Oh, I'll sit down.

---Laughter

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll pose my question to the Minister of MACA. But, before I do that, Mr. Speaker, I've been sitting here trying to get your attention and in doing so, I've noted how well your socks colour coordinate with the poinsettias that you display.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will ask the Minister of MACA, in our community we've been trying to address the boundary issue, to bring the boundary closer to the community. Negotiations have been going on for quite some time with this particular department on this issue. I would like to ask the Minister if he would make a commitment on his department's behalf to attempt to address this outstanding issue by the end of January. I believe the initial goal was the end of December. Thank you.

Minister Todd.

I know this issue very well. It is one that has been going on for some time. I want to assure the honourable Member that we are going to make every effort we can to expedite a satisfactory response to the concern about the boundaries. I'm optimistic, based on the notes here, that we'll be able to conclude that before the end of January. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To the Minister, I'm grateful for the commitment. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not he would be willing to consider visiting the community of Fort Smith to discuss this issue, if further discussion is needed, with the town council? Thank you.

Minister Todd.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Minister Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if we have any antibiotics developed that might be able to fight that disease?

Mr. Kakfwi.

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

Thank you. My question is to the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism and it is with regard to the egg quota. Mr. Speaker, I know the government has been negotiating with CEMA for the allocation of the egg quota. I also understand that when Mr. Sibbeston was the Government Leader, he made a promise that whatever quota comes to the north the first opportunity will be given to the reserve. I would like to ask what is the result of the negotiations that are happening with CEMA right now?

Minister Todd.

Well, it is my understanding, Mr. Speaker, that the negotiation for egg quotas has become quite a controversial and political situation. In fact, CEMA is currently, I'm told anyway, suing the Hay River producers for black marketing eggs in Alberta. I'm not in a position today to be able to respond to the honourable Member positively to the question he has asked at this time.

The time allotted for oral question period has elapsed. Item 6, written questions. We'll take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

I call the Assembly back to order. The last item we concluded was item 6, written questions. Item 7, returns to written questions. There are no returns to written questions. Item 8, replies to opening address. Item 9, petitions. Item 10, reports of standing and special committees. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today on behalf of the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions to present our report on the review of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation. Since November 1992 the committee has held a number of public meetings and heard presentations on all aspects of the work of the NWT Power Corporation. The committee would like to thank the Honourable Nellie Cournoyea, Minister for the Power Corporation, and her officials for their presentations and responses to committee Members' questions and concerns. The standing committee also wishes to extend its appreciation to the many witnesses who talked to us and made presentations. The many comments received were very helpful to the committee in this review.

As a result of this work, this committee has made recommendations and comments in a variety of areas. The specific areas addressed in the report include:

-the role of the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, both with regard to the Assembly and to the public;

-the development of franchise agreements in communities across the north;

-the location and upgrading of power plants;

-energy conservation and the identification of alternate energy options;

-the control of environmental contaminants;

-the need for efforts in research and development;

-the use of northern business, labour and materials;

-the use of contract workers in smaller plants;

-the efforts of the corporation in implementing an affirmative action policy;

-support of education and training initiatives by the corporation;

-the corporation's housing policy; and,

-the level of service provided by the corporation for all Northwest Territories residents.

During the late stages of the review, the issue of the privatization of the Power Corporation was raised by the Minister. Mr. Speaker, this report does not address this issue. Instead we focused on concerns relevant to the corporation as a public entity.

Motion To Receive Committee Report 10-12(4) And Move To Committee Of The Whole

I move at this point, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Brian Lewis, that the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions final report on the Northwest Territories Power Corporation be received and moved into committee of the whole for consideration. Mahsi.