Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I would venture to say that if an inmate challenged the territorial Corrections Act -- or I should say the Elections Act which would be the statute at issue -- there is some possibility that the court would await the final word of the Supreme Court of Canada on that

matter. I want to assure the honourable Member that if it appears that once this issue is resolved in the courts, if it appears that our statute is contrary to the Charter of Rights for Canada, then this government will bring forward an appropriate amendment to the Legislature to correct that inequity. We are prepared to do so.

I am told, however, Mr. Speaker, that there are some special circumstances in the Northwest Territories that may not have been considered in the Ontario case, and that the prudent approach would be to await the Supreme Court of Canada judgment, see whether it applies to us as well as it applies to Ontario, and then, as I said, if the judgment is that this ruling should apply to the Northwest Territories, this government will bring forward the appropriate amendment. But for those reasons, I believe the prudent course would be to await this appeal which will settle it by the very highest court in the land. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister what he meant when he said the circumstances in the North may make it so unique that it does not require a change to our Elections Act.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the Ontario case, Crown counsel stated that the practical problems of providing security to inmates to vote would not be an issue in the case; that in Ontario these problems would not be argued as a justification for preventing inmates to vote. However, Mr. Speaker, in consultation with the corrections services, I think we have to be sure, in the Northwest Territories, that those practical security issues would not be a problem or would not be a barrier to allowing inmates to vote. It may be that in a small community, given our staff-to-inmates ratio, It may be that we would have practical problems in allowing inmates to vote in an election. I am not saying this is the case, but it is a factor that I think makes the Northwest Territories perhaps different from Ontario, and that was one of the considerations we will have to evaluate in light of the Supreme Court ruling. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On June 22, 1 asked the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism whether his office was taking responsibility for the government's operations at Expo in Seville. The Minister responded that it has been a joint operation between the departments and that it has been co-ordinated through his office. My question to the Minister is, if this is a joint responsibility, can he tell me what aspects of the operation his office is responsible for?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ward reports to my office. The people on site at Expo report through Mr. Ward to the department, so Mr. Ward deals with the department when he is looking for extra supplies or logistical items. Any problems that Mr. Ward encounters come to my attention. He is usually reporting his sales daily to my office, and my office is responsible for collating that information and putting together the report that I intend to put before the House tomorrow. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

My supplementary is to the same Minister. Who is Mr. Ward, and what are his responsibilities?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Ward is the agent general, and is running the operation for the NWT in the Canada Pavilion. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Is Mr. Ward a government employee, or is he a contract employee?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Ward is a contract employee for the life of the fair, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. This is your last supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Were all residents of the Northwest Territories given an opportunity to bid on the contract, executive general, or whatever you call it, of the pavilion? Were all residents of the Northwest Territories given an equal opportunity to bid on this contract?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the position was not advertised. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Government Leader regarding the Great Whale project. The Premier of Quebec and Members of his Cabinet have taken the position that they are not willing to see the Great Whale hydro development delayed in order to satisfy the interests of a group of aboriginal people which they consider to be a small and insignificant fraction of the Quebec population. Is the Government Leader willing to meet with Mr.

Bourassa to convey the understanding that the communities in the Northwest Territories are very, very concerned about the Great Whale project as well? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.