Mr. Speaker, the mining industry's position is that, if people are trained and available, their first preference, indeed, would be to hire from the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

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

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, first of all, the BHP trip was offered to the aboriginal group directly. What we did, before the trip, was to provide background information on the mineral industry and any informed knowledge that the group wanted. Our role is more to work with the groups in the Northwest Territories, but this was a specific offer by BHP, which they took up. However, as Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, responsible for trying to make sure we have as much involvement as possible, we do try to support the groups, upon request. Sometimes, we have requests for just general information. Sometimes, we have requests to arrange meetings in support of them, when they are asking for meetings with various companies. When companies are coming into the Northwest Territories, we try to make sure that they not only meet with the Government of the Northwest Territories, but meet with the aboriginal groups, particularly in communities that are close to the area of exploration and development. Thank you.

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

Just to follow up, Mr. Speaker, on Friday, December 3, 1993, in reply to an oral question from the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, there was reference to transportation subsidies, to offset the cost of travel for workers living in the more remote areas and communities. How will this program be applied to either the employer or the employee in the territories? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, that particular response was in relationship to some of the difficulties we have had in the past where, whether it is the Department of National Defence and the DEW line or the oil and gas industry, the industry and the southern operators often find it very convenient to recruit in the south and either stage from Winnipeg into the communities, or from Edmonton or Montreal. They provide those transportation costs. But, in the past and up to this time, they have been very reluctant to supply that same kind of transportation support from Iqaluit to Izok Lake, for example, or from Tuk to the DEW line site in Cambridge Bay. We have had a difficulty in the past. I think this is one of the discussions we are having, on how we can provide support to our working residents to get to those locations where there is work and how we promote that. We haven't come to any conclusion on that, but it is a question that has to be answered and it is an issue that has to be resolved. Thank you.

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

Would the program, which is being developed, be applied to not only the workers, but specific communities, particularly the communities that are greatly affected by the mining industry development that is happening in the territories? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the position of the department and the government is that the first point of contact, benefit and opportunity, should be the immediate community around that development. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that the Minister's department has apparently commissioned a study on the financial benefits to the GNWT as a result of the new mining jobs. I would like to ask the Minister when she anticipates the study will be completed? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I don't have that date. I thought I had it here. We're almost completed now, and I'll get back to the Minister and take that question as notice.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs. In the past, when there have been major developments in the energy field, for example, the government has responded with programs to ensure that benefits and jobs would stay with northern people. Preparation for the construction of the MacKenzie Valley pipeline, for example, saw the Hire North

project. I'm sure Mr. Antoine can remember that. Hundreds of people were hired as a result of that. When the Beaufort was booming we saw Tuk U, which helped a lot of young people become involved in the industry, from CIC and various oil companies.

We are now in the middle of the biggest mineral staking rush in Canadian history, with the diamond and mining activity such as the Izok Lake project. I would like to ask the Minister, is the government involved in setting up training programs in preparation for people to become more heavily involved in the mining industry?

Ms. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would just like to indicate to the honourable Member that officials from the department have been meeting with representatives of Arctic College, the Kitikmeot Inuit Association, the communities, and also industry, to discuss the nature of the jobs that would be available in terms of total numbers that were required for construction and the total number of jobs required for total production. As a result of that, they are considering developing a strategy on how we deal with developing the appropriate training programs to meet the needs of those two specific areas.

Thank you, Minister Nerysoo. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've talked to many people in the industry and they believe one of the mining-related activities, which really fits in very well with northern culture and lifestyle, is prospecting, because of people's familiarity with the land and so on. The government has done a few token things. But, I would like to ask the Minister, what has this government done to really promote prospecting as one of the things that many northern people could get into, so that it becomes one of our major industrial potentials?

Hear, hear.