Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the Ordinary Members' Caucus I would like to express our concern with regard to the issue of privatization of the NWT Power Corporation.

In March, Mr. Speaker, the Government Leader tabled a document entitled, A Proposal to Privatize the NWT Power Corporation. At that time, the Government Leader indicated she would bring a more detailed proposal to the House in a future session. Since that time, this issue has been raised in the Standing Committee on Finance, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions and the Ordinary Members' Caucus.

Mr. Speaker, the decision to privatize the Power Corporation is an issue of which Members are very concerned. They don't want to see it addressed in a hasty manner. A great deal of consultation and discussion will be required.

Concern about this proposal is strong, particularly in smaller communities across the north. Even though the government has yet to present its formal proposal, we've seen in this House a petition from citizens who are concerned about the impact of this change on the level of service that they would receive. Members are appreciative of the offer of the Government Leader to provide Members of the caucus with a full briefing on this issue on December 7.

Mr. Speaker, Members will attend this meeting and gain a better understanding of this complex issue. However, Mr. Speaker, there is always a great deal of business before Members of this House prior to the end of December. The Ordinary Members' Caucus wish to advise the government that it will not be willing to consider any proposal regarding the privatization of the NWT Power Corporation in this House prior to February, 1994. In February, we will examine the government's proposal. At that time we will be prepared to devote an appropriate amount of time and energy to consider this proposal and its long-term impact on the communities and the people of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Hear, hear.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Madam Premier

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. James Arvaluk on November 30, 1993. It is regarding the status of the Arviat search and rescue. The RCMP detachment commander has advised that the official search for Mr. Napayok ended yesterday afternoon, after he discussed the situation with family members, the hamlet council, Arviat's search and rescue committee and the Canadian Forces' rescue coordination centre in Edmonton.

Although the RCMP public search is now over, family members and friends decided to continue a private search for Mr. Napayok, without RCMP or military resources. Apparently, 25 to 30 community residents are continuing this private search today. A meeting will be held in Arviat this afternoon to determine the hamlet's continued involvement in the private search. Consideration will also be given on whether to extend or conclude the private search during this afternoon's meeting.

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to indicate, before the honourable Members get carried away in this Assembly about this issue, the reduction that was agreed to by the Secretary of State and this government, was four per cent. As the Minister responsible for a great deal of the implementation, I am not actually involved in the negotiations of the agreement itself. I don't take the responsibility which is presently in the hands of the Government Leader.

On the more specific question, no, I was not completely aware of the total amount of the under-expenditure of money. I was informed that there would be some under-expenditure, but I was not aware of the total amount until the end of the year.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

I don't think we are getting carried away on this side of the House, Mr. Speaker. It is an issue of concern arising from an investigation by the Languages Commissioner. All we are doing is indicating the facts of the investigation the Languages Commissioner put in her report which was tabled in this Assembly. According to the report of the Languages Commissioner, this government lapsed money in 1991-92. I mentioned in my statement there was $777,000 for aboriginal languages and another $1.1 million for French. In 1992-93, it was another $400,000 for aboriginal languages and $1 million for French. So the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is responsible, I assume, for the ongoing monitoring of this languages agreement. How has it happened that all this money has been lapsed over the years? I know you just responded to my colleague that you weren't aware until the end of this year, but money was lapsed in 1991-92. How and why was this allowed?

The Minister clarified who was responsible for this particular area. Minister Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, I was going to raise a point of order, however, I will clarify the issue. First of all, I was appointed the Minister in 1992. I cannot be held responsible for the decisions or responsibilities of the Minister who was formally in my capacity. However, I want to indicate that I have raised the matter with my colleagues and my colleagues have raised the issue with me. They are concerned about the under-expenditure of these financial resources. We have already, during a discussion in Cabinet, said we were not happy. In fact, most of the Members have indicated to me they were not happy with the way in which this took place. I have raised the matter with my department in those areas for which we are responsible for delivering programs on behalf of this Assembly and this government.

I just want to indicate as well, Mr. Speaker, there are a number of factors. People should recognize that we spent 86 per cent of those dollars that were allocated to us. What we are talking about here is approximately 14 per cent of the dollars. There are many factors. The unfortunate situation, Mr. Speaker, is that the information that is provided here may not be accurate. The problem is we are dealing with a report that was tabled and the department has not had an opportunity to review the facts in this report. There is refutable information in this report. I would like to ask the consideration of the Members, we need the time to review this report and to properly answer the questions, issues and concerns of Members of this House. It is very difficult for me to review the report. I have read the summary and, in my view, it is not completely accurate.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Education about the systems used for allocating funding to specific projects within the department. The lapsed funds are apparently blamed, in part, on departments not reporting surplus funds in time for them to be placed elsewhere. This system is obviously not working. In light of the problems with this system of the distribution of funds, what has the government done to change the system for allocating funds to projects?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate the question that has been asked by my honourable colleague. I believe he probably recognizes the importance of us having to change the way in which we reassess our financial resources. The problem with the way in which the agreement is...And again, I am not responsible for the agreement itself so I must indicate that the Government Leader is the person who is responsible for the overall agreement. What happens in the way we are allocating money with the agreements that are reached, sometimes we are not certain that a particular project will come in on time because the report, and the work that is being done, requires an extension or we are not forwarding the dollars as early as we should. There are other factors that I don't have general control over.

What is now occurring is, I have asked my department to review the way we are providing financial resources, under the agreement, to ensure that those projects that have been agreed on receive their financial resources early enough so they may complete their projects, or we identify that we are going to have a surplus and, therefore, reassign those dollars to other projects that have been requested.

If I could just clarify something the Minister said. The prime responsibility for the implementation of the agreement rests with the Premier's office. Each Minister would be responsible for that component which is directly associated with their office. But the prime responsibility of this rests with the Premier's office. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for his response. My question is to the Premier with regard to the...

Mr. Gargan, it should be two questions because it is with a different Minister. But because of the confusion as to responsibility, I will allow you, at this point, to pose a new question.

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Premier is with regard to the expenditure of money under the agreement being spent within the departments. I would like to ask the Premier how much of that money actually goes to the communities or aboriginal organizations?

Madam Premier.