Good afternoon. Orders of the day for Monday, February 24, 1992. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Members will recall that at the last session of the Legislative Assembly I announced a new consultative process for mining safety legislation would take place under the auspices of a mining safety bill committee. This committee would have an independent chairperson who is knowledgeable in mining, two representatives from industry and one representative each from unionized and non-unionized labour.

In the Assembly last Friday, I mentioned that the NWT coalition of mining unions, comprising the United Steel Workers of America and the Canadian Association of Smelter and Allied Workers, had informed me that they would not participate on this committee. The coalition is firm in their belief that miners working in the remote fly-in mines outside of Yellowknife have no mandate to participate on the committee because they are not members of a union.

Mr. Speaker, I have extended the opportunity to participate to all groups who will be affected by new mining safety legislation. While I am very disappointed that the coalition will not participate, the mining safety bill committee must go forward. The need for a new mining safety act is crucial for the occupational health and safety of all those working in the mining industry. I have accepted the nominee from the Union of Northern Workers to represent organized labour on this committee. In the next day or two I will announce the full membership of the committee.

As you know, the Legislative Assembly has established a new legislative process which provides ample opportunities for the public to have input on proposed legislation while it is being reviewed by standing committees of this House. Mr. Speaker, this is in keeping with our aim of a more responsible and open government, which is expected of us by the citizens of the entire Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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Members will join me in welcoming Mr. Jack Anawak, the Member of Parliament for Nunatsiaq.

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Ministers' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Speaker, last weekend was a great one for Canada's national sport. While the national hockey team won the silver medal in Albertville, the Legislative Assembly's own high-flying team, "LA Senators," took to the ice in Fort Liard. The event was the opening of a new arena in Fort

Liard, and I would like to thank the honourable Member for Nahendeh, my friend Jim Antoine, for the kind invitation.

The game began immediately after the official opening ceremony, and we played three 30-minute periods. It was clear from the opening face-off that the strategy of the local team was to tire us out and then take advantage of our fatigue. I recognize that strategy, Mr. Speaker, because it is one that I have used myself from time to time in this House, and it almost worked for them, Mr. Speaker.

It was not long before the Minister of the Housing Corporation was experiencing dizzy spells. I think it may have been because our opponents were skating circles around him, not to mention the spinning and turning he was doing himself. Mr. Morin took the only penalty for body contact, whatever that means. Fortunately for our opponents, though, Mr. Arvaluk was holding back on taking out his aggression on the ice. I personally felt that this was motivated by his desire for a smooth resolution of the boundary issue.

The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Ernie Bernhardt, was our goal tender for most of the game and allowed only five of the eight goals scored against us, Mr. Speaker. Watching Mr. Bernhardt in the net, I was reminded of the earlier days when we took the first electronics progam at AVTC, Adult Vocational Training Centre, in Fort Smith, and were among the first northern students to receive our diplomas in the program. We used to watch Ken Dryden playing for the Canadiens at that time, and I wondered if Mr. Bernhardt was daydreaming of those days too, especially when the puck went trickling past him on several occasions.

Of course, one of the better "Stars on Ice" was our host, Jim Antoine. He showed a lot of leadership during the game, similar to the qualities which have brought him to the floor of this House.

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Unanimous consent has been requested. Are there any nays? There being no nays, continue.

Yes, thank you. I would like to thank the Members for allowing me to complete my statement. Finally, it would be wrong for me not to mention our secret weapon. Without a doubt, the most improved player on the team was my friend, the Hon. Dennis Patterson. Honourable Members interested in our rich parliamentary history will know that last year, in Fort Resolution, Mr. Patterson did win the prestigious "Bambi on Ice" award. Believe me, Mr. Speaker, there has been a substantial improvement. Now, instead of Bambi on ice, he looks more like the Roadrunner. His playing style reminded me of his usual reply to the Opening Address here in the House; once he winds up and gets going, there is no stopping him.

---Laughter

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In fact, one of the most exciting plays of the game occurred when Mr. Patterson dished out a punishing bodycheck on the MLA for Nahendeh. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, they both happened to be on the same team.

---Laughter

Further, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Patterson showed his usual fine understanding of the relationship between politicians and public servants by repeatedly checking his own deputy minister -- his team mate, Al Menard -- and taking the puck away from him. And Mr. Menard, being a perfect example of a civil servant, allowed Mr. Patterson to do that.

A special thanks goes to our coach, the honourable Member for High Arctic. As the Dean of this Assembly, Mr. Pudluk brought his wisdom and experience and sense of humour to the game in the same way in which he brings it to our House as Deputy Speaker.

Many other MLAs were in attendance at this special event, Mr. Speaker, but did not have the opportunity to lace up the skates.

I must say that we all enjoyed the excellent feast put on by the people of Fort Liard, and we appreciated the first-rate organization which surrounded the opening festivities. I am certain that I speak for all my honourable colleagues, and especially for our team of hockey all-stars, in thanking Mr. Jim Antoine, Chief Stephen Kotchea, Mayor Dale Hoose, and all the people of Fort Liard for their hospitality. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. I think all Members will agree with the words of the "Golden Gargan."

---Laughter

Members' statements. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make a statement on the absolute discharge for Paul Quassa. Mr. Speaker, like my honourable colleagues for Deh Cho and Thebacha who spoke on this subject last week, I am dismayed and offended by the territorial court's decision to reward the anti-social and criminal behaviour of a political figure by granting an absolute discharge.

Last July, Mr. Speaker, Paul Quassa came into my home town of Coppermine and committed a sexual assault. As a guest at a private house party he made lewd and suggestive comments to a respected female member of our community, and then he followed this uncouth conduct with unwanted physical contact of a sexual nature.

It was not an outsider who behaved in this way, Mr. Speaker. This insult came from a so-called leader of our own people. As president of the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut, Mr. Quassa should be committed to protecting Inuit women from this sort of dehumanizing experience.

Hear, hear!

---Applause

He should know that no Inuk woman has to endure the indignity of sexual victimization in the 1990s. And even if Mr. Quassa was not aware of this fact, Mr. Speaker, our court system should be.

I cannot understand how Judge Thomas Davis of the territorial court. could excuse this behaviour with an absolute discharge. Later today I will be tabling an earlier court decision which summarizes a range of sexual assault cases, some of which occurred under very similar circumstances to Mr. Quassa's -- which all resulted in a court-imposed penalty of some sort.

Mr. Speaker, honourable colleagues will be aware that at one point in my life I was in court and was sent to jail because I physically abused a woman. I am not proud of that time, Mr.

Speaker, and I have apologized to the victim and to women's organizations throughout the Territories.

I would like to seek unanimous consent to continue, Mr. Speaker.

Unanimous consent has been requested. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Bernhardt.

I have never made a secret of the fact that what I did was wrong, and I accepted my punishment. I can remember some of the authorities telling me at the time that they planned to make an example of my situation. Well, what sort of example has been made by the court's judgment of Paul Quassa?

With this decision, I am afraid that Judge Davis has provided us with an example that drunkenness, sexism and lack of self-control are all excusable, so long as you happen to be a political figure of today in the Northwest Territories. This court decision has failed to respect the dignity of aboriginal women, or to uphold their right to safety from humiliation and sexual harassment.

Mr. Speaker, within our past traditions our Inuvialuit forefathers used to turn their backs on people who were unwilling or unable to live in harmony with our society. In modern times we have counted on the court system to deal with the deviants among us. Since the court has now demonstrated its unwillingness to perform this role, perhaps we should now turn our backs collectively on Paul Quassa until he delivers an appropriate apology and seeks the confidence of Inuit in a general election. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Members' statements. Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about the continuing public dissatisfaction with the standards of education in the Northwest Territories. In the 1950s, Mr. Speaker, the major concern of the federal government was to make schooling available for as large a number of students as possible, because at that time many people lived in scattered communities and hunting camps throughout the Northwest Territories. This was the period, Mr. Speaker, when there were huge schools and school residence building programs. The goal at that time was to get 100 per cent enrolment of school-age children.

It was not until the transfer of education to the territorial government in 1969 and 1970 that the focus changed to the actual content of the school program to reflect northern interests. Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, over the past 20 years, despite this focus, the statistical emphasis by this government is still on enrolment -- just bodies. This forms the basis for the expansion of grades in communities and the continuing demand for the expansion of capital assets in communities. We do too little, in the opinion of many people, to measure the output, or to reassure the public about the standards being achieved in our system. We continue to expand grades in communities with no assurances that before grade 10 is added that there is an adequate grade nine, and so on. Our students, in many cases, are being short-changed in pursuit of government policy that only makes sense if it is implemented sensibly. In many cases there is evidence that it is not being implemented sensibly.

Residential schooling in the West, Mr. Speaker, commenced in 1867 at Fort Providence, and yet in the West there are still only six schools that offer high school programs. In the Eastern Arctic, high school programs are offered in 13 schools. Many of my colleagues do not believe that in the Eastern Arctic, where schools were not established until the 1950's, that the standards are so much higher than they are in the West. Many of us refuse to believe that.

When we deal with Education capital, and also the O and M estimates, I am sure there will be much discussion about this issue of quality and standards and, also, the whole issue of value for money, because there are vast amounts of money being poured into education without any reassurances about what we are receiving in exchange for it. Thank you.

Members will join me in welcoming Mr. Paul Kaludjak, the mayor of Rankin Inlet.

---Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During my observations in Sakku School in Coral Harbour, it became obvious to me that the school is under some pressure spacewise in teaching areas. The older grade nine and 10 are using the community education committee chambers and have done so for the last three years. Inuktitut classes for grades four to nine are held on the stage at the gymnasium. Although there is a partition between the gymnasium and the Inuktitut class, there is still considerable noise interference.

With a grade 10 class of approximately 22 applicants expected for 1992-93, and a kindergarten intake of 24, the school total is expected to rise to 190-plus students for August 1992. Our high school students are much younger than in past years, and it is their parents' expectation that they will continue grades 10, 11 and 12 in their home community. This program expects grade 10 in 1992-93; grade 11, 1993-94; grade 12, 1994-95.

The estimated total of students for 1992-93 is 190-plus; 1993-94, 215-plus students; 1994-95, 245-plus students. This will undoubtedly put tremendous strain on space requirements. The two portables are considered now to be unsuitable for educational purposes. Renovations to the Arctic College building, which would bring much-needed seminar office space and that were planned to be completed last summer or, at the latest, this summer's construction season, appear to have been abandoned.

The present school facilities were built in 1978-79, and Coral Harbour is the only Keewatin community that has not had a new school or an addition built within the last five years. The students and community have taken great pride in and care of their school and have had only one broken window in the last 13 years, and that was done by the front-end loader during snow clearance. Vandalism and damage to the school is negligible. There are no break-ins at the school.

Surely those communities that take care and pride in their community school should be rewarded, not penalized. The community of Coral Harbour will need new teaching space to accommodate the increase in the under-five population. So it is imperative that a capital plan be implemented as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Mr. Todd

.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week I asked both the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Public Works about implementing policies that would allow only northern-owned and operated businesses to bid on government contracts. The implementation of such a policy is consistent with a motion passed by this House on April 11, 1990. As we are all aware, that motion was proposed by the Ministers of Finance and Public Works when they were ordinary Members of the House.

Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about what I am now hearing from the Minister of Public Works, my good friend Don Morin. The Minister now talks about developing a plan to train northern people, allowing Northerners to do these jobs, and other initiatives. However, the Minister has also told this House that the policy under consideration does not allow only northern businesses to bid on government contracts. This is in stark contrast to the discussions that took place when the "tender north only" motion was adopted by this House. As the honourable Member for Hay River said at that time, "If we do not take the bull by the horns and make a decision that is absolute, then we are going to continue to have these holes that these contracts trickle through."

The leakage of government dollars from the NWT is incredible.

---Applause

When we try to stop these leaks by adjusting and fine-tuning current policies, we are just plugging the holes with our fingers. Pretty soon we are going to run out of fingers to use.

I am sure the Minister has been given many reasons why we cannot institute this policy by his officials in the department, but this is a decision to be made by the politicians, not by the bureaucrats. There will be some political risks attached to this policy, and I would suggest that these risks are worth taking. We do not need 20 reasons why we cannot do the policy; we need one reason why we should do the policy.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance has already told this House that he is committed to this principle of "tender north only." I would suggest the Minister of Public Works reaffirm his commitment to this principle and bring forward a policy that reflects the same. Thank you.

---Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Mr. Whitford, your Member's statement seems to be dealing with your ministerial responsibilities.

---Applause

A Member's statement should be discussing one item to deal with your responsibilities as a Member, not as a Minister.

Members' statements. Perhaps, Mr. Whitford, you could join the team as another secret weapon in the future. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Returns to oral questions. Returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have some questions for the Minister of Justice on the Quassa affair. On February 14, 1992, Judge Thomas Davis of the territorial court granted an absolute discharge to Paul Quassa, the former TFN president, even though Mr. Quassa was found guilty of sexually assaulting one of my constituents.

In an apparent attempt to down-play the seriousness of Paul Quassa's criminal behaviour, some media and some political leaders have been careful to refer to the charge as "sexual touching." Will the Minister confirm to the House that touching a woman in a sexual fashion is, in fact, considered a form of sexual assault?

Minister of Justice, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, where there is no consent, then the Member is correct, that form of behaviour is a criminal offence, sexual assault.

Supplementary, Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a supplementary question for the Minister of Justice. Would the Minister please explain to the House what is meant by the term "absolute discharge"?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, an absolute discharge is a form of sentence whereby upon conviction an accused person is deemed to have no criminal record. In layman's terms it would be a form of forgiveness by the court, whereby although the person has been convicted, it will not be held against him in future and there will be no criminal record alleged in future for any reason. It is, in effect, wiping out the conviction. Thank you.

Oral questions. Further supplementary, Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have another supplementary for the Minister of Justice. Recognizing that it takes a lot of courage for a female victim of sexual assault to bring forward her complaint, and recognizing that a trial is a very stressful experience for the victim to endure when the accused pleads not guilty, and recognizing that an absolute discharge is not even a slap on the wrist because there is no court-imposed penalty and the conviction is not even included in the offender's criminal record, is the Minister not concerned that Judge Davis' ruling on the Quassa affair will discourage women from bringing incidents of sexual assault to the attention of the authorities?

I would like to caution Members that the Member is asking for an opinion, and it is very difficult for the Minister to know exactly what Judge Davis was thinking. With that caution, Mr. Patterson.

Well, I appreciate your ruling, Mr. Speaker, because the Member's question is difficult to answer for that reason. I hope the Member will also appreciate that in the present legal system in the NWT, judges are independent from the Executive or the Legislative branch of our government. They do not report to me. They are not accountable to me, as Minister of Justice, for their decisions, nor do the Crown prosecutors report to me.

Mr. Speaker, with the greatest of respect to the honourable Member, and while I do respect the honourable Member's freedom to express his opinions on his case, it is difficult for me, as Minister of Justice, to make a comment on a judgment because it could be interpreted as threatening the independence of the judiciary. That principle has been used to challenge some decisions made by territorial judges. So as Minister of Justice, I hope the honourable Member will appreciate that you are putting me in a difficult position by asking me to comment on a judgment in a particular case, although I do respect the Member's right to speak on this matter as he sees fit.

Oral questions. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education. Sanikiluaq has requested a school bus. Has the Minister received a letter from the community of Sanikiluaq? I can relay their concerns to him and send the Minister's response to my constituents.

Mr. Allooloo.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware of the request by Sanikiluaq for a school bus. I have not received a letter from them since I have been Minister of Education. I am aware that they have written letters to the previous Minister, but I have not received one as yet.

Mr. Pudlat, supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As no one has sent you a letter as the new Minister, I will try to come up with a letter this week on that. Thank you.

That really was not a question, Mr. Pudlat, but I am sure the Minister will find it useful as background for the previous question. Oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Minister of Education, Mr. Allooloo.

Mr. Speaker, yes.

Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Allooloo.

Mr. Speaker, as soon as I can.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could review the status and get back to the Member tomorrow in a statement. But I will not be able to make a judgment on the quality or the adequacy of the busing policy by tomorrow.

Oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Public Works. During question period last week the Minister indicated he was going to present to cabinet revisions to the northern preference policy, particularly the business incentive policy. I believe that cabinet is going to get this information on Friday of this week. Could the Minister advise this House whether the policy that went to cabinet or is going to cabinet is, or was, consistent with the "tender north only" motion that was passed by the Legislative Assembly on April 11, 1990?

Minister responsible for Public Works.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The business incentive policy that is going to go to cabinet has been given to the standing committee on finance already for their input. Once we have had their input, then it will go to cabinet. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

That is news to me, Mr. Speaker. Since it appears that the Minister has changed his mind about the principle of "tender north only" and the Minister of Finance has not -- that is one vote against and one vote for -- I would like to know how the rest of cabinet feels on this issue. Can the Minister now advise this House what decisions were made by cabinet? In particular, will they endorse the principle of "tender north only"?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to make it clear to the Member that I have not changed my mind. The thing we were trying to accomplish back about a year ago in the motion John Pollard put forward to the House and I seconded, was to try to ensure that the majority of the work in the work force is hired in the North. I am tired of bringing in imports from the South, and I believe we can accomplish that with the policy we gave to SCOF. You cannot accomplish something with one policy; you have to look at it in a broader range.

If in three years I stop the leakage of dollars going south with training programs and a better business incentive policy and other policies, that will ensure that businesses in the North get the work; instead of using DPW as a police force, use it as a development force, and then we will all be a lot happier and our communities will be happier. Because nothing says that just because a northern business gets the work, they are going to hire Northerners. I know there are some northern businesses who do hire south, and there are a lot of people coming in from Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and other provinces.

What I am trying to do is to ensure that the community benefits and with the policy that we are proposing to cabinet -- and it will be a cabinet decision and not only my decision -- we can accomplish that. I am sure we will make the Member across quite happy with the new policy and the new initiatives we are taking. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

Well, I am encouraged to hear that the Minister still stands by the "tender north only" policy. I am wondering if the Minister will commit to bringing any revisions of the current policy before the standing committee on finance prior to implementation.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have been to the standing committee on finance with the revisions to the policy, and we are waiting, up until today, to get their input. I will wait for that before I take it to cabinet. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs. I was dismayed to learn that a man convicted of sexual assault against one of my constituents not only went

unpunished by the territorial courts but now plans to resume his former position as president of the Tungavik Federation of Nunavut. Will the Minister now make a commitment not to recognize Paul Quassa as president of TFN until he has demonstrated that he has the confidence of Inuit people by standing for re-election by the full membership?

Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a question of the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. It is well known that a group, or especially the government, does not have to deal with a group of people or a country that they do not recognize as legitimate, as a proper body or organization. Would the Minister, then, say to this House that in fact he will not be dealing with him on the basis of this government's principle of protecting the women of the NWT?

Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that he is in a difficult position to respond to the question, but can the Minister in his position, representing the Government of the Northwest Territories and representing this House -- can he at least write to TFN about the feeling of reappointment of the TFN leader to the position that he is holding now? I am not necessarily asking him to approach the leader himself; rather, the board of directors of TFN. Will he be letting them know about the government's feeling on that reappointment?

Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Justice. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Justice, is there a process by which the Minister of Justice can express public concerns to the judiciary, taking into consideration respect for the independence of the judicial system, regarding the recent case and decision with respect to Mr. Quassa?

Minister of Justice, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the honourable Member for asking that question. It is a question that arose in my own mind as a result of at least one question that I was asked today, and statements from other honourable Members earlier in this session. It is a sensitive matter, and I would appreciate the Member's indulgence to take the question on notice and get back as soon as I can. Thank you.

The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. Both in the press and in this chamber, the Minister has indicated that we could be in a deficit position of anywhere between $50 and $100 million. Now that is a big jump, Mr. Speaker; for ordinary people like us, that is an awful jump -- to talk about $50 million and $100 million. So I would like to ask the Minister, since he is now well immersed in his new portfolio and has got a grasp of everything, whether he could explain to us the circumstances under which we could be in a $100 million deficit position.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this year we will run a deficit of some $50 million. This year the forecast was to run a deficit of some eight million dollars. That will eat up our accumulated surplus, Mr. Speaker, and if we continue to spend in the manner in which we have been spending and our revenues from the federal government continue to decline, then next year we could see ourselves running a $75 or $80 million deficit. In two years that could grow to well over $100 million, Mr. Speaker. So when I say between $50 and $100 million, I am saying that could happen in the next two years. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you. We have new figures now, Mr. Speaker, of between $75 and $80 million. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, since we have already taken all kinds of measures -- we have put the brakes on spending all over the place -- does that mean that if we continue going the way we are going, that these figures will not apply, that we will not have that kind of deficit, because we have already taken all kinds of money-saving measures?

Mr. Pollard

Mr. Speaker, no. The freeze measures that were put on were to stop the spending that was taking place, because I was alarmed at its growing from an eight million dollar forecast deficit, and I could see it going through the $40 millions -- and it went through there very quickly, Mr. Speaker -- and so the freeze was put on to stop the spending this year, to get the thing slowed down. If we continue with the freeze, we still may run a large deficit, so that is not the answer to our problem, Mr. Speaker. The answer to our problem is to live within our means. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Will the Minister confirm, then, that our overall problem is really a revenue problem? Is that how he would describe the nature of the beast he is trying to tackle?

Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, our revenues from Canada have declined because the down turn in the economy in southern Canada has had an effect upon our formula. The gross domestic product has been very low, and that has had an effect on our formula. The population factor which we thought would work in our favour has not worked in our favour, and we are some $33 million lower in revenue this year than what we had forecast, Mr. Speaker. So the Member is correct that the lack of revenues coming from Canada is one of those things that are aggravating our financial situation -- that and increased demands. We have got Health, which is continually demanding money, and we have to treat those people, Mr. Speaker, so it is demand partly, and it is also the fact that we are receiving less money from Ottawa, partly. Thank you, Mr Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since it seems that the formula is what is causing difficulty, and we had a shortfall of $30 million, it is very difficult to translate this $30 million, in light of the fact that we had a surplus, into this $50 to $100 million that the Minister of Finance has referred to. Is he anticipating that there will be a further reduction in revenue, then, to account for this $100 million he keeps on talking about?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, that will occur if our revenues remain as they are. Our spending has to be brought below our revenues, Mr. Speaker, and at our present rate of expenditure that is not occurring. So I do anticipate that if we do not get out of this recession, if the formula does not start to perform better, there may be some further losses of revenue from Canada; but that alone is not the problem. The problem is that we are spending more than we are taking in, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Council on the Status of Women has expressed outrage with regard to the absolute discharge of Paul Quassa, even though he was found guilty of sexual assault, and rightly so. Mr. Speaker, I have not spoken with a woman yet who has not expressed grave disappointment regarding this sexual assault case. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the Status of Women: Will he be making a public statement on the government's position regarding this case?

Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have not communicated with women's groups across the Territories. We have women's groups in different regions and communities, and we also have women's groups here in Yellowknife. Once I have communicated with women's groups, I will be in a position to respond to the Member. I will take the question as notice. Thank you.

The question is being taken as notice. Oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Social Services. There is a child sexual abuse specialist position in all regions except Kitikmeot. That is a coincidence, I guess. There was an advertisement to fill these positions not long ago. Have they been filled? Will the Kitikmeot be given that child sexual abuse specialist position?

Minister of Social Services.

The question is being taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Bob MacLeod, who is the assistant to my deputy minister, advised the chief verbally that the project was under review. And Len Hedberg, who is at the Yellowknife office, wrote a letter to the chief of Lac la Martre stating that the project was being reviewed. The chief, Isadore Zoe, was informed verbally and in writing about the projects being under review. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Mr. Zoe, supplementary.

Mr. Ningark.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.