Good afternoon. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened with interest to the Member's statement made by the Member for Baffin South on March 8, 1993, concerning a death which occurred in Montreal. The Member indicated to the Legislative Assembly that the Department of Social Services did not provide any funding assistance.

I would like to state for the record, Mr. Speaker, the Department of Social Services provided funding for the preparation and transportation of the deceased from Montreal to Lake Harbour. The department, through the town of Iqaluit, also provided for the transportation of a relative from Iqaluit to attend the funeral. However, I regret my department could not fulfil the request the Member for Baffin South made regarding transportation of a relative who has been a long time resident of British Columbia. Thank you.

Thank you, Ms. Mike. Item 2, Ministers' statements.

Mr. Speaker, about half an hour ago we received word from the Prime Minister's office requesting a postponement of our meeting. I take this opportunity to make this statement because it has been announced previously. We do not have a new date but he will not be able to attend the meeting on Thursday, March 11, 1993.

Thank you. That was an emergency statement by the Premier. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not an expert on AIDS, Mr. Speaker, but I have read a fair amount and I listened to a presentation by the Department of Health officials last night which has convinced me that this disease is now a major threat to our population.

The first AIDS infection in the Northwest Territories was identified in 1987, although it had been identified in southern Canada much earlier, in 1980. Since 1987, on an average we have identified in the Northwest Territories, two to three new cases every year, and this occurred until 1992. In that year, however, Mr. Speaker, the number jumped to eight, and to date in 1993, three new cases have been identified. It was made clear to those of us who attended the briefing by Health officials last night that the Department of Health is very worried.

Within the last 15 months something very dramatic has happened, but these statistics do not tell the whole story, Mr. Speaker. Based on calculations done by the World Health Organization, the number of infections is likely to be ten times higher than what is reported. In fact, in the Northwest Territories there may be as many as 240 infections. It is likely there are carriers of this virus in a large number of our communities. Although great efforts are being made by top medical researchers around the world, there is a widespread belief that a cure for AIDS will not be found soon. This means this government needs to focus attention on various ways to help our population protect itself from the virus.

According to our Health officials, HIV can be stopped if we stay with one sex partner, always use a condom and do not use injection needles. Obviously this message has not had the impact we would like on the population, since the killer disease is on the rise. It is clear that we should have a full debate on this subject in this Assembly next week, Mr. Speaker. It is not easy to change people's behaviour, but that is clearly the only solution we have at the moment. I am sure with intelligence, goodwill, and the knowledge that AIDS is now a major threat to our social fabric, we can work together to protect our population.

Later, I shall table this brief report...

Mr. Lewis, your allotted time has lapsed. Before I continue with Members' statements, I would like to recognize in the gallery, Mr. David Tagoona, the mayor and Mr. David Aksawnee, the deputy mayor of Baker Lake.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was delighted when an elders' facility was built in Iqaluit in the fall of 1991. This facility was designed by the NWT Housing Corporation with the full input of the Iqaluit elders' association and was located on prime land near the beach, church and shopping areas in town, with the help of town council. About a year ago, 12 elders moved into the independent units. They are very happy with the accommodation.

I rise today to express my concern that we have been unable, to date, to make arrangements to provide the necessary care for elders who would occupy the additional eight personal care units. In fact, two elders who have been on the waiting list for this facility have died in the past year while waiting for arrangements to be put in place. I realize the Department of Social Services has been making efforts to finalize the contract for the operation of these eight units. At first, it was hoped the town of Iqaluit would provide the service through their social services department, however, the significant benefits expected by the town for their employees far exceeded the department's budget. The project was therefore tendered earlier this year.

I was very pleased that an Inuit company from my constituency, Katujjijiit Senior Care Limited, whose president Ms. Leah Inutiq is in the House today, made a very impressive proposal to run this personal care facility at a lower cost than the town's proposal. I am sure all Members will agree it is critical that the staff understand and speak the language of the people they are caring for. I am sure all Members will support the principle that more northern companies should be

providing this kind of human service to our people in Iqaluit and other communities.

The company's proposal emphasized the training and employment of Inuit staff in a quality program. It emphasized quality care for the elders including daily recreation and exercise, community outings and contact with youth. The all Inuit staff would be trained in the initial period of the contract in care giving through a course offered at the Arctic College and other modules such as nutrition and St. John Ambulance courses. The staff would earn about $24,000 per year initially which is on the very low end of the wage scale in Iqaluit, with its very high living costs, and this wage includes only the basic statutory benefits such as unemployment insurance and vacation pay.

Mr. Speaker, I could run through this last couple of paragraphs, in my statement but I do not think I will do that. I think instead I will request unanimous consent to conclude.

I think it may be easier for the honourable Member to write a shorter statement than to talk faster.

---Laughter

It is hard for the interpreters to follow. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am still adjusting to my new role and I will work on that. Mr. Speaker, I was pleased when the Minister of Social Services informed me that her regional office is now negotiating with this Inuit corporation to run the facility. However, Ms. Inutiq tells me that the department says they cannot go above a price which is about $100,000 less than the best bare-bones price for the quality care this corporation insists must be provided to our elders.

Since training costs are a significant part of the costs of this contract, especially in the first two years of operation, I will be approaching the Minister of Education to see whether the newly announced community training program of his department, the student financial assistance program or other programs might be available to this corporation to reduce their initial costs.

Today, I will be asking the Minister of Social Services for a status report on this important project in my constituency and for her commitment to support a quality program for the elders of Iqaluit. Qujannamiik.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to and express my support to some of the athletes who have won the right and honour to represent the Northwest Territories in a sporting event. Mr. Speaker, curling is an international sport and is also an olympic event. We have many curlers representing the Northwest Territories in some of the Canadian national events.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to particularly pay tribute to Kelly Kaylo and her rink, who represented us at the Scott Tournament of Hearts in Brandon, Manitoba; Trevor Alexander and his rink are presently competing in Ottawa in the Labatt Brier.

---Applause

Al Delmage and his rink will be representing us at the senior men's competitions in Edmonton; and Tara Hamer, who has my daughter Kerry playing with her, will be going to Trois-Rivieres in Quebec for the junior ladies' championships.

---Applause

Also, Mr. Speaker, in mid-April at the Yellowknife curling club, the city of Yellowknife will be hosting the Canadian Fire Fighters Curling Championships. I would ask all Members who are available to come out and support our territorial teams and see some good curling in Yellowknife. My best wishes go out to all the participants, and good luck to them. I would like to express my appreciation to all curlers across the territories who have competed and participated in this good sport. Mahsi.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, when we had the OMC meeting this morning, I told the chairman I would make a statement today or tomorrow. He told me tomorrow might not come, so I will do it today.

---Laughter

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, competitive games in the north are on the rise. There are about 50 people with sled-dogs in the Baffin region and the dogs are different breeds than the dogs from the tree line. When dog races are held, the Baffin people with sled-dogs are never included because they do not have any rules when it comes to racing. There is an individual in Arctic Bay by the name of Eric Duncan who looks after many dogs and he has a concern about the Baffin people not being included in dog racing. It would be very beneficial for the young people of Baffin to be recognized and involved in dog sled racing in the same way as the people of the western Arctic.

The Baffin regional sled-dogs are more of a working dog used by their owners to take tourists and to hunt polar bears. What I am trying to say is that people with dogs in the Baffin region are not included in the Arctic Winter Games competitions when they should be involved. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) For over nine years, I have stood up over and over in this House to outline a need which exists in my community, and I suspect it exists in other communities across the Northwest Territories as well. The need has never been addressed. I am not going to give up.

Mr. Speaker, we need to have facilities that allow parents and elders to go into the bush and still be confident that their children, who are going to school, will be looked after. (Translation ends)

Mr. Speaker, I gave my first reply to the Commissioner's opening address on March 1, 1984. At that time, I pointed out that if this government is going to be a true government of the people, consideration is going to have to be given to the survival of the aboriginal culture. Mr. Speaker, all honourable Members in this House know the importance of traditional harvesting for families in our smaller communities. Those who have lived in small communities know the dilemma faced by parents who wish to go into the bush or out onto the land to pursue hunting and trapping activities which are their cultural right. They know families are faced with unacceptable choices. They cannot take their children out of school because they are accused of violating the Education Act or contributing to a high drop-out rate.

They can try to find a place for their school age children to stay, sometimes where care and supervision is undependable or there is a risk of abuse, or they can turn their backs on the way of life that has sustained their ancestors for centuries and stay in town.

Mr. Speaker, for years I have been saying this government should arrange for a hostile type facility where children can stay during periods when their care givers are out on the land. During their stay they could receive additional academic tutoring, safe care and, most importantly, exposure to cultural programs which could be offered by the community.

Over and over I have been dismayed that this government's response has been consistently negative and narrow-minded. There has been a reluctance...

Mr. Gargan, your allotted time has elapsed.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and honourable Members. There has been a reluctance to consider such a plan because it is different from the way officials think things should be done. Mr. Speaker, when is this government going to start modifying its approach to education to meet the needs of aboriginal people, rather than making aboriginal people modify their lives to meet the needs of the colonial style of the education system? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Gargan. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs. At first I was glad when I learned the government would be combining education, culture and employment, as I thought this would mean the educational system could be structured to better meet the cultural needs of the people in the smaller communities. I was also glad when the Honourable Richard Nerysoo became the Minister because I know he understands the difficulties we face when we are trying to ensure the survival of the aboriginal culture. Mr. Speaker, earlier today I talked about the problems which many Dene families face when they have to go into the bush. For a long time I have thought it would be helpful to have a place where their children can stay and continue to attend school. Is the Minister willing

to explore the possibility of funding the development of hostels or cultural survival centres where this could take place?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Any ideas which would improve the ability of the government to deliver good programs to the people of the north is welcome. We may consider those issues, but again I ask the honourable Member to recognize the potential financial restraints we might encounter in responding to the needs of his particular constituents and the people of the Northwest Territories.

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

Mr. Speaker, thank you. I do not support money being taken away from student residences which allow children to attend secondary schools in Fort Simpson. Mr. Speaker, I am talking about putting the mandate for the cultural survival together with the mandate for education, and creating a new kind of facility which allows families to follow their traditional activities. Will the Minister agree to support this concept in principle?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not think that any Member of this Cabinet disagrees with the principle the honourable Member has raised. I ask the honourable Member to work with the divisional board of education and myself to see how we may be able to incorporate the principle the honourable Member is raising. I think it is an important principle which could be dealt with throughout the Northwest Territories. It should be dealt with in conjunction with the strategy we are developing in terms of our future view and direction we wish to take with regard to education and amending the Education Act. When we get to that particular point, as well as laying out the plans for education in the regions, I think it will be helpful when we deal with those particular issues and will greatly improve the ability of this government to deliver programs which are culturally relevant and recognize the cultures and languages which we are responsible for.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister knows many families are going to leave the community so they can carry out their traditional hunting and trapping activities. Can the Minister confirm if his department has found this to be one

of the factors which contribute to children dropping out of school or falling behind in their studies?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, I would assume that is one of the contributing factors, along with many others, to this particular concern.

Item 5, oral questions. Your final supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I have raised this issue many times and in the Minister's response to my request he referred to the divisional board of education being responsible. Mr. Speaker, this is a matter of Dene cultural survival and making sure there is acceptable care for our younger children. It is a cultural issue which should be decided in culturally appropriate ways. It should be the elders and the people of the communities who are deciding these things, not some European-style board which was set up by bureaucrats in Yellowknife. Can the Minister explain why his department is to eager to pass the buck so the decisions are made by boards which are modelled on non-native educational systems?

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, It is not the intention of the department, myself or this government to dictate the direction that each board wishes to take. I appreciate the concern which the honourable Member has raised and I have already indicated to the honourable Member that I will be meeting with the Deh Cho divisional board along with Mr. Antoine. I have indicated a number of issues which Mr. Antoine has raised and I will try to address those particular matters. It is my intention to continue to encourage the regions to develop their responsibility for the education of their children, including the need to develop culturally relevant programs. I think it is necessary and this government is not opposing those particular principles. In fact, if anything, I think our history will show that we have tried to encourage the development of programming in those areas. That is my position. The honourable Member knows my beliefs in the matter of protecting and enhancing the development of language and culture, and that is the view which I take into this particular portfolio.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister of Social Services is aware of the Katujjijiit Corporation's proposal for the personal care facility in Iqaluit. It features quality, dignified care, a daily program and diet, and a culturally relevant program run by trained Inuit who are employed by a northern company. Does this represent the ideal kind of care for our elders, in a personal care facility run by this government? Thank you.

Mr. Patterson, are you asking the opinion of the Minister? Could you, perhaps, rephrase your question, Mr. Patterson?

Mr. Speaker, is it the policy of the Department of Social Services that this kind of culturally relevant quality program should be sought after in personal care facilities for elders run by the department?

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not only the department's policy to hire aboriginals, it is a most essential policy, when we are delivering these kinds of programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to hear the Minister's endorsement of the concept behind this proposal. Now we get to the more difficult part. Could the Minister report on the current status of negotiations with the corporation to run the eight bed personal care facility in Iqaluit? Thank you.

Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To be courteous to the Members who may not know the background of this project, I will elaborate on how it was started. This facility was ready to be opened last summer. The town of Iqaluit was to run the facility but they were $199,000 over the ceiling of the department's budget. Shortly after that, an FMB submission was made and it was rejected. The management contract eventually went to public tender again in January, 1993. There were two proposals which were submitted to the department. Neither were registered northern contractors, as the department thought.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allooloo. Mr. Speaker, this fall there was approval for a community assembly building in Kakisa. I understand things have been going well with the planning and design. I have not been to Kakisa for quite some time now and I apologize. What is the status of the building?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The design is being done and the construction is scheduled for this year. I am told the site was identified and the site will be cleared by the end of March. The community is involved in this project. My department is meeting with the community officials. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will direct my officials to look into the issue. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have an answer for the Member by Monday. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. I raised the issue on March 8 of a conference in Edmonton sponsored by the Canadian polar commission and noted that his deputy minister, Mr. Bailey was in attendance, as the only representative of this government. I would like to ask the Minister if Mr. Bailey has reported on the proceedings of that conference?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bailey was in fact there. He chaired one of the workshops. He has reported to me verbally that it was successful, he felt it was progressive and he has yet to provide me with a written report, Mr. Speaker. This is as much as I can tell you at the present time, but he was impressed with the conference. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Mr. Speaker, while most of us enjoy the privilege of banking in larger centres such as Yellowknife and the other larger communities, there are those of us who come from the smaller communities who do not have any type of banking. The Arctic co-ops have endeavoured to start credit unions across the territories. I would like to know if the Minister has provided any type of assistance to the co-ops in their endeavour to start credit unions? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, last year we had several meetings with the co-op movement in this regard. We have talked to the federal government with regard to them providing the co-operative movement with the necessary funding to get the project off the ground. This is where we are at, at the present time. I think the requirement is $7 million, it may be a

little understated, and it may require more money than that, Mr. Speaker. This is where it is at. We believe the federal government should be assisting the co-op movement with their funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the honourable Minister undertake to pressure the federal government to provide some assistance to the co-ops? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, I will contact the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Further to questions from Mr. Lewis, Mr. Speaker, the Canadian polar commission was established with the full support of this government as a body to monitor activities of the Government of Canada and its agencies in scientific research in the north. It is a body with a mandate to report to Parliament on research priorities and research needs of the Canadian north. Mr. Lewis has referred to the conference held in Edmonton, replete with federal officials, which recommends that Canada should develop an economic strategy for the north.

My question is to the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, who has just surprised me by describing this conference as a success, would he not agree that the realm of economic strategy for the Northwest Territories is public policy within the responsibility of the Government of the Northwest Territories and very far removed from research and research priorities for federal agencies in the federal government in the north?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bailey was invited to the conference. I thought it was a good idea that he attend the conference. I think there is a problem in jurisdiction, and it is something that Mr. Patterson is well aware of. We do not have sovereignty in the Northwest Territories as a province would. Consequently, there are a number of departments involved in the economics of things in the Northwest Territories. I think we have to face the fact that we do not have total responsibility. I guess we could have said, "No, we are not going to attend that conference," but we felt that it was in our best interest to have a representative there. I think these are some of the things that the Northwest Territories, when it divides, is going to have to address. That is, who will set the policy for the north? That means we have to get more powers into the Northwest Territories, be it in the western Arctic or in Nunavut, Mr. Speaker. When it comes down to the public policy, I guess there are two sets of policies. One belonging to the federal government and one belonging to the Government of the Northwest Territories. Many times, Mr. Speaker, they overlap which causes some confusion. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, perhaps I could recount last night. Madam Premier and myself met with Shell Oil, who were up here for a visit yesterday. They told me, at the end of the meeting, that in previous years they had not known who to do business with and primarily they had liaised with the federal government. They told us last night that obviously this is where they should be dealing. I think we are making inroads into saying that this is the government that you should be dealing with in the Northwest Territories. I think we also have to respect the fact that many aboriginal organizations feel the federal government is the government they wish to liaise with. When it comes down to issues of CAEDS, where it is a federal program, aboriginal organizations look to the federal government.

At the conference Mr. Bailey attended, there was recognition that there is confusion between who is doing what and who they are doing it with in the Northwest Territories. There was a discussion on the strategy to coordinate development in the northern parts of Canada, in northern Quebec and in the Yukon as well, so we each know the ground that each other is staking out. I would like to be able to respond to Mr. Patterson and say, "Yes, this is the group that you should be dealing with, the Government of the Northwest Territories will set all the policies and we will set the guidelines and say what the rules are," but, Mr. Speaker, we do not have all that legislation at our disposal. There are things that the federal government is involved in. We have to accept that. When Mr. Patterson was Government Leader, he was keen on the responsibilities devolving from the federal government to the Government of the Northwest Territories. That is the way we are going to gain total control. In the meantime, we have to recognize there are many interests out there and we should be trying to cooperate with all of them. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I accept that, as far as federal government programs and legislation, we may not fully occupy the field of economic planning, but we are talking about an independent agency of the federal government called the Canadian polar commission, which is purporting to tell us what strategies we should be following in the Northwest Territories. One of the ideas was we should create a country food marketing board. I do not know whether or not that is a good idea, Mr. Speaker, but would the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism not agree that decisions of that kind should be made by our government? Would it be appropriate to clarify with the Canadian polar commission that their priorities, as we understood them when we supported their creation, were to set research priorities and discuss research needs and they have no business telling our government what our economic policies and strategy should be for our people?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, when I receive Mr. Bailey's report, and I see what the recommendations from that polar commission study says about the Northwest Territories, when I get a feeling of what their intent is, then I will definitely respond to them. In the meantime, I am going to keep my counsel, and let us see what was written first of all. As far as us participating, I would rather have someone at the table who can speak for us, who can understand what is going on around the table, than boycott the conference and not be there and not know what was said in that particular meeting, Mr. Speaker. I will respond when I receive a copy of the report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Government Leader. I received a letter from Mr. Whit Fraser, the chairman of the board of the polar commission, expressing his concerns about statements that are being made in this House about the mandate of the polar science commission. He states, "Our mandate instructs us to promote northern institutions and issues and provide information to the Government of Canada, either in the way of recommendations or proposed policy statements." So my question to the Premier is this, since we are so pleased with this, from the report by Mr. Bailey, is she prepared to accept that the polar commission makes policy recommendations to the federal government as to what should happen in her jurisdiction?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, so not to overstate anything, I believe in the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism's reply, he stated that his deputy minister was pleased that the meeting went well and that the discussion was well-received. He did not refer to the role of the polar commission and the role it was playing. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Fraser also indicated, Mr. Speaker, that the mandate of the polar science commission extends beyond the Northwest Territories and that is why he feels the mandate should be as broad as he describes it. What he says is, "the mandate includes, not only the Northwest Territories, but Labrador, Arctic Quebec and the Yukon." Do we have discussions in these areas which are within provincial jurisdiction about the development of an economic strategy for our northern areas?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, a point of clarification. Did the honourable Member ask the question, "Do we have discussions in the Northwest Territories about the economic development policies in the provinces?" Is that the question?

Mr. Lewis, would you please restate your question, please.

It seems that the polar science commission has taken as its mandate the development of things that go beyond science. Mr. Fraser is clear, the mandate is very broad and that his policy recommendations and formulations include, not only the Northwest Territories, but these other parts of provinces. Perhaps this commission is jumping into a vacuum because these groups of people do not really discuss economic development issues. So my question is, do we do that? Do we have contact with these other jurisdictions within provinces that share northern economic problems with us?

Madam Premier.

Yes, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Could the Minister tell us what form that takes, since I was not aware that we had any kind of formal arrangement.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, it takes many forms. Certainly through the Inuit circumpolar conference there are discussions on Arctic policy, whether it is economic, or a matter of environmental concerns. There is a new body that is being envisaged and we are trying to be at the table, rather than off the table, at Arctic council. As I mentioned before, we did give a great deal of information. There has been a great deal of discussion with the polar commission when it was being formed through the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada principally, on what role it can play to advance the broader concerns across the polar regions. We do have continuing dialogue with northern Quebec in terms of area of polar bear management and other areas. Most recently, trying to be in support of Sanikiluaq and the Hudson Bay in terms of giving more credibility to the desires and concerns of northern people that border northern Quebec in terms of hydro development.

We have many ongoing working relations. We attend various ministerial conferences on economic development, which we are a party to at the main table. Economic issues of northern parts of the provinces continue to scope themselves out. A great deal of dialogue goes on at the western ministerial conferences in terms of the more northern parts of the provinces and some of the issues that we have regarding resources to develop economically.

So, there are many different levels that we deal with in terms of sharing ideas in an attempt to bring in a working relationship with northern provincial jurisdictions, or northern provincial parts of the provinces, into the areas that we are concerned about. There are various levels. In terms of a vacuum, it seems that if you look at the northern parts of the provinces, particularly where there are large groups of aboriginal people, they share very much the same problems as we have in terms of priorities set in providing resources for economic development, and having people take part in a new environment, aboriginal people taking part in the development of the resources. These are continuing ongoing discussions, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Whitford.

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this stage my department's role is facilitating community needs, attending meetings and making the communities aware of what is happening in this particular area. PanArctic has proposed to dump 400 tons of scrap metal into the ocean. In September 1992, they applied for a permit from the federal government to dump 400 tons of scrap metal near Lougheed Island. There was a public meeting organized by Environment Canada in Resolute Bay to consult with the communities of Resolute Bay and Grise Fiord. We assisted the people of Grise Fiord to get to Resolute Bay to attend the public hearing.

My department has been in contact with Environment Canada to raise our concern that even though the impact is thought to be very minimal, as a government we are very concerned that if we start dumping little bits here and there, soon we will pollute northern waters. As a result, this government has contacted both Environment Canada and Indian and Northern Affairs regarding our concerns. This morning our Premier talked to Indian and Northern Affairs in Yellowknife stating our concern and asking them to look into this. I have written a letter to the Minister of the Environment raising our concerns. Also, I am told that ITC is planning to file a notice of objection under section 86(4) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to the federal government. Thank you.

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