Thank you, Mr. Ng. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, December 1, 1993, is World AIDS Day. World AIDS Day is a day set aside to reflect on the global challenge of AIDS. In the Northwest Territories, 25 persons are known to have been infected with the HIV virus since 1987.

The Department of Health is pursuing a comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy for the Northwest Territories. This strategy will continue to require collaboration and consultation with other government departments, the regional health and hospital boards, the various non-government and professional organizations and community groups and members of the public.

Madam Premier, there is some problem with our system. Are you getting anything Mr. Arvaluk? Can you hear me? Is that okay, Mr. Arvaluk? Okay. I'm sorry, Madam Premier. If you would like to continue.

Mr. Speaker, projects are under way to promote public awareness on HIV/AIDS. Consultation with the regions and target groups has been used to facilitate the development of various initiatives.

A poster targeting youth and adults across the Northwest Territories has been printed in English, French, and Baffin and Keewatin dialects of Inuktitut and distributed across the Northwest Territories for World AIDS Day promotion activities.

The Department of Health is also targeting young women through the development of a "Safer Sex and Me" pamphlet, which will be available in English, Inuktitut and French.

Mr. Speaker, it's very important to get the message out to the youth of the Northwest Territories regarding the serious issue of HIV/AIDS. For the past four months, the Department of Health has been working in collaboration with the Department of Education, Culture and Employment on the development of a World AIDS Day television special on "The Tube" a television program broadcast on Television Northern Canada. The program will consist of a half-hour of information on HIV/AIDS followed by a live phone-in where callers from across the Northwest Territories will have the opportunity to phone in their questions to the panel of resource people. "The Tube" special on HIV/AIDS airs tonight on TVNC at 7:30 pm. Mr. Speaker, stopping AIDS is up to all of us. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members may recall that many times in this House, I have said that we must increase the number of community workers involved in construction jobs funded by the government, by implementing training programs and by negotiating contracts with local corporations.

Members are aware that this government has supported this direction. As a result, the Cabinet has agreed to many of the Members' requests for negotiated contracts. To date this fiscal year, six capital projects managed by Public Works & Services, that are worth $5 million and five lease contracts with the department, that are worth $1.3 million each year, have been approved by Cabinet.

For the NWT Housing Corporation, to date this fiscal year, eight capital projects worth $3.5 million, and two 20 year lease contracts worth $257,000 per year, have been approved by Cabinet for negotiated contracts. Cabinet has also approved the negotiation of a lease contract in Fort McPherson. The terms and conditions of these lease contracts are still being negotiated. So far this fiscal year, 11 contracts have been negotiated and that represents 2.8 per cent of the total capital and lease contracts awarded by the NWT Housing Corporation.

Many of our smaller communities and aboriginal organizations have established development corporations which need the support of negotiated contracts to get their businesses started. With these contracts they can develop their business skills and increase local control over the implementation of government contracts. This, in turn, increases the community's commitment to construction projects.

I am aware that there has been some concern about this initiative. It should be understood that these contracts are normally negotiated with community and aboriginal development corporations, which are not always contractors themselves. Many of the actual material and trade contracts still go to the established northern suppliers and contractors. It is a Cabinet condition of every negotiated contract that only northern resources be used.

It is also worth noting that these negotiated contracts represent only a very small percentage of the total dollar value of contracts awarded. There are still many contracts being publicly tendered.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Please rise.

---Minute of Silence

Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday you tabled a report, the first annual report of the Languages Commissioner of the Northwest Territories. I'd like to express my appreciation to the Languages Commissioner for the work she has put into this document.

I read portions of the report with great interest. I know the section in which the Languages Commissioner did special studies. One of these special studies was a review of a Canada/Northwest Territories cooperation agreement on aboriginal languages and French.

Mr. Speaker, I'll be focusing on the Canada/Northwest Territories cooperation agreement on aboriginal languages and French. There were two agreements, one from 1984 to 1989, of which $16 million was allocated for aboriginal languages. I don't know how much was for French. The second agreement was from March, 1991 to 1994, where $18 million was allocated for aboriginal languages and $12.8 million for French.

Mr. Speaker, I'm very disappointed in the results the Languages Commissioner found. Each year this government assembles a list of specific projects that have been requested, puts them together and submits them to the federal Secretary of State for approval. It seems that this is always done after April 1, so the projects people who have applied for funding, have to wait until the Secretary of State approves the application and the money is then allocated. I know some start-up money and some advances are provided by this government, but the result is that the projects are always behind the eight ball and always waiting for formal approval of their projects which they are trying to get going.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, honourable Members. In March of 1993, the federal government announced a ten per cent cut to the languages programs. I introduced a motion in this Assembly severely criticizing the federal government for this action, and strongly supporting the use and enhancement of aboriginal languages in the Northwest Territories and in doing government business.

The point of my statement, Mr. Speaker, is that this government has not been upholding its end of the bargain. This government has not been spending the funds which have been allocated for aboriginal languages and French. I find this very unacceptable. For example, the report indicates that in the 1991-92 fiscal year, the eighth year of this agreement, this government lapsed $777,795 for aboriginal languages, and $1,159,641 for French. The estimated lapses for 1992-93 are approximately $400,000 for aboriginal languages, and $1 million for French. This is absurd, Mr. Speaker, given that there are many groups in the Northwest Territories that are looking for funds to enhance or carry out their programs, and were probably told there is no more money available. It's not only one department, it seems like all departments are at fault.

Mr. Speaker, I'm not very pleased in finding out information and statistics like this so far after the fact, especially since most Members, including the Premier and the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, made strong statements of support on these programs and of the actions and cuts proposed by the federal government when the motion I made was passed unanimously on March 4, 1993.

Mr. Speaker, I would expect some immediate measures be taken by this government to rectify the situation and ensure that funds which are available for language projects in the north are utilized properly. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Dene Cultural Institute is in the process of developing a healing program. Mr. Speaker, this program is being developed because the institute sees a need for training for communities to help recovering alcoholics deal with the other issues that have arisen from their addiction. Issues such as child sexual assault, spousal assault, grief, anger and cultural oppression need to be addressed in order for the recovering alcoholic to lead a full and productive life, without slipping back into their previous lifestyle.

Mr. Speaker, this program will enable all the Dene communities to meet their own social and cultural healing needs. Four individuals will be trained to become the institute's mobile healing team. They will help the people in the communities become self-sufficient in dealing with the issues that they themselves identify as needing to be addressed.

Mr. Speaker, the Dene Cultural Institute has conducted a review of their progress and role in facilitating cultural development. The institute feels they will have limited success in strengthening culture until we, as Dene, have addressed the issues that cause us not to practice our own culture on a personal basis. The institute would like to start this healing program in April, 1994, and is looking to run a five year program and then have a comprehensive review on the progress made.

Mr. Speaker, I know that two days ago I promised that I would not say anything else about the final report of the Standing Committee on Health and Social Services. However, one of the recommendations that was made, that I wholeheartedly agree with, is that we do not provide enough support to the front line workers and communities.

I strongly urge this government to support the Dene Cultural Institute in the development and implementation of this worthwhile healing program. Mahsi cho.

---Applause.

Thank you, Mr. Gargan. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past May, a private scientific team, lead by Dr. Joe MacInnis discovered and videotaped at least two dozen unknown rectangular objects in the waters off the shores of Cambridge Bay while they were on an expedition looking for Sir John Franklin's ship. Their underwater exploration also confirmed the existence of two large cargo aircraft, numerous vehicles and assorted building materials which are believed to have been left or dumped into the ocean by operators of the Distant Early Warning sites in the late 1950s and early 1960s. I, personally, as a recreational diver, have viewed one of the planes, parts of vehicles, empty oil drums and other debris in the waters around Cambridge Bay.

Mr. Speaker, the discovery of these boxes lead to an intensive exploration and recovery program undertaken by the Canadian military this past August and September. The military operation involved six military divers and at least one herc load of equipment. These divers, over the course of approximately five weeks, recovered a majority of the rectangular boxes. However, the military team did not attempt to recover any of the other debris. There was national coverage of the issue as there was a concern that these boxes may have been parts of electrical equipment containing possible PCBs. There was no immediate concern of potential toxic chemical leakage, as sediment samples taken from the area of the boxes, after their initial discovery, found no sign of PCB contamination. It was later confirmed that there were minimal traces of PCBs in the recovered boxes.

I have raised this issue, as we can all recognize the tons of equipment and debris littering our land around our communities, particularly where there have been a lot of resource or military related activity.

Mr. Speaker, what we don't recognize, and what we have not even begun to address, is the amount and type of contaminants in our waters. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ng. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the situation of alcohol and drug workers in our community alcohol and drug centres is simply intolerable. Wage scales set by the Department of Social Services -- which are not even close to reflecting the real costs of living in our communities, or the wage marketplace -- suggest that the Government of the Northwest Territories is making mere token efforts to offer community alcohol and drug services. In my constituency of Iqaluit, where we know that revenue flowing to the GNWT from alcohol sales, in licensed premises alone, is just under $1 million a year, and where it is estimated by the RCMP, the drug industry amounts to $1 million a month.

An entry level alcohol and drug worker makes a base salary of $23,313, plus a housing allowance. There are no benefits, no VTA, no medical or dental benefits beyond Medicare. An entry level custodial worker at any one of our schools in Iqaluit makes $34,000 plus a whole range of government benefits.

I know of an experienced and dedicated counsellor who came from southern Canada to offer his services at Upassuraakut. He had a wife to support. He didn't drink or smoke. He had no vehicle, no skidoo. Even with the top scale of level three, at $27,388 plus housing allowance, the high cost of living and housing in Iqaluit resulted in a net income, after tax shortfall, of $300 per month for he and his family. Money was certainly not his prime motivation, but does our government expect even dedicated alcohol and drug workers to lose money each month? At this time, a very dedicated and capable Inuk from a Baffin community, with a large family, is completing the alcohol and drug component of the social worker program at Arctic College. He is working at Upassuraakut while completing his studies. He has recently spent a period of internship at Bellwood, a nationally-known alcohol and drug treatment centre in Toronto. As long as he is housed in Arctic College student housing, he can just get by on his income but as soon as he has to find his own housing for he and his family, after he finishes his course, he simply will not be able to afford to continue working at Upassuraakut. I'm sorry, Mr. Speaker, I will have to ask for consent to continue.

We'll take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

Could I call the Assembly back to order, please. I think that false alarm shows the need, in the next while, to have a proper fire drill. We'll work that into the schedule at some point.

When we left off, Mr. Patterson had asked for unanimous consent to continue his Member's statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was talking about the Inuk employee who is hoping to work for Upassuraakut but won't be able to afford to do so when he's required to find housing for himself and his family in Iqaluit.

Student counsellors at Arctic College make more money than alcohol and drug workers. Mental health workers make more money. Custodial workers and water truck helpers make more. But, the community alcohol and drug workers, who are often exposed to the problems of their peers after hours, who are often on call all hours of the day -- whether they like it or not -- who must, at times, endure excruciating stress, are paid at wage levels which I consider almost insulting.

Mr. Speaker, the Special Committee on Health and Social Services pointed out this serious problem in an early interim report to this House. Alcohol and drug problems, as we all know, are crippling our communities. Ironically, even though we are in times of financial restraint, our government has found $900,000 to send a Yellowknife bureaucrat around the territories to do a study on -- get this -- fairness and justice in the northern workplace, including wage parity, of all things. A study that, to my knowledge, no one in this House has ever asked for.

I say, Mr. Speaker, let's get our priorities right. Let's can the Northern Workplace Commission and put those funds toward finally dealing with alcohol and drug workers' low wages. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Patterson. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

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.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister of Education indicated, at the beginning of the program each department is asked to put in an allocation on what their program needs for French and the aboriginal languages would be. Once that's completed, it's established in the guidelines that the various departments would allocate those funds. Although I can tell you some of the departments allocations, they would have to conclude whether they were spent in headquarters or whether they were spent at the community level. It would depend entirely on the decision of the department where the funds could be appropriated within the guidelines that were originally set. I don't have the particular breakdown and I'll provide that to you.

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

Thank you. I'd like to thank the Premier for that response but with regard to money being allocated at the community level, is she still referring to decentralization to the communities, as opposed to individual organizations outside of government receiving the money?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, it would be both. A Minister responsible for a certain department would try to project what would be requested and required for the year and then would make a decision based on what people are asking for and on the merits of the proposal that came in. It would be both, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier. During the past year, communities have made requests for funding to assist with aboriginal languages projects to various departments. In most cases, they have been told there is no funding available. For example, I could use the Elvis Raddi workshop in Coral Harbour and the Baffin Regional board shortfall. After the quarterly allotment was changed to a monthly grant, they were looking for money to develop the Inuktitut curriculum for their schools. Can the Minister responsible for this funding explain how the government can tell communities that no funding is available, yet lapse more than $1 million?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, those are specific proposals that the honourable Member is talking about. It's very difficult for me to express an opinion on a proposal that I haven't seen. I may not be fully aware of why it was turned down. It could be for any reason. I beg forgiveness because I'm not aware of those specific proposals. If we could be a little more specific, I can get the answers. I haven't got it readily available. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My specific question is, some of these proposals from different communities have been considered to be good, but the simple answer usually is, we would like to help you, you have a good proposal, but there is no money available within the government. I'm trying to be specific, Mr. Speaker, by asking why there was more than $1 million lapsed, yet we told them the proposals were good but the funding was not available. I'm trying to understand how you explain that to the communities?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I don't mean to be disrespectful to the honourable Member, but it's very difficult to answer unless we know the specific proposal and why it was turned down. I can better respond if he could be more specific to a specific project. At this point it's difficult to respond to a broad question on some programs, some projects, because I wouldn't know that answer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

One more question, Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, then perhaps I could ask the Premier if she would review some of these proposals that were rejected previously and determine whether they would have been able to qualify under these lapsed funds which were returned to the Secretary of State. Would the Premier tell the House if these can be reviewed, see if they could be fitted into this funding that is already available?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to review any project again, if the Member can indicate exactly what that project is and the information required to seek out that specific area of concern which has been expressed here. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

(Translation) Thank you, I would like to speak in French. My question is to the Minister of Education and it concerns the funds for the official languages. With the federal funds there are limitations and very strict conditions. Is it possible that the money for the official languages was not used because the federal government imposed strict laws for utilizing these funds?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish I had the ability to articulate issues in other languages like my honourable colleague. There are a number of factors in the way in which the financial resources are allocated. Among those factors the only way we could get an opportunity to manoeuvre funds around in the agreement -- and the Premier could clarify this even further -- is that there is a ten per cent allowance for us to move money from one project to another.

If we are to get that approval, we need the federal government's agreement. If they disagree we are unable to move that money. So, it makes it very difficult. Once we set an agreement at the beginning of the year, we have to get agreement from the federal government to manoeuvre the money around. They may not agree. They may agree on some projects, but not others. That's the way the agreement works and it makes it very difficult for us.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the problem is with the Government of the Northwest Territories. Has the government discussed changing the rules so we could use the money for the official languages?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Those are some of the issues we are going to be raising as part of the strategy and the direction that we want to take in the negotiations for a new agreement. Any advice that we can receive from Members as to how and what we can do in terms of allowing us to manoeuvre the dollars in future, will only be helping us in signing a new agreement. I want to say though, that the 1984 agreement -- which I was a party to and, in fact, was involved in negotiating -- allowed us a broader ability to move funds around rather than the one we have at this particular moment. They've narrowed down our ability to move money as we were previously allowed to do, without, necessarily, the consent of the federal government. The present agreement restricts our ability to manoeuvre the money and I appreciate the concern that the honourable Member has raised.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

My final question to the Minister of Education is can the government table a copy of the conditions for the use of the Canada/Northwest Territories language agreement fund?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not responsible for that particular agreement. However, I will ask the Premier if I may have permission to table that agreement in the House so that Members of the Assembly will have access to it.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ng.

Mr. Ng, that was two questions. Would you like to decide which one you would like to ask? Mr. Ng.

The first one.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, when I first became Premier, I was very concerned about the lapses that were taking place and why they were taking place. Given the importance of languages -- to the aboriginal people particularly -- and we have expressed in discussions in this Legislative

Assembly, there was a need to address how we are going to operate efficiently and ensure that the expenditures, and the planning for these expenditures, take place in an organized fashion so we would not have lapses.

Because the general organization really didn't focus on who was responsible to make sure these expenditures and planning took place adequately, the official languages unit was set up with the seven people you indicated. It was set up, specifically, to monitor the agreement, to make sure we lived up to the commitment and that departments had as much support as possible so that the funds, and the way to spend funds, were monitored and followed through.

I can't tell you whether the individual has been hired. But, from the reporting we have put in place, it appears that this year we will not be lapsing dollars. I feel it was a great concern that we had money and we were not spending it. We took the action to establish the official languages unit, to make sure that we planned with respect to what the agreement says and to make sure that we didn't have to wait until close to the end of the year to find out whether the dollars were spent or not.

It appears to be working. The system seems to be bringing in results and monitoring so that if there are lapses in a certain area we can notify other areas so that funding can perhaps be moved around, rather than waiting until the last minute. Thank you.

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

I just wanted to clarify this, there are two financial people in the languages group? Is that correct?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I don't specifically know whether there is one or two. I will take that question as notice and provide that information.

The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The official languages responsibility has come under the Department of the Executive, -- according to our books -- for some time now. Funds have been allocated in our O and M budget for an official languages agreement. Taking into account there has been a significant amount of funds lapsed for official languages under the Canada/NWT agreement -- particularly with this task -- I would like to ask the Government Leader, when did she and her office become aware of such a surplus of funding?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, could the honourable Member clarify which years she would like me to address?

Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, according to the financial statements on 1992-93 expenditures in this report, they flexed the 1992-93 funds for the official languages. The report of the Languages Commissioner is for the year 1992-93. So, it would be for the end of the 1993 fiscal year. Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I would have to get the exact date on that, but I know it was very late when we were trying to put the information together. I would have to take the question as notice to give the exact date of when we became aware of that specific problem.

The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Mr. Dent, in fairness to the Premier, she did take the question as notice as far as that year. It is fair to ask about the previous year. Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I took the question as notice because I believe Mrs. Marie-Jewell is asking when we actually knew. I don't have that exact date here and I propose to bring it in. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have with me an update on the 1992-93 expenditures on the financial statements, with regard to the Canada/NWT agreement on contributions for French services. Mr. Speaker, when I look over this amount, it indicates that there are $980,000 of funds that weren't used. In fact, these funds appear to have been lapsed. I would like to pose a question to the Minister of Government Services and Public Works. Was he aware that his department had lapsed $221,000 under this particular agreement? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No.

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

Mr. Speaker, since the Minister was not aware these funds were lapsed, would he make a commitment to ensure that his department attempts to utilize the dollars that are allocated for 1993-94, to ensure that this amount of funding is not lapsed in the future. Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, I will be directing my question to the Minister Responsible for the NWT Power Corporation. Last spring, the Minister and some staff were going into the communities. Cape Dorset has a problem with regard to their power plant. They have been getting some funding assistance for the operation of the power plant. At the moment, the power plant has no emergency back-up. The community of Cape Dorset has problems with regard to this. Has the Minister done anything with regard to the request of the Cape Dorset power plant operation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The present plant in Cape Dorset is centrally located. To deal with the shortfall, the corporation has delivered a generating module to the community. The module is presently stored at the Northwest Territories Power Corporation site, but hamlet permission to connect the unit has been withheld, pending resolution on the community's request to have the power plant relocated to a remote site, likely near the petroleum products tanks. The cited reasons for the relocation from the community are non-conforming land use, safety and noise. Mr. Speaker, it is the opinion of the power corporation that the current site is an acceptable location and that a plant upgrade can result in adequate generating capacity at least cost-wise while dealing with the issue of land use safety and noise. The plant relocation would result in a significant price increase over that of a plant upgrade. The corporation has participated in a series of meetings with the council. The ability for backup is presently on site, and it can be hooked up in a few minutes, if the hamlet will agree and give us the necessary permission to do so. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Premier. With the search that has been going on in Arviat, the family has incurred a substantial debt. This is a partial responsibility of either the Government of the Northwest Territories or the federal government. I would like to find out if this government would either reimburse parts of costs incurred, or make a request to the federal government on behalf of the family.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, there is a meeting that is going on presently in the community. I believe that is one of the areas that they are going to talk about. I don't have any idea about what the dollar figure is. I believe I can present that to the House as soon as the report comes back in, to see what the outcome of those discussions were. Thank you.