collar has moved in one day.

Radio collars cannot be put on male polar bears. However, a hunter and a biologist followed the tracks of one male polar bear that had travelled more than 160 kilometres without stopping to sleep or hunt for seals. The bear was followed in April during the mating season when male polar bears travel long distances to search for females.

Information from hunters and movements of radio collared female polar bears indicate that polar bears travel more in the spring and early summer than during the open water season and winter. Thank you. I have another return if I may, Mr. Speaker.

I have a return to a question asked by Mr. Antoine on December 2, 1992, regarding water and sewer subsidies in tax-based municipalities.

The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is preparing a policy proposal on the distribution of water and sewage services subsidy funding to tax-based municipalities. I expect to submit the policy proposal to Cabinet in January, 1993.

I have another return, if I may, to a question posed by Mr. Gargan on December 2, 1992, regarding the status of the Ingraham Trail "no hunting" corridor.

The following responses are provided regarding the regulation which prohibits individuals from hunting within the corridor along the Ingraham Trail:

1. Eight written warnings have been issued under the Special Management Area (S.M.A.) Regulations, Section 4, which states that "No person shall discharge a firearm for the purposes of hunting big game within Special Management Area F/1-B during the period commencing November 1 in one year and ending April 30 in the following year." All eight warnings were issued this fall;

2. No charges have been laid under the summary conviction procedures regulations for offenses under the S.M.A. regulations, Section 4; and

3. Since no charges have been laid, no one has proceeded to trial.

I have one more return, to a question asked by Mr. Pudluk on November 20, 1992 regarding the effect of tranquillizing polar bear meat.

Last April, a study was done out of Resolute Bay to determine when the drug used to tranquillize polar bears is no longer in the bear's body. The study was done on four polar bears.

The Department of Renewable Resources assisted the study, but does not yet have the results. The Department is contacting the researcher, who is from the University of Saskatchewan, to find out when the analysis will be done. Once the study is complete, the Department will discuss the results with hunters from Resolute Bay first and then advise other communities. Thank you.

Item 4, Returns to Oral Questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Lewis on December 2, 1992, regarding the reason for the B.I.P. adjustment.

The subject tender was issued on September 9, 1992. The revised Business Incentive Policy was approved for implementation in June of this year. It extended the application of local preference to tender the purchase of goods. Previously, the local preference was applied only to tenders for construction contract.

The policy, therefore, extended the preference to local firms that supply goods that are intended to be used in the same community in which the supplier is located. Further, the policy provides that two or more communities be considered local when located close to the work site. For example the highways camp is located outside municipal boundaries. Communities in the vicinity of the highways camp can be considered local for the materials destined for that camp.

Since the oil tankers are to be used in and around Hay River, Hay River is defined as the local for the purpose of applying the preference. Application of local preference is therefore consistent with the policy and the decision to waive local preference on a much larger tender to supply and install furniture in the Legislative Assembly building, was a separate and distinct matter, the reason for which I have already indicated to this House.

I must admit, however, that I am as concerned about this issue of local preference as the Member, for our preference policy should end. We should equalize opportunity for all northern business but this particular provision may, in fact, be doing the opposite in some cases.

I have instructed the Senior Management Preference Committee to review this matter and report back to me by the end of January. In the meantime it will be necessary to abide by the provisions of the policy as defined. Exceptions will only be approved by the Senior Management Committee. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs.

On November 27, the Minister tabled document 18-12(3), Community Transfer Initiative Implementation Plan. The purpose was to represent the government's commitment to recognize and encourage community self-government. The community transfer agreements with interested communities will recognize community authority, identify and designate community responsibilities and transfer resources for program and service delivery. My question to the Minister is, what is the status of the implementation plan?

Mr. Kakfwi.

I would like to remind the Members that if they are going to pose a question that could require a long and detailed answer, they should consider using written questions because a long and detailed answer would take away the opportunity from the other Members to ask their questions. Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Thank you. I asked the question. I did not expect a long and detailed answer. Mr. Speaker, the Minister stated that communities have been in negotiations or have put in requests. I know of several communities up in the Mackenzie Delta, Fort McPherson and Arctic Red River, for instance, that have submitted proposals to the Minister and his department. What is the Minister doing in terms of dealing with these communities that already have assumed some responsibilities? What action is being done to assist these communities at the present time?