Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, we have no objections to these fishermen seeking exemptions from FFMC. I should point out to you, though, that if we felt that there were going to be exemptions in the whitefish area that would be to the detriment of the other fishermen who are fishing and selling to FFMC, then we would have some concerns. To that end, Mr. Speaker, I have spoken with Mr. Ross, who I think is a principal in the new corporation, and asked him if I might arrange a meeting between himself and the Fishermen's Federation to try and resolve their differences. Mr. Ross has again refused, but I am following it up with a letter to him, asking him to talk to his people and reconsider, and at least take the opportunity to try and resolve their differences with the other fishermen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The fishermen in question established a company called Great Slave Lake Fish Company. I would like to ask the Minister what is he or his department doing to assist this company in getting established so they can operate as a business?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, as I previously stated, the company did approach us before it was incorporated some time around the last week of April, and we have provided to the company the kinds of information that we would require in order to be able to assist them. To my knowledge, Mr. Speaker, they have not got back to us yet, but we have provided the information to them with regard to the kinds of things we need to know to help them get off the ground. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

This is your last supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before being appointed as a Minister, I understand that you, as an ordinary MLA, were a member of the Great Slave Lake Advisory Board. The question is, are you still a member of this advisory board?

Mr. Koe, If you are asking if he is a member of the advisory board in his capacity as Minister, it is a valid question. Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I was never a member of the advisory board. I was an alternate. Mr. Chummy Plummer was the member, but he lived in Winnipeg and I lived in Hay River, and the meetings were always hold in Hay River or close by, and so I represented him on that particular advisory board. Upon becoming a Minister, I informed the Department of Fisheries that I would no longer sit on that board. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. I have Mr. Lewis next.

Thanks, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for MACA the following question: Could he indicate what stage he is at in negotiations between his department and the municipality of Yellowknife to arrange block funding for capital projects, since the whole business of funding capital projects has caused great difficulty for the municipality?

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Speaker, when the new municipal funding formula was approved by cabinet at the end of March of this year, I made a commitment to the City of Yellowknife that I would work on a block funding arrangement for the coming fiscal year, since the new funding formula allows for block funding for municipalities, and since the City of Yellowknife, amongst other municipalities, was very interested in obtaining such an arrangement. I can tell the honourable Member that discussions have been under way at the officials level. They have been hampered a bit by holidays and travel, but I understand now that Mr. Lagore is back, discussions are proceeding actively with my officials. The results have not yet come to my attention, but I know it is being worked on actively and it still is a priority with myself to get a proposal together for presentation to cabinet. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

I believe that the City of Yellowknife has made a claim for over a million dollars on capital money that is owing the city. I am wondering if there is any progress being made in returning that money to the city over the last few weeks.

Mr. Patterson.

I will have to take that as notice, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

The question has been taken as notice. I have Mr. Gargan next.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Health, and it is with regard to some concerns I have with regard to the abortion services review committee, which was authorized by the Minister to review the abortion procedures at Stanton Yellowknife Hospital. Of the four committee members, one member was the president of the Canadian Hospitals Association, which Stanton Yellowknife Hospital is a member of, and the other is a physician. I would like to ask the Minister, can the Minister explain to the House what criteria were used in the selection of committee members to ensure that the review would be independent and objective?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the idea was to have people from the various professions who knew how hospitals worked; also to have someone from the medical profession to have a knowledge of how the medical profession works. The review of the abortion procedures at Stanton Hospital, on the report that is here, shows the terms of reference in which the committee would conduct itself. What was attempted was to find people from the professions, as well as lay people and people knowledgeable about the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Todd.