Minister of Health, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I am not aware of the advertisement in the paper. However, I will make it a point to check to see whether it was necessary to advertise and whether it was advertised also in the Northwest Territories, in News North. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo, do you have a supplementary? Mr. Pudluk.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Government Leader. As I mentioned a little while ago about the person that the people had to search for when he went out to venture to the North Pole, the search cost over $200,000. Did the territorial government have to assist in the way of funding for that search that they had to do in the High Arctic? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Yes. Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the search the Member is referring to cost a total of approximately $200,000. The territorial government's share of those costs was approximately $70,000 which was incurred by the RCMP in their part of the search. Of that $70,000 the territorial government would be paying about 70 per cent, under the RCMP Agreement. The other 30 per cent would be paid for by the federal government. The remaining moneys were incurred by agencies like the Department of National Defence, Environment Canada, and other federal agencies. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Todd.

We may be small, but we will be heard. My question is to the Minister of Social Services. I am sure that the Minister recalls the submission made to him by members of the Kataujaq Society when he visited Rankin Inlet last February. Since 1987, this organization has provided a safe shelter for Keewatin women and children victimized by family violence. Recently the safe shelter moved into a larger and newly constructed facility. In February, the Minister subsequently heard from Ms. Bev Hill, the president of the Kataujaq Society, who pointed out that the commitment received from the department with respect to the O and M funding was less than 25 per cent of what is necessary to operate the facility. On May 25, in a letter from the executive director, he points out a similar situation.

When the Minister was in Rankin Inlet, he indicated he would be willing to review this matter. Can he tell us how it is now? Has he reviewed the matter to ensure there are adequate levels of funding to operate this safe shelter'?

Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Supplementary to the Minister of Social Services. Will he provide this House with an answer prior to the House closing?

Mr. Whitford.

Oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Recently I have been informed by a government employee in Inuvik that he moved into a govern ment-owned house around April 1 of this year and was assigned a specific rental rate. Within the last couple of weeks, another employee moved into a house of similar size and similar structure and was assessed a rent about $132 lower than the first employee. That is about a 12 per cent difference. My question to the Minister of Personnel is, were rents increased on government-owned houses on April 1, 1992?

Mr. Kakfwi.

The question has been taken as notice.

Oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the Government Leader's statement points to the plan to transfer corrections to the Department of Justice from the Department of Social Services so that there can be kind of a one-window approach on justice issues at the community level. Mr. Speaker, that transfer has not, as of this date, taken place; but when it does, I believe it will give myself, as Minister of Justice, a number of different tools and resources in order to respond to the growing interest of communities in taking more responsibility for dealing with justice issues. Thank you.

Oral questions. Next, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. First of all I want to take time to commend the government on their decision to locate the hangar base for the water bombers in Fort Smith. Mr. Speaker, for many years I remember those water bombers coming every year up to Fort Smith, and I do not recall them going to be located in other communities. And every fall, I recall them going back south. So I am glad that we are trying to look at ways of maximizing dollars and avoiding their going down south.

I would like to ask the Minister, though, Mr. Speaker, whether or not he is going to be considering this facility as a government project facility, or whether he would allow for consideration for groups, for organizations, to build this facility as a lease concept facility. Thank you.