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

Minister Todd.

The honourable Member is correct. There is a new deal that has been achieved. Our position changed because we were able to reach an appropriate level of funding. There was an increase in the training positions and an increase in job opportunities for the Dogrib people.

Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand, again from the rumour mill, and maybe the Minister can confirm this, in this new deal there is going to be extensive use of territorial government equipment and staff to build this road. I would like to know if the Minister would confirm this?

I would like to remind Members that Ministers can't be asked to confirm or deny rumours, but if Mr. Todd would like to respond to any aspect of government policy...Mr. Todd.

No problem, Mr. Speaker. There is going to be a utilization of some government equipment and some private sector equipment. What we're trying to do here is develop a full training program to ensure that the Dogrib people in the area get the training that's necessary, that didn't come about last year. I've indicated to the Nishi-Khon group and to the chiefs in that area that I support the need for increased training and increased job opportunities. That's the objective that we're trying to achieve here. The difficulty we were in before -- and Mr. Whitford is correct -- the costs associated with that were too high and I wasn't prepared to negotiate a contract on that basis. We reassessed it and we are now believe that we've got a contract that's in the best fiscal interests of the territories, in my opinion, and provides significant economic benefits to the people in the area of which the road is being built. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Minister Todd.

The training will be done by the private sector and the department. Thank you.

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

Minister Todd.

I indicated to the honourable Member that both the private sector and the department will be doing the training. The private sector does the training right now. It's trained in Whale Cove when they did a crushing project. It's training in Rankin Inlet. It's training all over the place. Transportation in this region is no different than the carpentry business, plumbing business, cooking business, or whatever. What we're doing is providing training. I believe this is the right approach.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Social Services. On November 29, 1993, the Minister of Social Services, in the House, said that there has been an increase of $2 million in the past 18 months in social assistance food allowances. Also, she indicated additional expenditures of about $400,000 a year as a result of the increase in the food allowances. She also stated that recent expenditures resulted in additional expenditures of $1.6 million. She also stated that, for a family of four, the changes will mean an increase of up to $280 a month. Everything seems to be directed towards an increase for everyone in the Northwest Territories who receives social assistance. The fact is, Mr. Speaker, my communities of Pelly Bay, Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak have received a reduction in food allowances. I wonder if the Minister will assure that, as a result of her Minister's statement, there will be, in fact, increases in Pelly Bay, Gjoa Haven and Taloyoak in social assistance food allowances. Thank you.

Minister Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. During the beginning of October, or the second week of October, I sent out, to the all MLAs, the detailed increases and decreases of social assistance. Examples that I use in some communities of up to a $280 increase is probably in level scale I. I have explained, Mr. Speaker, why there have been decreases in three of his communities in Natilikmiot. We took the surveys that were conducted by vital statistics in each community, and that increase or decrease was based on the findings of the survey that was conducted in 1991. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In Minister's Statement 31-12(4), I wonder if it was an oversight that the reduction or decreases were not mentioned in that particular statement. Thank you.

Minister Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could ask the department whether that was an oversight, because we did use the 1991 food cost survey done by vital statistics. There are, actually, four communities that are receiving less money than previous years, which are Gjoa Haven, Holman Island, Pelly Bay and Taloyoak. I already made a commitment that I will have the survey results provided to the Member, the other day when he was asking me. Thank you.