Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wanted to ask a question to the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, but he is not in the House, so I will ask another question for the Minister responsible for Social Services.

The Minister should be aware that the Fort Liard Band Council is interested in assuming administrative and managerial control of social assistance programs. This proposal was supported by the band council, the hamlet, and more recently, at the Deh Cho Tribal Council Meeting September 9 to 11.

Recognizing that the strong support exists for local management of social assistance, will the Minister indicate whether he is prepared to transfer responsibility for the administration of this program to the Fort Liard Dene Band?

Mr. Patterson.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister outline the process he will use to review this request for the transfer of administrative responsibility?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I have some information about that request. I cannot just put my hands on it at the moment, but I can tell the honourable Member that the Department of Social Services is taking community transfers very seriously. We have a person assigned within the department specifically to deal with those requests, and there are a number of them in the Northwest Territories. The procedure, Mr. Speaker, is that the coordination of these transfers will be undertaken by the Ministry of Aboriginal and Intergovernmental Affairs, but once the overall approval is given, then negotiations will be undertaken at the community level through the department concerned, and the appropriate regional staff. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. How soon will the Minister be able to initiate negotiations with the Fort Liard Band Council on this subject?

Mr. Patterson.

As I say, Mr. Speaker, the detailed information on that request is not at hand, so I will have to take the question as notice. I will try to get back to the Member before the end of this week. Thank you.

Question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a question to the Minister of Transportation.

As we know, we have been on this land for hundreds of years, we know that roads and highways are constructed, and have been used for many years. My question is about a runway in Lake Harbour, and we have run into problems with it. I would like to urge, with the support of my colleagues, to improve this. I know it is in the plans for 1997, Mr. Speaker, but I would like to ask the Minister of Transportation, would the Minister make a feasibility study for the Lake Harbour runway to be elsewhere, other than its place at the present time? As we know, we have been on the land for hundreds of years, these things are constructed, and could be in use for many, many years to come.

My question is, could there be a feasibility study on moving the runway that is presently there? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Whitford.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to my question to the same Minister. Yes, we know that there are no current dangers of that runway, and we know that this has been a concern for many years, and my predecessor Joe Arlooktoo had worked on it a lot. If there was to be an emergency, or an accident, that is only when they will act on it. Will the Minister, in the coming years, have a plan made to make a feasibility study at the runway in Lake Harbour? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Whitford.

Supplementary, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Yes, you answered my question very well, but I know because it is my own community that Air Baffin had some mishaps on that runway, and Air Baffin is one of the new airlines that is coming into our community. They have some good prices on their fares, but they have had a couple of mishaps, especially with the slightly bigger airplanes. With the mishaps that have happened, would that not be a fairly good reason to do a feasibility study to improve the runways? That is why I brought up this concern about the feasibility plan that they have, because it is quite a danger to our people. I would like to be informed, if there would be any plans for a feasibility study for a new runway? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Whitford.

Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.