Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to offer my congratulations to the Pangnirtung Tapestry Studio as it celebrates 20 years of Inuit tapestry weaving. On March 28, 1972, Inuit hand-woven tapestries were introduced to the art-buying public at the Canadian Guild of Crafts in Montreal. Since that day, Pangnirtung tapestries have been exhibited and sold at art galleries throughout Canada and the United States.

The studio marked this historic occasion with a special exhibition of works from February 9 to February 22 at the art gallery at the Ottawa School of Art. The exhibition and sale featured new works by Pangnirtung tapestry weavers Olassie Akulukjuk, Igah Etoangat, Leesee Kakee and Kawtysie Kakee. The tapestries are interpretations of images by several Pangnirtung artists, including Malaya Akulukjuk, Annie Kilabuk, Lypa Pitsiulak and Ekidluak Komoartok.

The exhibition and sale was produced by the Uqqurmiut Inuit Artists' Association of Pangnirtung, with the assistance of Sinaaq Enterprises Inc., the development subsidiary of the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to Question O135-12(2), asked by the honourable Member, Henry Zoe. Further to my response to Question O135-12(2), I would like to provide the honourable Member with more information.

Yesterday I informed Mr. Zoe that the chief of Lac la Martre had received a letter advising the community that the construction of an office/warehouse complex was under review. This information was incorrect. The chief has been advised verbally by Mr. Bob McLeod, the assistant deputy minister, and also Mr. Len Hedberg, the district superintendent for the department. The chief has not been advised in writing, and therefore I cannot provide Mr. Zoe with a copy of any correspondence.

Returns to oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to Question O66-12(2) asked by Mr. Gargan on February 18, 1992 with respect to the use of common road salt, or sodium chloride, on the Fort Providence access road. The Member wished to know why the Department of Transportation would apply salt on the road on a relatively warm February day.

In 1987 and 1988 the Department of Transportation spent $1.5 million giving the Fort Providence access road a chip seal asphaltic surface. This road improvement has the advantage of giving a smooth, dust-free and safer driving surface. The ice blades which motor graders use to remove ice from gravel surface roads would destroy the chip seal surface. The only practical way to remove ice from an asphaltic surface is to apply road salt.

As the Member reported, Tuesday, February 4, 1992, was a mild day and rain was falling in the Fort Providence area. Although the rain was liquid at the time it fell, the rain water on the road was sure to freeze later in the day and evening when the temperature dropped. The department's road maintenance crew in Fort Providence took the appropriate action in applying salt to prevent the rain from freezing and making the road a dangerously slippery surface.

The Fort Providence maintenance crew did exactly as they are expected to do. The Department of Transportation does not wait for complaints from the public or for injury or fatality accidents before taking steps to keep the roads in a safe driving condition.

I wish to correct the Member's suggestion that the Department of Transportation spent $218,000 applying salt on the Fort Providence access road. That figure is the amount the department spent in 1990-91 on salt applications for the entire highway system. In the year 1990-91, the Department of Transportation spent $28,300 for labour, equipment and salt keeping the Fort Providence access road safe for the public's use.

Thank you. Returns to oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is a return to a question asked by Mr. Arvaluk on February 12th about the problems with the water reservoir in Chesterfield Inlet. I received the letter from Mayor Titi Kadluk on February 4, 1992 and have sent a response to the mayor today. I have also provided the Member with a copy of my response. Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Returns to oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Transportation. In his response with regard to the calcium or sodium chloride that has been spread on the road, the Minister did say that the department does not wait for complaints before they do that. They are looking after the public safety, and that is more important than the complaints that are being made. Mr. Speaker, the department has been putting the chloride on the road while it was raining so that it does not freeze. Mr. Speaker, this morning on the radio there is a forecast that rain is going to be falling again in Fort Providence. Can I get the Minister's assurance that they are now putting that salt on the road?

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not sure if my department is putting salt on the road currently. As I stated earlier, last week, before we begin to put salt on the road we would communicate what we are doing to the community. In the event that we will put salt on the roads at Fort Providence, I will consult with the community prior to commencing putting the salt on the road. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister indicated that last year $218,000 was spent putting salt, or chloride, on the roads, and 10 per cent of that was designated for Fort Providence. I would like to ask the Minister in which other areas this chloride has been applied.

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will get the figures for the Member, and I will take the question as notice. Thank you.

The Minister has taken the question as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct this question to the Minister responsible for the Status of Women Council. As the Minister knows, the women started their association so they can have equal status in the workplace as well as in legal matters. I know that people make fun of women and that is part of their culture, but in the Inuit language there are words also that can intimidate women; it is possible to intimidate women by making light of them. If it is not just making fun of women, and if it is intimidating women, then it is possible to be charged for that intimidation, and it can be legally possible to follow through with it through legal means.

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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since the time that Pauktuutit was formed -- I will be contacting the chairperson on the phone to discuss this matter with her. I will be contacting the Status of Women Council tomorrow and also the NWT Native Women's Association about the court cases we were discussing the other day.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is one of the reasons why I would like to communicate and have meetings with the Status of Women Council; with Pauktuutit, which is the Inuit Women's Association; and with the NWT Native Women's Association, and then I will make the report to this House. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.