I agree that the Workers' Compensation Board tells their claimants that they have exclusive jurisdiction over decisions relating to all aspects of the workers' compensation process. Will the Minister confirm for the House that, in fact, a decision must be made in accordance with the Workers' Compensation Act and can be appealed to the territorial Supreme Court on the basis of jurisdictions on matters of law?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is absolutely correct, and I should have clarified that in my answer. Ordinarily the appeals tribunal is the final level of appeal, but if any worker can establish an error of law in the process, then certainly an appeal to the courts can and would be allowed. In matters of law there certainly is an appeal to the courts, depending on the facts. That is correct. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a question to the Minister responsible for Public Works. I believe he dealt with the matter of the northern incentive

policy, or is dealing with that particular matter, and I want to know if the honourable Member is, or will be, addressing the matter of setting out guidelines that will allow all northern businesses equal and fair opportunities on all contracts in the Northwest Territories.

Minister responsible for Public Works, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I understand that all northern businesses now do have that.

Supplementary, Mr. Nerysoo.

Is the honourable Member aware of concerns that have been expressed in the Inuvik Region about matters of government contracts being issued on a monopoly basis to certain contractors?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not aware of this issue. Are you talking about negotiated contracts?

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Nerysoo.

I am not certain if the honourable Member answered the question. It has nothing to do with negotiated contracts. It has to do with contracts that have been called through the tendering process, and then the rules have been changed to allow for one particular contractor in the community to get access to those contracts. So I am asking the honourable Member if he is prepared to look at the tendering process to ensure that all northern contractors are treated equally and fairly on public tendered contract calls.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the tendering process, if people are bidding on it and then the rules have changed after the tenders have been submitted, then that is not legal. So it is guaranteed I will look into it and fix it if that is happening. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. I would like to thank the Minister of Finance for his reply to my question on the northern preference policy. I am encouraged to know that he still supports the principle of that motion, which was passed on April 11, 1990.

My question would be, would I be safe in assuming that the Minister will continue to support the principle of absolute preference that was contained in that motion when the policy goes to cabinet tomorrow?

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I repeat once again, I am committed to the principle of that motion and I will be so directed, although I think the Member should be aware that cabinet is a consensus organization just like this House and the Member...

---Laughter

...and the Member will have to be satisfied with the consensus of cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. My question is to the Minister responsible for Public Services and Safety. He noted in terms of the review process for the Mining Safety Act, that there were concerns, and maybe the honourable Member could clarify for me those particular concerns with regard to membership on the committee.

Minister responsible for Safety and Public Services, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am endeavouring to try to resolve the concerns that have been expressed by representatives of organized labour, and it might be a bit premature for me to suggest that they cannot be worked out, but I will tell the honourable Member that although most mines in the NWT employ unorganized workers in situations which are quite different from that of the organized mines, in that the other mines are remote, are by and large fly-in operations, are newer mines and use different methods of mining. Representatives of organized labour have made a strong point to me that an unorganized worker on the mining safety bill committee would have no mandate from Members, or at least a much lesser mandate than if they were from an organized work situation, and that that unorganized worker could be subject to influence by management. It is on those principles that there have been objections on the workers' representatives on the committee being appointed in that manner. But as I said, I am hoping that I can find a way to resolve this concern so that we can get on with the important task -- which I believe we all agree on, workers and industry -- of updating and revising the Mining Safety Act in the NWT.

Time for question period has expired. Item 6, written questions. Mr. Todd.