Mrs. Marie-Jewell, I think you have made a very astute observation, and one that this House will duly take note of and rectify. Members' statements. Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to speak about my concerns regarding the decentralization initiatives announced Tuesday by the Government Leader. I have tried, during my short time in this House, to give this cabinet the benefit of the doubt in the planning for the restructuring of northern government. I understand that the job they have is very difficult, and tough decisions are required. Mr. Speaker, I can bide my time no longer.

During the last Assembly, several ordinary Members spoke passionately about the seemingly unequal distribution of money for capital projects and other programs throughout the NWT and, in particular, the Kitikmeot Region. Sadly, this cabinet seems to be continuing this trend. The recent decentralization of government programs ignored the two most economically disadvantaged regions of the NWT; the North Slave and the Kitikmeot. Clearly it is these regions that require the most benefits derived from the decentralization of government programs.

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to sound opposed to any mining venture in my region; I simply say that the people of the Kitikmeot want to build a strong and self-sustaining economy that can survive downturns in the economy. We cannot rely solely on the discovery of minerals that we may have or that may or may not be developed in the future.

Mr. Bernhardt, your time has expired.

I seek unanimous consent to finish my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not often that I agree with the former Member for Kitikmeot. However when he stated during the last Assembly that in regard to the distribution of government money and programs, "it would be better if the Kitikmeot became part of the Keewatin Region, or better yet, was considered a suburb of Iqaluit," I think he hit the nail directly on the head. Thank you.

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Allooloo.

Mr. Patterson.

This is a return to a question asked by Mr. Lewis yesterday, on the refusal of entry of the Fire Marshal at Giant Mine. On the morning of Wednesday, June 17, 1992, the Fire Marshal, accompanied by the acting chief mining safety inspector and the fire chief of the City of Yellowknife, attended at the Giant Mine to perform inspections. The officials were unable to gain access to the property.

One charge each has been laid pursuant to section 20 of the Fire Prevention Act against Mr. Terry Byberg, mine manager, and against Royal Oak Resources for obstructing the Fire Marshal. The Fire Marshal, the acting chief mining safety inspector, and the fire chief of the City of Yellowknife again attended at Royal Oak on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 17, 1992 and were given access to the property.

As the charges of obstructing the Fire Marshal have been laid, no further comments will be made on this matter by departmental officials or the Minister until the charges are disposed of in court. The first appearance in court of those charged is set for Thursday, July 16, 1992

The Department of Safety and Public Services is continuing to closely monitor safety conditions at Royal Oak Resources to ensure that the occupational health and safety of all personnel are preserved.

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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Grise Fiord has a problem of not having a policeman in their community. On June 5th I wrote a letter in regard to their concern. Can the Minister of Justice indicate to me if Grise Fiord will be included to have an RCMP there?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I am as concerned as the Member about the possibility of so-called satellite detachments at communities like Grise Fiord being deprived of their members in the future. I think they are important not only for the community but also for other reasons, including sovereignty.

Mr. Speaker, to answer the Member's question, there has, as of today, been no final resolution of this issue. I am still in discussions with the RCMP about this matter. We are attempting to work out an arrangement which will allow communities like Grise Fiord to still have police services in the coming year, even despite the financial restraint that we are operating under. I will continue working vigorously in that direction, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister of Renewable Resources is the Minister I wanted to question, but I can direct this to the Economic Development Minister. There is a lot of talk on fishing, and there are bluefish, grayling, jackfish, whitefish, fish of this kind. A lot of these fish are being disposed of, and early this spring there was a meeting in Hay River. Some of the delegates from Providence attended this meeting. This is the reason I wanted to ask the Minister if, instead of disposing of this fish, it can be sold or we could use the stuff for pet food or something. I wonder what they are going to do with this.

Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There have been a number of proposals over the years. I think at one time, in 1985, there was a proposal to ship culled fish and fish that had net marks or cut fish, out on the lake, to Calgary to Red Top Dog Foods. Red Top Dog Foods offered 13 cents a pound at that time, Mr. Speaker, and the freight to get it to Calgary was 15 cents a pound. Fishermen who catch fish on the lake that are not accepted by the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation cannot afford the fuel to haul them off the lake, so there has been a lot of looking at that.

There is an interesting proposal at the present time from a group in Hay River, to start up a company that would process that fish in Hay River, and that is being looked at now. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. I have Mr. Dent next.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, as I told the office of the Hon. Marcel Danis this morning, I was waiting, then I was waiting anxiously, and then I was waiting very anxiously, for a reply on what the federal government intended to do on this very grave situation. I have to inform the House and the Member that as of this moment I have received no reply from the Minister as to what the federal government intends to do. I will advise the House as soon as I receive further information on this. I think the Minister's office is very anxious to find out what is going on.

Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to pose a question to the Minister of Education. Yesterday I asked the Minister of Government Services in respect to the tendering processes for the government. I would like to advise the Minister of Education that I am interested in the

results of an invitation to tender on a catering services contract contracted by Thebacha Campus of Arctic College, which was published in News North on May 25th. I understand the tender call closed on June 2nd. At the same time, I understand that the bid prices that were submitted on this particular contract were not released for public information, and I would like to ask the Minister of Education if he knows why his officials conducted the opening of that bid in that particular manner.