Good morning. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, as you know a board of inquiry has been established under the Medical Profession Act, to examine the primary issues regarding medical services at the Fort Smith Health Centre.

It was my contention that if the inquiry was unable to deal with other matters of concern to Members of this House, then a further inquiry could be considered.

Members, however, want a public inquiry established under the Public Inquiries Act to examine issues relating to the provision of services at the Fort Smith Health Centre.

As a result, the government will establish such an inquiry and Members will be asked to approve an initial supplementary appropriation of $500,000 to pay for its cost. The cost of a public inquiry cannot be covered from without our existing budget.

Mr. Speaker, the inquiry will begin as soon as the necessary arrangements, including financing, can be made. I will be tabling the inquiry's terms of reference later today. Thank you.

Ministers' statements. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am happy to announce today the publication of a catalogue of environmentally friendly products. It can be used by purchasing officers and departments to locate sources for products that do not harm the environment and those that are made from recycled materials.

The catalogue has been sent to departments, boards, agencies and community governments. It has also been sent to Chambers of Commerce and N.W.T. public libraries for the use of northern businesses. This catalogue will give suppliers an idea of the kind of products the government may be seeking, so that those products can be made available through local businesses.

Federal, provincial, and territorial purchasing organizations have been working together for the last three years to prepare a national catalogue of environmentally friendly products. Production of the national version is many months in the future. Therefore this version, which fits our northern operating environment, has been published as an interim measure. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ministers' statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to note that Mr. Pollard, the Minister of Finance, and Economic Development and Tourism, will not be in the House today, and perhaps for the rest of the session, because of health reasons. Thank you.

Thank you, that was an emergency statement. I would ask Ministers if they would state that they are about to make an emergency statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government Leader often tells me, and rightly so, that I should not be so critical of the government. She will no doubt be happy to know, that today I rise to compliment the Minister of Public Works and his department.

---Applause

The community of Rankin Inlet has been trying for some time to obtain funding for the clean up of the tailing from the old north Rankin Inlet Nickel Mine. This mine has been closed since 1962, and the tails were deposited on the titled lot to the north east of the community.

The community has had serious public safety and environmental concerns about this tailing pond for some time. In 1991, this project was included in the waste sites program of the Arctic environmental strategy. Almost $3 million was designated for clean up of this site. The Department of Public Works was designated to manage this project on behalf of the federal government.

Unfortunately, Mr. Speaker, the shear size of this project would have prohibited Keewatin companies from bidding on a single contract. This past spring I approached the Minister to see what mechanisms were available to ensure that Keewatin businesses were fully involved in the project. In the end, it was decided that a contract be negotiated involving a number of companies in the Keewatin region.

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to say that this project is going very well. The clean up of the tailings pond is proceeding as planned and the contract arrangement has provided much needed work for both businesses and people in the Keewatin and ensured that the economic benefits accrued from such a project, remain in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, it is this type of arrangement that ensured a large contract remained with northerner contractors. It is a welcome and much needed initiative.

I would like to thank the Minister and his department for the political vision to see the importance of this initiative and the bold action they took to ensure it's success. Given the success of this project, I am sure that similar arrangements for large contracts can be made in other parts of the Northwest Territories in the future.

Mr. Speaker, I trust that the Government Leader will note my good deed for the week. Thank you.

---Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is a very important day for all the interpreters and translators in the territories. I would like to thank all the interpreters and translators. The people that I want to thank are Raymond Sonfrere, Violet Hardisty, and Jeannie Hope.

When we speak in the House, in our language, they translate and interpret for us. I talked to one lady this morning, and I bought some chocolate bars from her. She is selling chocolate bars on behalf of a volleyball team at a local school. I bought chocolate bars for the interpreters. Jim and I, we ordered some flowers for them, so we will be giving them flowers today.

Today is a very important day for all the interpreters, and I would like to thank them. Thank you.

Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today, it is very important to me, to know how useful the interpreters are. I am aware now that today is translator's day. We are all aware that we use interpreters and translators all over the world, not just in the N.W.T.

It is not just for English or Inuktitut. I am very proud to recognize that today is translator's day, and I also want to commend the formal interpreters, because since I was growing up, I have been aware that there are always interpreters and translators. It is about time that they are finally recognized formally. We have to use the interpreters/translators, and a lot of time, I forget that I am using interpreters/translators when I am talking. I deeply want to show my gratitude to the interpreters in the Northwest Territories, and for all the interpreters internationally. Thank you for giving me a chance to speak. Thank you.

Members' statements, Mr. Bernhardt.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Honourable Members will recall that I have spoken previously about the important role that the Aboriginal Development Corporation continues to play in the emerging economy of the Northwest Territories.

Today, I am pleased to announce an exciting new development in Coppermine. An interim board has been established to form the first Aboriginal Development Corporation in that community.

Mr. Speaker, the potential for an economic expansion within the particular region is great. The promise of new resource development projects, and proposals, for capital growth in the transportation sector, fits right in with the community's plans.

I believe that it will not be long at all until the Inuvialuit of Coppermine are demonstrating once again, that successful business ventures can be planned and managed by northern aboriginal peoples.

Mr. Speaker, we will be looking to the Department of Economic Development for planning assistance and funds, and I trust that the Minister and his officials will continue to provide my constituency with full cooperation.

In closing, too, I would like to thank my honourable colleague from Keewatin Central, and the people of Rankin Inlet, for the advice and encouragement they provided during the initial planning stages for our developing corporation.

I know that the interim board hopes to continue this working relationship, and as for Mr. Todd, as a token of my appreciation, should he require assistance in having his shirts ironed, I will guarantee that he will receive perfect service "as and when" required. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Laughter

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Bernhardt. Members' statements, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today because I want to show that I am proud of our interpreters and translators since I became a Member in 1975, and that was when the interpreters started in the Legislative Assembly, and up to now, they are still interpreting and translating, and I am very proud of them.

At the time, back in 1975, they were recognized, because of the fact that even if you were a unilingual aboriginal person, you were still able to become an M.L.A. That is when the government started strongly to support the need for interpreters and translators, and the first interpreters/translators, I know that some of them have passed away, and some of them have moved on to different jobs, but up to now, I am still very proud of them, and I am proud of the present day interpreters/translators. I know it is very tiring and stressful. Even if they work for long hours, they still manage to show us that it is not that stressful.

Since today is translator's day, I am very proud to say that they have been here, and I am very grateful. Since I became a Member in 1975 up until now, in order for the Members to communicate with each other, they managed to help us. It is not just in the Assembly. It is in the health centres, the hospital, in our communities that the interpreters/translators are very useful, so the northerners can understand and communicate with each other.

Your time is up, Mr. Pudluk.

I would like to seek unanimous consent to complete my statement, Mr. Speaker.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) I rise to show my gratitude, as I am aware, and have seen, that the interpreters/translators have a very stressful job to do. Not just in the Assembly, but I am also aware that the Dene Members are very proud of their interpreters, and I have observed, especially when I am a chairman, that they work very hard so the Members can communicate.

Since 1975, the Assembly has been using interpreters, and I am very proud to have risen to show how proud I am to the interpreters/translators. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Members' statements, Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also want to rise today to show my appreciation and pride of our interpreters on International Translator's Day. Most has been said by my honourable colleague from High Arctic. I also would like to thank former Commissioner Stuart Hodgson who initiated having interpreter services within the G.N.W.T.

I would like to thank, as well, the Dene and Inuit interpreters. They work long hours. I know their work is very stressful. As I was once an interpreter, I know the pressures and stress the interpreters go through. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Members' statements, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A few days ago, Mr. Speaker, we were reminded that today was International Translation Day, and I wanted to thank on behalf of all ordinary Members, our translators and our interpreters. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge that hard work and the dedication of our interpreters.

The efforts of these women and men make it possible for representatives of the various cultures of the Northwest Territories to come together in this House and strive to complete our work efficiently and accurately. On behalf of all ordinary Members, I would like to thank the staff of the Language Bureau and the Assembly's translators for their long hours and their dedication.

I would encourage all those who can visit the Language Bureau's open house on the third floor of the Laing building to attend, from 10:00 a.m. to noon today. In closing, I also want to thank those people who have given their time, not only to translate, but to help in the promotion, protection and the development of our aboriginal languages.

I know that I can say on behalf of all Members, not only the ordinary Members, but all Members in this House, that we want to thank all of the Inuktitut, Dene, Gwich'in and French translators who have provided their time, their dedication, effort and support to Members of this Assembly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Nerysoo. Members' statements, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) I would like to also say something. When you do interpreting, there are many among us who do not speak the English language, well, so they only speak in their language. For them to communicate in the English language, I would like to say thanks to the people who are interpreting for them.

Also the people from the land, and in our constituencies who do not understand English well they only understand their language well. It is good we are able to communicate to them what is going on here. I would like to thank them as well, both the male people and female people who are interpreting and translating.

I, myself, started speaking South Slavey first, so sometimes when I speak English I find it a little bit hard. When I speak Dene I find it easier. Also in the communities, the Inuit and the Dene, whoever worked as M.L.A.s in promoting the native languages and the people that interpret for them, I would like to thank the people who initially started the interpreting/translating.

That is why we are able to preserve our language. Last week I talked about language development, I feel that is why we are able to preserve our language. I thank you all. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. I would like to take this opportunity to recognize in the gallery Mr. Bill Lyall, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly.

---Applause

Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I want to take the time to thank the Minister of Health for his decision on granting a public inquiry at the Fort Smith Health Centre. However, Mr. Speaker, the Minister so readily stated that his board of inquiry, which was established, was also being pursued. I wonder what the board of inquiry that he established is going to cost?

Since the Minister so quickly estimated the cost of the public inquiry, and has never once told this House how much his board of inquiry costs, I certainly hope, as a Member, he does not ask me to approve an initial supplementary appropriation for funds for his board of inquiry. Mr. Speaker, I believe that this Minister has his priorities mixed up. He is a Minister to meet the public needs, not the departmental needs, and his actions displayed the contrary.

However, Mr. Speaker, the public inquiry that is granted to Fort Smith is totally, and most appreciated by my constituents, and I am pleased that their wish was granted. I want, again, to thank my colleagues for the support that they have given me in the House to acquire this board of inquiry. I know, without their support, we would not have got one. Thank you.

Members' statements. Mr. Ningark.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I also wish to thank all the interpreters/translators and I am also very proud of their achievements. During our session in the Assembly, we can speak in any of our languages, whether it is Inuktitut or the Dene languages. I know, for a fact, that the interpreters/translators go through a stressful time when we are having meetings within this House. We are all aware of that.

Sometimes we tend to forget that there are interpreters in the booths, and some people tend to start talking too fast without thinking that the interpreters/translator might not be able to keep up with the speakers. If we did not have interpreters/translators here, we would not be able to communicate effectively. (End translation)

I would like to share the appreciation with my colleagues, of the services that we are privileged to have with our interpreters/translators. When a Member speaks, namely Mr. Todd, sixty words a minute, the interpreters have to speak 120 words a minute.

---Laughter

When other Members speak 100 words a minute, the interpreters have to speak 200 words a minute. When a word comes out in English that is not in our language, for instance, association, organization, agency, or corporation, the interpreters have to invent new terminology in this regard. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, I thank the interpreters for all their services. Thank you.

---Applause

Members' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Health, can he give an estimated cost of the proposed board of inquiry that he has established under the Medical Profession Act? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do believe that I estimated the costs of the medical board of inquiry when we debated the honourable Member's motion earlier in this session. At that time, I estimated the costs at between $50,000 and $100,000, and that is based on previous experience with inquiries of this kind. Thank you.

Oral questions, supplementary, Mrs. Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, can I ask the Minister how he estimated the costs of the public inquiry to be $500,000? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the main gauge for estimating the cost was our experience with previous inquiries of this kind, and a recent example we have to follow is the so-called Bourassa Inquiry, which cost, I believe, in excess of $500,000. Mr. Speaker, the reason for the difference in the estimate of cost between a medical board of inquiry, and a public inquiry, is that the public inquiry has a much broader range of issues that can be examined, and also a much broader scope for the calling and the compelling attendance of witnesses who have traditionally demanded legal counsel and it is those legal fees, Mr. Speaker, that will be a particularly heavy component of the estimated costs. Thank you.

Oral questions, supplementary, Mrs. Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Generally, it is the process of Cabinet to ask for supplementary appropriation for funding. That is required under a proper justification for these funds and, Mr. Speaker, he is basically taking a ball park figure from out of the air, coming here wanting to ask Members to approve an initial supplementary appropriation of $500,000. Mr. Speaker, we have half of the year left out of the budget process, does the Minister feel that it is not more appropriate to ask for a lesser amount of this House for a public inquiry, and then ask for money as he requires it? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the budget for the proposed inquiry will be tabled and presented to this House when the supplementary estimate is presented. Mr. Speaker, I am quite confident that $500,000 is in fact a low estimate of the costs. So looking at the issues, and the extent of public concern in the Member's constituency, I think that experience will show that in fact we will be fortunate if it only costs $500,000. Thank you.

Oral questions, this is your final supplementary, Mrs. Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I recognize that this is my last supplementary. It must be a real mess that is why there is an estimated cost of $500,000, and I think that was why I asked for this public inquiry, to try to get to the bottom of it.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, when does he intend to bring forward the request for the Members to approve the supplementary appropriation? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I understand that Ms. Cournoyea who will be acting for Mr. Pollard in connection with this matter, will be conferring with the chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance about how quickly this supplementary request can be expedited, so it will be a matter as I think it traditionally occurs, to be discussed between the acting House Leader and the chairman of the Standing Committee on Finance. I cannot answer the question today for that reason. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a new question to the Minister responsible for N.W.T.P.C. Last session, Mr. Speaker, it was brought to my attention that there were five lay-off notices granted to individuals in Fort Smith, and we were grateful that N.W.T.P.C. took it upon themselves to find these individuals employment and these lay-offs were avoided. However, Mr. Speaker, I am concerned about some of the safety in respect to the operation of N.W.T.P.C., particularly the safety that may be violated at the Taltson River Dam.

Mr. Speaker, at the dam, I know the Leader is fully aware that there is a fairly lengthy number of steps that go into this area where you check the power everyday, and recognizing that there is only one person out there who goes in to check these power services it is possible that an accident could happen. I would like to ask the Minister what measures are taken by N.W.T.P.C. to ensure that the safety regulations are not violated? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I know after the accident that took place awhile ago, that the safety measures at the Taltson Dam have been increased and extra added training on safety measures was put into force, and I will be pleased to provide the Members with the list of safety precautions that were drawn up in this one-man working place. Thank you.

Oral questions, supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

I would like to ask the Minister if it is possible to provide the person with a radio so he can keep in contact with people. As you go down into the area of the plant as I said there must be at least 50 steps that you have to walk down into this area. It would be a good idea to have a phone system in the plant or in the house. Is it possible to provide a radio, because he is the only individual out at the site, totally in isolation, monitoring the power station out there. Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I will bring that suggestion to the attention of the Power Corporation. Thank you.

Oral questions, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Health. Mr. Speaker, and this speaks to the N.W.T. Health Care Association on September 21, the Minister of Health stressed the importance of planning and developing a framework for the provision of health services in the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, surely these planned initiatives will take considerable resources and staff time. My question to the Minister is what resources and staff will be developed to support any planning initiatives undertaken by the department, or boards?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, there are substantial capital monies set aside in the current and proposed budgets of the Department of Health over the next couple of years, for these planning exercises. There is some $2 million, for example allocated for the Keewatin and Baffin regions for planning exercises, and other regions as well, Mr. Speaker.

There are substantial financial resources allocated to assist boards in planning health needs in collaboration with the department. As far as staff are concerned, Mr. Speaker, there is a dedicated capability within the Department of Health to assist with capital planning. There are a number of people who are experts in this field who will be available to do that work. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

Thank you. Can the Minister indicate whether this dedicated group within the department is being funded by internal resources, or is it going to require additional resources?

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, the staff dedicated to capital planning within the Department of Health, are part of the existing establishment of the Department of Health. They are part of the base funding of the department, the base establishment. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

Since this planning initiative will be funded within existing resources, can the Minister indicate whether he has sought, or is seeking F.M.B. approval for the reorganization of this planning department within the department?

Mr. Patterson.

I have no plans to do so at the moment, Mr. Speaker. The department of course is considering its organization in anticipation of the amalgamation with the Department of Social Services. That is the big reorganizational agenda that is being considered at the moment, Mr. Speaker. Of course it will lead to reorganization in almost every aspect of the department's operation, including capital planning. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Education. During this Assembly, and many prior Assemblies this government keeps making commitments to enhance levels of aboriginal people, aboriginal employees in this government especially at management levels. It has been brought to my attention that just recently there were four appointments made, four senior staff appointments I think at the director level within the Department of Education, and none of them are aboriginal.

My question to the Minister is were these four appointments actually made?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I have looked into this issue, because I was as curious as the Member was. The department has made some changes recently to honour some obligations and some temporary arrangements have been made, to fill vacancies resulting from secondments and absences due to education leave.

A director in the department was recently seconded to the Executive to participate in the consolidation exercise. To fill the temporary vacancy this created a senior federal public servant was loaned to this government, to manage the unit, to help us prepare for the possible transfer of the labour market development and training responsibilities from the federal government through the constitutional agreement.

The department has an obligation to reassign an employee returning from education leave next spring. So a recent vacancy was being temporarily filled on the acting basis until the employee returns. Another vacancy was recently filled by an educator returning from education leave whom the department was obligated to hire, as part of the terms of the education leave agreement.

The final appointment was made to honour a commitment to the divisional board to assign a director whom the board wished to replace.

Mr. Speaker, the department has not used these arrangements to avoid the competition process. The arrangements were part of the department's human resource plan and represented the best possible course of action to satisfy our legal obligations. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral question. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform this House as to the names of the individuals appointed, and the positions to which they were appointed?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I apologize, I do not have the list of these names with me right now. I will inform the Member of the names of who they are, and what positions they are in. I do not have that information with me, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Yes, I think I can wait for the names. I can give you the names, if you need them.

---Laughter

The Minister, in his response mentioned that these positions, and these individuals are part of the department's human resource plan. I would like to ask the Minister, where do aboriginal employees fit within this human resource plan, or are they even part of the plan in terms of hiring them for senior management positions?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The aboriginal employees under the, you might say the Northern Initiative Program, make a higher priority for those positions, when they are qualified or are able to be trained to fill these positions.

Oral questions, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. If these were director positions, or senior management positions, why were they not advertised publicly for all people in the Northwest Territories to compete for?

Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, I thought I already answered that question by stating that the appointments are reassignments, one secondment and two appointments, made to honour educational accomplishments to employees. These are the legal responsibilities that we have to those employees as I stated earlier. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister responsible for Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources in regard to the Northern Accord. I have been told that the status of negotiations on the Northern Accord has been suspended with the federal government. At the present time, since 1988, there was an enabling agreement to formulate, or bring about the Northern Accord regarding natural resources.

This is devolution of jurisdiction from the federal government to G.N.W.T. in terms of the ownership and management of natural resources in the N.W.T. I understand, since 1988, there have been negotiations and at this point I have been told that these negotiations have been suspended. I was wondering if the Minister responsible could explain to the House the status of negotiations on the Northern Accord at this time? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the negotiations have not been suspended. I believe that my statement here said that they were not going very far in terms of a package that I felt would be acceptable, financially, to the people of the Northwest Territories. We have settled almost all points, but the financial area is one where we are still having discussions on.

Recently we accelerated the discussions to the Prime Minister's level again saying that we are just not gaining any momentum. The problem with the federal government is that this funding, the financial part of it is new money. Certainly since the finalization of the Norman Wells agreement with the federal government, the federal government has had an increase of $50 million, approximately a year from those resources from Norman Wells.

So we are having a bit of an argument that rather than looking at it as new money, it is money that they have acquired since the agreement to pay resources from Imperial Oil has been going to the federal coffers last year. So we have accelerated those discussions once more. The Minister of Finance has already brought that up with the federal Minister of Finance, Mr. Mazankowski about two weeks ago.

It seems in the last couple of weeks there has been some movement. They have not been suspended. I just made the statement and wanted to be completely honest with you that in the areas that are expressly important to us, in take-overs or any type of additional responsibilities, that the financial resources be there and that is the area that we are having extreme difficulties with.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This whole area of Northern Accord is extremely important to a lot of people in the north, especially aboriginal people who have been negotiating land claims and so forth. Basically this is what it is based on, land and resources.

This Northern Accord deals specifically with resources on the land, and where I come from, the region that I represent, they are very much interested in this whole aspect of it. It seems to me that there is very little information of exactly what this Northern Accord is going to look like. I knew that the First Nations were party to the Northern Accord at one time and I was wondering how much involvement do the aboriginal groups have in these negotiations at this present time? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

In developing the Northern Accord the principles of the accord and the parameters of the accord, all the aboriginal organizations leadership have been involved. All the information that we get is continually flowed to them. The reasons why we have not had any meetings lately is because there has not been any significant movement that we can say, let us convene a meeting and discuss these new principles, a different aspect of dealing with this or the broader parameters.

All of the organizations have the up-to-date information. If there have not been ongoing meetings this is basically because there has not been any movement to change the situation from last year. I know that the department on invitation has gone to communities to explain what is in the accord, and they are certainly open to those suggestions or any invitations on that matter if various communities want to have more information, because it has not been distributed to them, or they feel that there is something different than what was negotiated last year. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Looking at the previous transfer agreements such as Health and other departments, I am very leery about this whole area because that is the basis of a lot of different groups and their land claims. The way it is going we hear that it is suspended, and it is going slow. With the lack of information that is coming forth, I am very concerned at this time that the people that take the land as theirs are not directly involved in this whole process, except for consultation purposes.

We do not know whether our input in this consultation process is taken very seriously. I was wondering if there is any way of having aboriginal groups more directly involved in this whole process, rather than just a consultation process? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Well, Mr. Speaker, I can explore that. Right now there is not much going on, but we can bring people more up-to-date. One of the things for sure is that the accord itself, and the final package, will have to go through the normal process in the Legislative Assembly and will be deliberated here. So in terms of feeling that something will be signed off, or people not knowing about the final contents, that will not be done.

We will be dealing with it more through the process. It will come, because there are financial implications through the Standing Committee on Finance. It will come through the committee structure, it will also go to this Legislative Assembly. Because there is not much movement and we have agreed on the parameters with the aboriginal organizations, and really what we are dealing with right now are the technicalities of the financial arrangement.

If that gets settled, certainly that will go back to have a revisiting on how good the package is, or if it meet everybody's needs. If we have the protection that we do not get caught in getting a deal, and then it effects our other budgeting processes, it will come through all of the processes. I will look to see whether we can update the organizations and see if we can give them more information or more of what is going on.

I know that they are all busy and when there is no movement, I do not want to pretend to them that we are making further movement, because we are really just arguing with the federal government right now on resources. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am sure that we are going to go through the processes later on, but it would be a lot easier if people that are closest to these resources are involved at an earlier state than later on in the process, because with the comprehensive claim policy it does not permit control of ownership of all the subsurface interest, and there is going to be joint roles in government management bodies, and these sort of arrangements will effect the structure on the future constitutional development in the north.

It is a bigger issue than just leaving the Northern Accord with the people negotiating, because I feel it is going to affect all of us in the long run. Personally I would like to see more involvement at this earlier stage than later on, because the people have to understand what they are doing as it is their resources to begin with.

So I was wondering if there was any way that this could be done? There is a question there some place. The Deh Cho Regional Tribal Council are very much aware of this particular concern since we are not negotiating in our area on the claim at this present time. Perhaps later on there might be some sort of an arrangement. At the present time, we do not know how long this is going to go on. So, if they could somehow be involved in this thing at the earlier stage that would be better. Thank you.

I will ask Members in oral questions if they could try to keep their preamble short, and use it as a set up for the actual question. The preambles sometimes tend to become more in light of a statement, than they are as a set up to a question. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I know that we, the claimant groups, certainly have paid a lot more attention to the Northern Accord and some claimant groups have built that accord into their negotiations to enhance what they have, so I realize some people have more interest. I am pleased to work with the Member to see how we can cover off the Deh Cho area, because I know that certainly they have a different position than the other groups. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I remember there was a request made to the Minister of Education in February during session. I talked about the request by the Sanikiluaq people and they have been requesting this for quite some time, and they have requested it through the Baffin Divisional Board of Education to acquire a bus and I have gone to Sanikiluaq, and I have seen how far the school is from the community.

Perhaps the present Minister of Education could tell me whether he has any information from the previous Minister of Education in regards to the requests by Sanikiluaq to get a school bus, because it is very dangerous in that community in the fall because of the lake that is between the school and the community. The school children do not have transportation at the present time in Sanikiluaq and they have requested numerous times to get a school bus because of the distance of the school to the community.

I would like to ask the Minister of Education, Mr. Speaker, whether he has received a letter from Sanikiluaq in regards to this school bus? Thank you.

Mr. Arvaluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we have received a request from the people of Sanikiluaq asking for transportation services for the school children. There are a lot of requests from different communities, and we do not have enough funding in our department at this time to follow through with all the communities' requests. At one point $5 million is going to be used for every community that requests funding so for this reason, I have asked my department to do a study about transportation services for all the community's school children but I cannot say at the present time, Mr. Speaker, when that study will be completed, especially for Sanikiluaq. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the Minister of Education. Perhaps after the studies have been completed by his department, maybe he can inform me what is planned for a school bus for Sanikiluaq children? Would the Minister please inform me on how many years that the school bus will be provided for in the community of Sanikiluaq? Thank you.

Mr. Arvaluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The study that is being done by my department at the present time, is a study on all the communities that have requested a school bus, and we will include Sanikiluaq in our study for the beginning of the 1993-94 school year. Thank you.

Oral questions, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Government Leader. I believe tomorrow is going to be the day when the territorial government will be submitting a court challenge with regards to that deficit in Health. The deficit is that they are going to recover it through the courts, and I am just wondering because it was announced a couple of weeks ago, is the government still intending on pursuing that recovery of the health billing through the courts tomorrow?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, there has been some indication that there might be some movement on the health billing. We have not retracted it, the intention is to go ahead tomorrow. However, I know there are some discussions going on today to see how much movement there is, and I am prepared to come back to you when those discussions are finished today. Thank you.

Oral questions, Mr. Zoe.