Mr. Speaker, I did not come away with a certified cheque, if that is what the Member is asking. I think with regard to the formula funding, there is a recognition at Finance, and I would stress that I was not talking to the Department of Finance, but there is a recognition at the Department of Finance that perhaps the bite that was put on a couple of years ago has really seriously hurt the funding agreement with Canada.

With regard to the health billing issue, Mr. Siddon and I were at odds, and there seems to be some discrepancy between our position and the federal government position with regard to the billing process. Mr. Siddon's officials advise him that the GNWT is double billing and we maintain that we are not double billing. So there was a meeting this morning between the Government Leader, myself and Mr. Whitford and officials in regard to what to do now; and we have placed, at noon, a new position before the Department of Indian Affairs, and. I would hope we would receive a response tomorrow.

In the area of the grants in lieu, again the federal government's position is that they would certainly pay grants in lieu on land set aside for aboriginal people as long as they were in control of those lands and we had not placed any buildings upon them. But their position on lands that we have allowed people to build HAP houses on or build their own houses, is that the federal government believes it is now our responsibility. So we are still at loggerheads on that one, although Mr. Siddon was told, in no uncertain terms, that unless we were able to resolve these differences, we would pursue a course of action.

The time period for oral questions has expired.

Item 6, written questions. Item 7, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Hon. Titus Allooloo's return to Question W27-12(2), asked by Mr. Nerysoo on March 9, 1992: In 1991-92, advanced education, lnuvik Region, had a budget of $67,000 in grants and contributions, which was divided between seven communities in the Inuvik Region, The funds were used to subsidize the salary of community employment officers. In November 1991, Canada Employment and Immigration made a $15,000 contribution to each of the employment offices. However, the program will be turned over to the Gwich'in and Inuvialuit Pathways Group for 1992-93.

The Department of Education will review its essential program priorities under a functional review in 1992-93. At this time no changes have been undertaken regarding funding for 1992-93. Ongoing discussions between the Department of Education and the hamlet of Aklavik are occurring. I am informed that at present the main problem is the inability of the hamlet to support the salary for a full-time employment off icer. Should there be changes to the existing funding levels, the standing committee on finance and this Legislature will be consulted through the main estimates approval process.

Returns to written questions.

Item 8, replies to Opening Address.

Item 9, petitions.

Item 10, reports of standing and special committees.

Item 11, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 12, tabling of documents. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Pursuant to section 32(3) of the Financial Administration Act, I wish to table Tabled Document 37-12(2), a list of all interactivity transfers exceeding $250,000 within departments for the period December 10, 1991 to March 23, 1992.

Tabling of documents.

Item 13, notices of motions.

Item 14, notices of motions for first reading of bills.

Item 15, motions. Motion 10-12(2) will remain on the order paper.

Item 16, first reading of bills.

Item 17, second reading of bills. Item 18, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 9-12(2), Strength at Two Levels; Tabled Document 10-12(2), Reshaping Northern Government; Tabled Document 12-12(2), Plebiscite Direction; Bill 14, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93; Motion 6-12(2), Discussion on Sobriety Clause in Contribution Agreements; Bill 25, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 1991-92; Bill 5, An Act to Repeal the Neptune Resources Corporation Loan Guarantee Act; Bill 12, Tobacco Tax Act; Bill 22, Write-off of Assets and Debts Act, 1992; Bill 23, Loan Authorization Act, 1992-93; Bill 7, Interim Appropriations for the GNWT for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 1993, with Mr. Nerysoo in the chair.

I will call the committee to order. We were dealing with Bill 25, page 10, Justice, O and M. What is the wish of the committee? that we proceed with the details?

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Does the Minister wish to have witnesses appear? Mr. Pollard.

If I could ask the committee to allow Mr. Voytilla to appear.

Is the House agreed?

Agreed.

--- Agreed

Department Of Justice

Police Services, Total O and M

Page 10, police services, not previously authorized, $1,153,000. Mr. Gargan.

Kitty Nowdluk-Reynolds Case Complaint

Mr. Speaker, one of the things that has come up over the weekend is that they do not have any policy with regard to when they make an arrest or when the courts issue a warrant for arrest of victims to appear as witnesses. This is one area in which the RCMP have indicated they do not have any policy, and I believe they do not intend to have a policy on that. So we have a situation where a repeat of what has been happening during the last several years with regard to witnesses could very well happen again. Is this government going to be advising or directing the police force to review those situations and see whether or not a process could be developed with regard to when victims are arrested as witnesses?

There were a number of recommendations that came out of the inquiry that is happening in lqaluit. Is anything going to be done as a result of the inquiry?

Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I certainly do agree with the Member that this is a matter that needs to be looked into. I am sure that it will be given a thorough review by the RCMP Public Complaints Commission, which did just complete its deliberations this past Friday. The complaint commission heard from 19 witnesses, including five members of the RCMP from British Columbia who would have been involved in the arrest of that particular witness. The commission had its own legal counsel, and so did the particular complainant. I am told that we can expect a detailed report from the commission, but that it will take approximately two months.

The report from the complaint heard over the past eight days in lqaluit is expected within two months. There was a person from the NWT sitting on that complaints commission, Mr. Lazarus Arreak, and I believe the matter will be thoroughly addressed by that report, and it will undoubtedly influence the way these matters are dealt with in the future. Thank you.

Mr. Gargan.

Again, with regard to this topic, the Minister did indicate that there were 19 witnesses, including five RCMP members. Presumably then there was 24 witnesses that appeared. Did this government take any role as a witness in the inquiry?

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, the short answer to that is no, our government did not have a formal role. This commission was appointed under the authority of the Solicitor General for Canada, who covered all the expenses. So our government did not have a formal role as such.

Mr. Gargan.

I would see it as not playing a role -- maybe it was the government that was doing that. But it is the federal government that has issued the inquiry, and I would think that we would have a role to play, since it is a citizen of the Territories that was victimized by the legal system. I would think that after two years the government would have established a position on the treatment that was given to this individual. I am surprised that the government did not make a presentation on behalf of the residents of the NWT, since most of the witnesses were not for the victim but for the legal system itself.

Thank you. Mr. Patterson.