Good afternoon. I wish to inform the House that I have received the following communication from Her Honour, the Deputy Commissioner of the Northwest Territories: "Dear Mr. Speaker: I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of Bill 28, An Act Respecting Interim Appropriations for the Government of the Northwest Territories for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31st, 1993, No. 2; and Bill 29, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1992-93, during the second session of the 12th Legislative Assembly. Yours truly, Helen Maksagak, Deputy Commissioner."

Orders of the day for Wednesday, June 17, 1992. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

I would like to advise that the Hon. Don Morin will be absent from the House for the remainder of the week to attend meetings in Ottawa with the federal Minister of Housing. Thank you.

Ministers' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the House on the 58-member RCMP tactical unit and emergency response teams brought into Yellowknife on May 25 as a result of the strike at the Royal Oak mine.

On May 24th I was advised on an urgent basis by the commanding officer of G Division RCMP that tensions and the threat of violence at the mine site were well beyond the capacity of the local detachment to respond to and deal with. It was their recommendation that the only available option was to request additional resources from outside the Territories, and according, that request was made to the commissioner of the RCMP on May 24, with an immediate, positive response.

The decision was made after careful consideration of the only other option, which was to draw police resources from the other communities and regions of the Northwest Territories and to retain them in Yellowknife for an undetermined period of time. This is the option usually chosen in the provinces, but it would have been totally unacceptable to reduce, and in some cases eliminate altogether, police services in our communities for this purpose.

Members have expressed concern about costs of the RCMP reinforcements which have been in Yellowknife for three weeks now and were first deployed in full force during a serious incident last Sunday. Estimates provided by the RCMP

indicate that as of last Friday, June 12, costs reached one million dollars. However, they caution us that these do not yet include actual salary and overtime calculations and that they have estimated on the high side rather than underestimating.

Our government takes the firm position that these costs must be borne by the federal government for a number of reasons. Essentially, as we have advised the Solicitor General and his colleagues, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs, this labour-management dispute is exclusively within an area of federal responsibility, both in law and under the policing agreement we have with Canada.

The Minister of Labour has full responsibility for private sector labour relations in the Territories and is in that sense the territorial Minister of Labour. Later today I will circulate a letter that I sent yesterday to the Hon. Marcel Danis, the federal Minister of Labour, concerning the strike. The RCMP reinforcements are here exclusively to deal with the fallout from this strike and are not required in any normal role of preserving the peace and enforcing the criminal laws within the city of Yellowknife. Thank you.

Thank you. I wonder if I could get the attention of the people in the gallery. This is the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories, representative of all the people of the Northwest Territories. The public is invited here with full courtesy and warmth. I would ask you, please, not to show your placards here in the Assembly. If you feel you must show your placards, I would ask that you do it outside the building. You are very, very welcome to stay here, but I would ask you to extend to us the same courtesy that we extend to the public in this Assembly. Thank you very much.

Ministers' statements. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in early May the Hon. Titus Allooloo travelled to Japan and met with officials from Daishowa and Mitsubishi. These two companies own the Daishowa and ALPAC pulp mills in northern Alberta. Mr. Allooloo outlined the traditional lifestyle of territorial residents and people's concerns for the quality of the water and fish they depend upon. Mr. Allooloo discussed a letter I sent which invited officials from these companies to visit the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that representatives from Daishowa Canada have accepted my invitation. They will make a presentation to interested Members of the Legislative Assembly on June 25 at 8:00 a.m. Later that day they will meet with government officials and native organizations.

Mr. Speaker, our Government wants to make sure that our waters are not adversely affected by upstream activities. I am pleased that Daishowa Canada has taken this step to learn more about our lifestyles and discuss what must be done so we can protect our environment and live together. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ningark. Ministers'

statements. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the first week of June, I attended the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. My primary purpose was to speak at a forum on Indigenous Peoples' Use and Management of Resources. This forum was organized by our government and the Inuit Circumpolar Conference and the Comite Intertribal do Brasil.

Over 200 delegates from many countries attended the forum. They heard people from northern Canada, Greenland, Brazil, Panama and eastern Siberia speak about the importance of maintaining their traditional lifestyles and cultures.

As a speaker, I explained that the use of resources by Northerners has always reflected the modern concept of .'sustainable development." I described how actions against hunting and trapping in other countries can have an impact on our lifestyles. I asked people to recognize that cultural needs vary among regions. What is right for New York City or Paris may not be right for Gjoa Haven or Fort Liard. Economic development needs to be based on healthy resources and must suit the lifestyles of the people who live there. This was stressed again by the Hon. Ove-Rosing Olsen, Minister of Environment, Greenland Home Rule Government.

Les Carpenter from Sachs Harbour also spoke at the forum. He highlighted Inuvialuit involvement in resource management through their land claim agreement. Mr. Carpenter pointed out that by blending traditional and scientific knowledge, better decisions can be made and the environment will be respected.

The Hon. Jean Charest, Minister of Environment Canada, also attended our forum and spoke of the importance of recognizing indigenous peoples' needs and interests in resource use management. Mr. Charest, on behalf of our government, presented a final report on the forum to the chairman of the United Nations Conference.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is important that our government continue to participate at international forums that relate to the environment and development. If people are to respect our lifestyles, they must know who we are. The Government of Canada will continue to support our efforts in this area.

In comparison to the situation of many other indigenous peoples, our residents are fortunate to be blessed with a wealth of resources. Through the policies of our government and the federal government, our residents participate in renewable resource management. In Rio, I heard again and again of the excellence of our renewable resource management programs and how we are leading the way for many other indigenous peoples.

Mr. Speaker, I was proud to represent our people and our government at the United Nations Conference. I will continue to work hard to protect our resources and our rights to harvest those resources. Thank you.

--- Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in this city miners are engaged in a bitter strike that threatens to damage the fabric of this community. It is the toughest strike that Yellowknife has ever seen. As an elected person in this Legislative Assembly, I am a very frustrated man. I see people suffering but I have no power to resolve that suffering or to resolve the issue that causes it.

Responsibility for labour, Mr. Speaker, as we all know, lies with the federal government. Only the federal government and the two parties to the dispute have any method whatsoever available to them to resolve this issue. The House of Commons, Mr. Speaker, shuts down for the summer this Friday, June 19.

Later, Mr. Speaker, I shall table a petition signed by 320 citizens, urging this government to press the federal government to urge its powers and to use them to resolve this labour dispute. Later on I shall also be asking the Minister responsible for safety to at least answer some questions in that area for which we do have responsibility, and that relates to the whole issue of mine safety.

In connection, too, with this strike, if I may, I would like to read a letter for Members, so they can get a flavour of what this city is like as a result of this strike. It is a letter from a group of three young people who have written to all Members, and I would like to share it with you:

"We are a group of concerned teenagers who dislike what is occurring in our town. As you know, our little city of Yellowknife is in the middle of a very intense and violent strike. There is a lot of hurt, anger, and hatred being spread through the people around us because of this strike. It is in the middle of its fourth week and has been carried on for way too long. We have sat around watching and listening, helplessly. There has been nothing we could do to stop it. So we formed our little group, trying to open the eyes of the public of the city, hoping that they would listen to us.

We do not like being affected by the strike. We are..."

Mr. Lewis, your allotted time has expired. Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Lewis.

"We are being told to take sides and then in turn lose friends. We choose not to take sides. All we want is a resolution to be found. It seems to us there is no end in sight until the talks resume and the violence ends. The disputes are being ignored; the adults seems to view it as something that we have to tolerate. We can't tolerate it. It's tearing the community apart.

It seems they are doing nothing about the strike, so if they choose not to, the rest of us have to. We will no longer stand by and watch the adults of our society act this way. We will fight to end this strike; it may not seem like much but we are trying to open the eyes of the management, the strikers, the public, the entire town, to tell them that we have had enough; it has to end. It will tear the town apart if we don't end it soon. We need to show this little city that we care. This is our home. We need to keep the people together as a community.

One of us is a daughter of a striker. One of us is the daughter of a staff member. One of us is the daughter of someone who shouldn't be affected by the strike, but is. We can stand together in unison. Can the city?"

It is signed by three young people of this community: Laura Howden; Crystal Gaudry-Bouchard and Candice Keenan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--- Applause

Thank you. Members' statements. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to commend the Government Leader for the bold and very significant step she took with the June 16 announcement of a New Directions initiative. This is the sort of thing that has been needed and should have been done years ago. Mr. Speaker, the benefits will be experienced throughout the Northwest Territories from the stimulation of local and regional economies. But that is only half of it. Program delivery decisions will also be made closer to the people who need to be served. On an economic development rationale and a service delivery rationale, the New Directions initiatives have both.

Recipient communities throughout the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, are ready. Local governments and the private sector are poised to take on the task of supporting the infrastructure needed for decentralization. You will find they are willing, devoted, and have the energy and commitment for the planning process. But there is much that must be done, in partnership with the government, with this initiative. So today I am calling on the Government Leader and her cabinet colleagues to keep the momentum building.

First, we all need to begin to work on identifying the housing and office space requirements in the communities targeted for decentralization. Second, joint planning should begin now with the Departments of Public Works and MACA to develop a sound process through which the capital asset base will eventually be accrued to regional and local ownership. Third, there is a need to prepare regional residents for employment in the decentralization programs and services. Mr. Speaker, this is important. There is no sense in a decentralization initiative if it is not accompanied by administrative, and especially management, training that will enable our people to take advantage of this initiative. Fourth, we must support those public servants who accept the challenge of taking new direction in their careers and who agree to move to new communities with a view to making this initiative work.

As a final note, I would like to address a personal comment to those civil servants that will move. To the members of our public civil service who will be faced with a decision about workplace transfer and relocation of their next careers, I would say, do it. Make the decision to accompany the program. Be part of, and contribute to, this new initiative. In return for their commitment, we will have an opportunity, and they will have an opportunity, to experience the warmth of an emerging northern community, a sense of professional renewal, and a personal satisfaction that goes hand in hand with working in the regional setting. I know from my own experience of 20 years in the Keewatin, I would not change it for anything. Thank you.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome students from the management and public administration course at Arctic College. They are here with Allice Legatt.

--- Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are three field-based teacher education projects operating right now within the Northwest Territories. These projects offer an alternative to attending college for two years in Iqaluit or Fort Smith or taking correspondence courses over a significant period of time. The teacher education projects offer two-year programs in the Keewatin Region, in Arviat, Baker Lake and Rankin Inlet, and in Hay River and Rae-Edzo.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that the intention of these two-year projects was to attract aboriginal students, especially those with experience in the schools, to teach education while offering training within their home communities. There is a high teacher turnover in the Northwest Territories and not enough aboriginal teachers, but many people who would like to become teachers simply cannot leave their homes, families and jobs for the time it takes to attend college in Fort Smith or Iqaluit, and it is not acceptable for the children of the Northwest Territories to be forced to wait until aboriginal people who would be good teachers take all of their correspondence courses after hours.

Mr. Speaker, I am told that 10 students have graduated from the Rae-Edzo project and that two are presently attending at Hay River. I am pleased to inform the House that the teacher education program within the Keewatin communities has been certainly the most successful ever in the Territories in terms of training the most aboriginal people to teach within their communities. The project has been greeted with enthusiasm, and there has been a great demand for courses. At present, there are 25 students attending the program full time, and approximately 10 take courses on a part-time basis. There are also 12 more students who are eligible to join the program for its second year.

But, Mr. Speaker, this brings me to an area of great concern. Many of the students who have enroled in the community teacher education projects were already employed as assistants within the school system and so would bring valuable experience to a teaching position. These students have been eligible for...

Mr. Arngna'naaq, your time has expired. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

I seek unanimous consent to continue with my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Members' statements. Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to inform this House as to what a CMA is. Many of you know that I use the designation CMA after my name, and I have had many enquiries asking what a CMA is. A CMA is a professional designation which signifies that I am a certified management accountant. What is management accounting? Management accounting is the use of people's skills, accounting skills and analytical skills, to improve the decisions and profitability of an organization. Most management accountants work as employees of a single organization whether in industry, business or government. They help that organization achieve its goals and objectives.

Two thirds of all opportunities in today's accounting profession are in management accounting. The CMA designation proves the individual has a combination of skills and current knowledge to function as an important member of the management team. A CMA's choice of career opportunities is flexible and unlimited. This is because every kind of organization needs professionals who are able to manage money, people, technology and information.

CMAs are in demand in all sectors of enterprise, and many are not restricted to traditional accounting roles. Many are presidents, general managers, comptrollers and now even politicians. The CMA designation is the mark of an achiever. It means public recognition and a chance to meet stimulating people while performing interesting and important work as a respected professional. The CMA designation is awarded to those who have successfully completed the academic examination and practical experience requirement established by the Society of Management Accountants.

What is the Society of Management Accountants? It is a nationally-based professional organization responsible for the training, accreditation and continual professional development of CMAs. The federation of self-governing national, provincial and territorial organizations is a society...

Mr. Koe, you time has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue with my statement.

The Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Koe.

The society is a national organization, and the Northwest Territories is registered as one of the societies of this organization. There are approximately 48 professional members, 28 student members and 10 associate members in the Northwest Territories. I am currently the president of this society.

--- Applause

Members' statements. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Speaker, the results of the historic plebiscite on May 4th has brought the Inuit dream of Nunavut closer to reality than ever before. People throughout the Northwest Territories are realizing that within the next decade we will be witnessing unprecedented political and economic changes in all regions of our homeland. Yet, I am concerned, Mr. Speaker, that there seems to be little recognition in the government's planning for the delivery of programs and services. Honourable Members will note, for instance, the almost complete absence of any reference to Nunavut in the Strength at Two Levels document, which purports to provide a blueprint for the role of government in the Northwest Territories, and it is not even mentioned in the Government Leader's statement yesterday, called New Directions. They will also note that the current capital planning does not reflect the needs of independent Nunavut. Long-range planning for the delivery of health services, children's mental health and addiction treatment all continue to focus on the model which views the western part of the Territories as the source of institutional programming and circuit travel by teams of non-Inuit professionals. This must change, Mr. Speaker.

Departmental officials are going to have to recognize the reality of division and begin to plan for the day when public government in Nunavut assumes authority for the delivery of programs and services. Members of this cabinet must ensure that departmental planning from here on in gives due consideration to program transfer, to create division, decentralization and training of eastern personnel for new administrative responsibilities. While this will be essential for departmental services, I believe it is even more vital when it comes to govern ment-created boards and agencies, especially the larger, corporate-styled organizations which have been established at an arm's length from government. I will be raising questions with the Government Leader and her Ministers over the course of this current sitting, Mr. Speaker. I am sure that...

Ms. Mike your allotted time has expired.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed please, Ms. Mike.

Mr. Speaker, I will be raising questions with the Government Leader and her Ministers over the course of this current sitting. I am sure that honourable Members will agree with me that the time to begin building a framework for the future implementation of Nunavut programs and services is now. Thank you.

--- Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past several weeks, I have thought long and hard about the comments made regarding the performance of the Minister of Social Services shortly before the second session recessed in April. I rise today to indicate my confidence in and support for the honourable Member for Yellowknife South.

I will tell the House, Mr. Speaker, that I did not vote for Mr. Whitford when we were originally selecting our Executive Council. I have always believed, however, that Ministers should be selected on the basis of whether their abilities are best suited to carry out the ministerial duties inherent to their portfolio assignment. I believe that every new Minister must be given an opportunity to prove those abilities. Over the past few months in his new portfolio, I have come to respect the way Mr. Whitford's personal approach and positive attitude has assisted me. I have been impressed with the Minister's willingness to listen to the opinions and aspirations of community leaders during his frequent constituency visits. When he visited Fort Providence on April 21, his open style of communicating resulted in a clear understanding of the issues surrounding Social Service deliveries.

I also believe that the Minister has demonstrated continued support and strong leadership in resolving long-standing issues surrounding the location of the handicapped adult group home in the Keewatin, bringing in critically needed amendments to the Child Day Care Act, fostering an unprecedented level of training in suicide prevention and addiction counselling, and solidifying an effective SARS program for social assistance recipients.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Social Services will never be faced with a lack of client concerns, process complaints, program needs, or new challenges. What has been lacking so far, however, has been any apparent support from the Minister's cabinet colleagues. I have been repeatedly dismayed by the way other Ministers have remained silent in the...

Mr. Gargan, your allotted time has elapsed.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to finish my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Proceed, Mr. Gargan,

Mr. Speaker, thank you, colleagues. I have been repeatedly dismayed by the way other Ministers have remained silent in this House when their support should have brought additional balance and understanding to debates on social or health issues. I also find it inexcusable that important initiatives such as the harvesters support program in Renewable Resources and the family law review in the Department of Justice have been allowed to stall and leave the Minister of Social Services in a compromised position. Clearly the lack of interdepartmental co-ordination and the apparent failure of Ministers to support each other signal deep problems within the Executive Council. I would call on the Government Leader to address herself immediately to the issue of cabinet disunity. Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Members' statements. Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today on behalf of the ordinary Members' caucus to speak about the decentralization initiatives announced by the Government Leader yesterday. Mr. Speaker, Members on this side of the House fully support the principle of decentralization. We feel that the decentralization to all regions of the Northwest Territories will enhance regional decision-making powers, enhance program deliveries, and assist in developing viable economies in our smaller communities.

With that said, Mr. Speaker, we also believe that decentralization should occur in a fair and equitable manner. Decentralization has to be properly planned and managed, following clear policy guidelines to maximize the benefits to the affected communities and to enhance program delivery. It must not be perceived as a band-aid solution to political and budgetary problems. The initiatives announced yesterday certainly do not address the needs of all the regions in the Northwest Territories. In addition, we have yet to see a global decentralization plan and how it will fit into the overall restructuring of northern government. Thank you.

Members' statements. Point of privilege, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Point Of Privilege

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on a point of privilege to correct a factual error contained within the article of today's Yellowknifer newspaper. The article, developed by Ronna Bremer, which appears under the headline, "Whitford Gets Temporary Reprieve," states that I indicated on April 3rd that I would be seeking unanimous consent to deal with my motion to revoke the appointment of the Hon. Tony Whitford as a Member of the Executive Council.

Mr. Speaker, the Hansard for Friday, April 3rd clearly shows that I made no such statement and I would be appreciative if reporters would have the courtesy to accurately reflect the proceedings of the business of this House. Thank you.

Mrs. Marie-Jewell is exercising her rights under the rules of this House. Members' statements, Mr. Zoe.

Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi. Mr. Speaker. I must say that I am disappointed because of the announcement yesterday that the aircraft maintenance facility is to go to Fort Smith rather than to Fort Simpson. The reason I say that is because I was hoping to be given an opportunity to try to get this facility located in Fort Simpson. All I was asking for was a fair chance.

The reason for that is that I think the study the decision was based on is shallow and it does not give Fort Simpson fair consideration. I say this because the value of such a facility is $7.3 million and 15 permanent jobs which are not government positions, and it does not exist in the government system at all at this present time. The spinoff and net effect would greatly revive any regional economy. There are numerous economic benefits that would greatly benefit any community.

I think Fort Simpson is a prime location. I have talked to many government officials who travel to Simpson, and they think it is a very good place. I think it was a prime location since six per cent of the marketable forest in the NWT is right in our back yard, and an aircraft maintenance facility services aircraft that fight fires.

The policy to decentralize, I think, is to spread economic benefits to communities known as emerging market communities. I think Fort Smith already has a lot of things like Arctic College, women's corrections, youth facilities and fire operations. The emerging market communities need permanent government programs to ensure a sound economic base. It is like building any facility in the North and trying to find an anchor tenant that would guarantee that you would

meet your mortgage, a long-term guarantee. It is the same thing on a larger scale in the communities. I am saying that on behalf of most of the smaller communities that aspire to develop their economy.

Mr. Antoine, your time has elapsed.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? I will ask again. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays?

Nay.

There is a nay. The request has been denied. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on April 2, concerning the relocation of the Fort Smith municipal planning engineer. I have further advised the honourable Member on this matter in a letter dated April 16, 1992. Thank you.

Returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have been in continual contact with the Minister of Labour or his office since this labour situation began, considering that the jurisdiction is with the federal government and our government does not have the power to act to resolve this matter. To answer the Member's question, Mr. Speaker, I spoke to Mr. Danis late yesterday. He told me that the letter had resulted in a lot of effort on the part of his office; that he was going to be consulting with Cabinet colleagues and with the other political parties about our request since, as the Member is aware, if legislative action is to take place before the summer adjournment, it would require all-party consent. Mr. Danis assured me I would have an answer by late today, or tomorrow morning at the latest. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for mine safety. I would like to ask him whether he is aware that, as a result of a call from Giant Mine in the early hours today, the Fire Marshal, an officer, and Mr. Gould from mine safety visited the site and were refused entrance. Was he aware of that fact?

Mr. Patterson.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Mr. Lewis, supplementary.

Mr. Speaker, since this Minister has a responsibility for mine safety, and since the call originated at the mine because there was a concern about mine safety, what does he intend to do to discharge his responsibility to make sure there is a safe working place out there for those people who are working?

Mr. Patterson.

I-

Mr. Speaker, the prevention of the Fire Marshal or of an officer in the Fire Marshal's department from exercising his authorities and doing his duties is a serious offence under the Fire Prevention Act. It is also serious in that it could jeopardize safety, as the Member has indicated. Mr. Speaker, the incident the Member refers to is being taken very seriously by my officials. I understand that following their denial of entry to the mine property by mine management this morning, the three members of my staff, after 40 minutes, left and returned to their offices. They are making another attempt to discharge their duties and to respond to the call from the mine management this afternoon, Mr. Speaker. If they are obstructed or hindered again in doing their duties, then my officials inform me they will certainly consider laying charges of obstruction under the Fire Prevention Act. Thank you.

Mr. Lewis, supplementary.

Mr. Speaker, that is not a very good answer. What the Minister is telling me is that there may be something very serious at that mine site of which he has no knowledge simply because the people who have the responsibility are not allowed to go in there to determine whether it is a safe place or not; so I would like to ask him, what is he prepared to do right at this minute to make sure he has the information so he can discharge his responsibility?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I have told the honourable Member that right now, at this very minute, three of my officials who have a lawful right under the Fire

Prevention Act to obtain access to the property are attempting to exercise that right. If they are once again obstructed, they will use all legal remedies available to gain access; that is, the provisions of the Fire Prevention Act which provide for serious penalties for anyone who disturbs them in the execution of their duties.

Mr, Speaker, we have some information about the nature of the concern. It has to do with the disruption of phone lines and other communications flowing from a power outage and concern over the operation of fire pumps. Thank you.

Mr. Lewis, supplementary.

Thank you. I would like to ask the Minister if he will make a commitment to get an answer to this question, before 6:00 p.m. today, as to whether or not he is convinced that what is going on out there does not constitute a breach of safety for the people who are working there.

A commitment like that might be out of the responsibility of the Minister. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, as I said, we are now making all efforts to respond to the numerous calls that the Yellowknife Fire Department received on this matter. If we are obstructed and prevented from exercising our responsibility for public safety, then there are measures to be taken, Mr. Speaker. I have yet to receive advice from my department about what measures should be taken, but I know that since the acting chief mining inspector was also one of the persons who was denied entry to the mine this morning, along with the Fire Marshal, the Mining Safety Act also gives the acting chief mine inspector significant powers to deal with a situation where he has reason to believe the safety of miners is affected. Those powers are as drastic as the closure of the mine.

Mr. Speaker, it is too early for me at this point in time to say whether that remedy will have to be employed, but I have every expectation that my officials will exercise the powers and deal with the issue of safety as seriously as it should be dealt with. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board. Mr. Koe, yesterday, told the House that the Public Utilities Board granted the Power Commission a six per cent interim increase to power rates effective April 1. This increase is an interim increase until the board has the opportunity to hold full hearings on the Power Corporation's application to increase the rates. Given the current economic climate from the agreements that are in place, it astounds me that the Public Utilities Board would give the Power Corporation an increase of six per cent. Can the Minister please tell me what, if any, criteria the PUB uses to grant interim increases in the absence of submissions from the general public and other interested parties to the NWT Power Corporation?

Mr. Minister.

I will take the question as notice,

Mr. Speaker.

The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Justice with regard to the statement he made today. Mr. Speaker, in the Minister's statement he indicated that the RCMP costs have reached one million dollars; however, he does not know the actual cost of the salary and overtime calculations. He believes that the territorial government has taken the firm position that the federal government will bear the cost of providing RCMP. I would like to ask the Minister of Justice why he did not ask the Solicitor General of Canada to provide the RCMP since this is out of our jurisdiction. Why did the Minister not ask the Solicitor General of Canada to provide RCMP to ensure that the cost is borne by the federal government?

Minister of Justice, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the request for RCMP reinforcements on May 24 was actually made to the Commissioner for the RCMP, who reports to the Solicitor General for Canada. In that sense, Mr. Speaker, the request was made through the Commissioner of the RCMP to the Solicitor General for Canada. I discussed that request with the Solicitor General for Canada shortly after the decision was made to provide RCMP reinforcements. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister of Justice, since he has taken that route to ask for provision of RCMP enforcement in Yellowknife, can he confirm for this House that the cost of providing the RCMP will be borne by the federal government and not the territorial government?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, before I answer the latter question, I would like to clarity that rather than having asked for RCMP reinforcements or initiating the request, requests for reinforcements were actually made by the RCMP commanding officer in the Northwest Territories. It was not initiated by this government; however, once that request was made to our government and to the Commissioner of the RCMP, as I said in my statement today, I determined that there was no alternative but to endorse that request.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot tell the honourable Member today that the Government of Canada has agreed to underwrite those expenses, but we have a strong case, we believe, based on the wording of the Police Services Agreement which governs these matters, that this is a federal undertaking. It is a matter of federal jurisdiction and labour relations, and, therefore, as per the police agreement, expenses should be borne by the federal government. I have presented that view forcefully to the Solicitor General. He disputes that view. At the moment,

it is not clear that the federal government has agreed. However, Mr. Speaker, our government is taking the firm position that these expenses are not our responsibility and will not be borne by us. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, Members are concerned about the cost our government may have to absorb in providing RCMP reinforcements. I want to ask the Minister if he can provide this House with an estimation, at least, of the salary and overtime calculations that have been estimated by providing the RCMP in respect to this issue.

Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can provide an estimate; I have one in hand, and perhaps I can circulate it to Members. The expenses that are being incurred include travel costs, per them meals and accommodation, federal redeployment, administrative redeployment and the salary expenses, and the total is up to as high as $56,180 per day and as low as $51,800 per day.

Oral questions. Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health. Honourable Members may recall that on February 14, 1992, 1 asked some questions about the department's plan to recruit a manager of medical travel position that was recommended in the Beatty Report before the consultation process that has been promised. The Government Leader responded herself and stated that this position was needed so badly that she had no alternative but to waive the hiring freeze and proceed immediately to recruit new staff.

I have since learned that the competition was held months ago and that only one candidate was interviewed. The candidate subsequently refused the position, and since that time there has been no attempt to have further recruitment for this position. Can the Minister please explain what is going on in the Department of Health? If this position was so crucial and urgent in February, why has the whole idea been shelved after one unsuccessful attempt at recruitment?

Minister of Health, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as notice.

The question has been taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Health, but I just want to say I have a difficult time operating in this kind of environment. My question deals with future plans for the hospital in Fort Simpson. During the last session, the Minister of Health informed the House that the department was conducting a

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, yes.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have stated in this House before, the people of my region see the hospital as providing an essential service. If anything, they believe the services provided by the hospital should be enhanced rather than reduced. Could the Minister advise me whether any decision has been reached concerning changes to the level of service presently being provided by the Fort Simpson Hospital?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, no decision has been made. There will be no decision made until the community has been consulted. The report has gone back to them, and further input has been received. No decision will be made without the input of the community.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A question for the Government Leader in her capacity as Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation. In April, the Government Leader told this House that a comprehensive study on the benefits of privatizing the Power Corporation would be initiated by the government. Could the Government Leader please inform this House of what steps have been taken to initiate this privatization study?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I will have to take that as notice because I do not know exactly what stage that is at today.

Mr. Dent.

Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Not as well as I would like. On a daily basis, it is probably losing between $300 and $400, but when you factor in the capital costs, the start-up costs and the sunk costs, then we stand to lose in excess of three million dollars with the continuation of the exposition. Members will remember, Mr. Speaker, that at the time that report came forward, the projection was a minimum of $2.5 million for not proceeding because of contracts and other promises that had been made. So it is not performing as well as I would like.

I would point out that as much as the report mentioned that it maybe should be shut down after 30 days if it is not a positive cash flow, I did not adopt that position and said so in this House. I will be reporting to this House next week in more detail on the performance of the exposition to date.

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been a couple of assessments done by Mr. Ward. He has sent them to my office. There are some logistical problems with the supply company that has the contract to supply all pavilions. I am fairly satisfied that almost everybody over there is having those kinds of difficulties. Mr. Ward is also concerned about the access to our portion of the pavilion. He is concerned about during the Imax performance not mentioning that we are part of that pavilion. He is concerned with the intense security that sometimes causes him problems. He is concerned with the fact that pulses through the Canadian pavilion are three and not four, which provides us with less business than we would have liked. He is concerned that the Spanish people, who are attending the fair at the present time, in the majority, do not have the disposable income that one would like to see in a visitor to that exposition, simply because we expect people who are on site to buy services and buy products.

There is a belief that when northern Europeans go on vacation, which is expected to start in the latter part of this month, Mr. Speaker, that business will increase because those people will have more disposable income.

I could go on with some other concerns, but I think we anticipated that it was going to be difficult to operate from this vast distance, and I am anxiously awaiting another assessment by Mr. Nerysoo; I understand that he is going to provide it to me in writing this week. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.