Mr. Minister.

The idea of a debt recovery plan is, of course, that it is usually a joint initiative on the part of the municipality and the department. It is a sense of cooperation. Mr. Menard advises me that he doesn't think there is a problem there. The debt recovery plan, as far as he knows, is under way. It doesn't reflect in the capital expenditures that are going into Fort Liard, so I don't anticipate any problem.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.

I think that area may have been cleared up. I haven't been informed by the community, but it had to do with the a water and sewer subsidy that was held back since last August. If that has already been taken care of, I will move on to other concerns.

Still with the community of Fort Liard, it is a community that is a hamlet, but they tell me the type of facilities normally funded to a hamlet, they have not received. For example, they don't have their own community office. With a population from 250 to 600, they should receive an office of 271 square metres, at a cost of $1,200 per metre. So they figure they missed out on about $325,000 in that area, because they are leasing. It goes on to a number of different key areas where they have not been fully funded as a municipal council. I would like the department to meet with the community and cover all the areas that they may not have received funding for, that they may be entitled to. I would just like to make that comment.

With regard to water and sewer, I am glad that finally we are going to get some of that work done in the smaller communities, not only in my constituency, but in other constituencies, as well. In the community of Jean Marie River, they are telling me the department is planning to build a water reservoir for water storage. People I have talked to who work in this department, or other government departments that deal with water, have said they think there is no need to build a reservoir. There are two systems being used in my constituency, one in Fort Liard and one in Wrigley. In those communities, water is taken from a well and pumped into a storage tank that is in a heated building. This water is stored there and whenever it is needed, it is distributed to the community. The only thing they haven't done is put a check valve in the well, so that any water in the system, after the tanks are full, drains by itself. So then there is no problem of freezing. This is a very simple system that is used. I was wondering if the department took that into consideration, in planning the water reservoirs they are building in some of the smaller communities. I think the communities accept the water reservoirs, but has the department looked into this other way of providing water into the smaller communities? That is the question, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I do remember from my own travels into Mr. Antoine's area, even when I was on the other side as a Member of SCOF, the number one priority in Nahanni Butte, and some of these other small communities, was water and sewer. And I agree with that. We have to be able to provide the basic infrastructure to these smaller communities, as well as the larger communities. It is not our intention to come into

communities and determine, without consultation, what kind of water and sewer services should be provided. There is limitation of dollars, naturally. So what I read here, I believe it is the intent in the Jean Marie River situation to consider -- and I stress "consider" -- a truck fill point, to provide the minimal level of water supply, because some of the new homes have now been equipped with pressure systems, which we know take more water in comparison to some of the communities where they don't have those systems. So I want to assure the honourable Member that, before any decision is made on the basic infrastructure of these communities and, in particular, his question about Jean Marie River, that full consultation with the community will take place and that will be done prior to any expenditure of funds. In 1994-95, I believe there is $400,000 in the budget and $580,000 in 1995-96. So I think there is a need for some ongoing discussions with the community, in terms of their basic needs. I really believe the communities know and can provide the kind of local knowledge that others cannot. That is what we will make sure happens. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.

I would just like to thank the department for helping out with the roads in Wrigley and the other things they have done in the smaller communities.

Fort Simpson is on the island and they would like to grow, but it is difficult to grow off the island. So there are some initiatives being taken to try to develop some more lots on the mainland. One of the plans that may cost is an alternative access of the island toward the back of the island to go into an area that has already been divided into lots. It is further back in the plans, but for the record, I wanted to tell the department, if there is a possibility to move it up, it would certainly help the community grow. In this day and age, there is much development happening and it is difficult to expand the community because of its natural situation. One of the areas the community is looking at is an alternate access road into the community. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I think there is full recognition on the part of the department, and other departments I am responsible for, that with the decentralization and the natural growth of the community, there is going to be a requirement to look at the kinds of things the honourable Member has indicated. I am not making any promises, but we are currently trying to see where we fit within this national/federal initiative, with respect to municipal infrastructure under the Honourable Art Eggleton. One of the areas, in my discussions with Mr. Pollard in Halifax, was municipal infrastructure. I don't want to imply there is a ton of money out there, but this would be the kind of project we might be able to look at, should we be -- and I stress it -- should we be successful. Should we be successful, it may be an area where we could look at moving some of these capital expenditures up. But at this time, the fiscal condition of the department and the government doesn't permit that. I know there are ongoing discussions right now with the mayor in your municipality, in an effort to try to reach some kind of compromise to see if we can move forward on this. There is clearly a recognition that Simpson is on the move and there does need to be some attention to it, similarly to other communities in the Arctic. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. General comments. Line by line?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Line By Line

Directorate

Thank you. One page 11-11, detail of capital, community works and capital planning, buildings and works, headquarters...I am sorry, we are on page 11-9. Details of capital, directorate, buildings and works, headquarters, total headquarters, total region, $110,000. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Mr. Chairman, I wanted to get an idea of what it meant by emergency operation centre.

Mr. Minister.

I think I'll ask Mr. Menard, if I may.

Mr. Menard. Mr. Minister, your microphone was not on.

I understand the importance of this issue with Mr. Arngna'naaq, and it's important to get a full understanding of where this is. Mr. Menard.

Mr. Menard.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The operating centre is a centre where there is a communication area for any emergencies that happen then people gather in that area to put their emergency planning in place when responding to any emergency. It's a centre that's developed. They have radar communication, replacement for ongoing security. If the power goes out this is where people would gather. It's an emergency centre that's used to deal with emergencies.

Thank you. Total region, $110,000.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Building and works, equipment acquisition, headquarters, total region, $20,000.

Agreed.

---Agreed