Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is one of the options we are looking at. It requires a legal injunction. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

Mr. Speaker, has the Minister notified the federal government of that fourth option?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No. I know ITC has applied under the Environmental Protection Act, section 86(4), that this section would allow any group to make a notice of objection for this type of dumping. Thank you.

Mr. Arvaluk, this is your final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Why has the territorial government not done the same thing as ITC has done?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am keeping an open communication between my office and the federal Minister's office. We are not going to do that until we are sure we cannot get satisfactory answers from the Minister's office. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Further to the questions earlier today on the Science Institute, I wonder if I could ask the Minister responsible for the Science Institute if he could outline the factors and reasons behind this proposed change to associate the Science Institute with Arctic College? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Science Institute, Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, as a result of my musings and a change in receiving some instructions from my suggestions to Cabinet, what became clear to me was that I was not in any way reneging on the direction which had been agreed to, in fact, with the support of the honourable Member, that the Science Institute be decentralized. However, when I reviewed the situation I became concerned about the purpose of those decisions. I believe one of the aspects of the programming area presently absent from the Arctic College programs is in the area of science and technology. When I look at the people who are involved in the present board, I see some significant talent and expertise there which could help the college develop very important and northern relevant science and technology programs. The other aspects that concerned me, and is a role the science institute is now playing, is in the area of research. I believe it is time for us to take the initiative to give some credibility to the Arctic College

system to be involved in the area of research, particularly in science and technology.

When I became the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment Programs I took over the responsibility for the Science Institute, and I was quite concerned about the area of McGill University taking on a nutrition research project which should be conducted by a post-secondary institution in the Northwest Territories. It is my view that this is one of the tasks we should be looking forward to. I know there is some concern about how we were dealing with this issue.

Mr. Speaker, I personally called Mr. Parker, who is the chairman of the board, to suggest to him that perhaps we should be working together to develop a plan as to how we can approach the issue of decentralization of the Science Institute and how Arctic College could get involved in science and technology programming and research. I think it is a reasonable suggestion. It is my view we should also develop credibility in our northern Arctic College program and institution where we develop credibility in the area of northern science and technology. I needed the help of the board of directors and the Science Institute to go in this direction.

We have since formed a committee with Arctic College, the Science Institute and Department of Education, Culture and Employment Programs to develop a plan as to how we could do this.

This issue is a very complex one, it is not simple and it is my view that we should put all these groups together to come up with a plan to deal with this issue. I want to advise the honourable Members that this is not simply musing on my part but I thought we should, in fact, develop our northern institution with that view. Other post-secondary institutions in Canada cover the area of science and technology. I thought we should develop a plan as to how we can get our northern college into this area. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am very glad we raised the matter in this House and we are now getting some detailed information on what the thinking is on the part of the Minister and what process is being formed. I take it the Minister will be meeting with the Science Institute board on this matter.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, having spoken to the chairman, Mr. Parker, I also had a chance to meet with the staff of the Science Institute in December, and I will also be meeting with the board tomorrow at approximately 2:00 pm.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Minister visualizes these changes is it his intention that the integrity of the Science Institute be preserved so it retains its ability to obtain third party funding from the national research council, private industry and other potential funding sources? Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is certainly my intention to ensure whatever results from this has that particular integrity. Whether it is the Arctic College system or whether it is a structure which is new, those structures may require legislative changes. I would want to ensure, without doubt, that any replacement or any changes will ensure the integrity of any institution to continue to raise money either through third party or private donations for the purpose of research.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.