Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to go back to fishing. I do not have a complex question, it has to do with policy. Is it the position of this government that the agreement which was made in 1969, which lead to the setting up of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation, should be broken so that fishermen can find other ways of marketing their fish from the Great Slave Lake?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, there have been several attempts to come to this Legislature, over the years, to have a motion of support to do just that. As well, there have been numerous meetings to deal with all of the fishermen and to get a consensus to do that. Unfortunately, those efforts have failed. I am not sure about the deliberations that have taken place with the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism and what conclusion he has come to. I know in the past it has always been recommended to all parties who wished to change the letter of the agreement to create more free access to independent marketing, the general thrust was to try to get the consensus of all of the fishermen who are utilizing the Great Slave Lake fishery. We are tied into that agreement and there is a certain process so that we can get out of it. In past discussions, the pros and cons have been put on the table on whether it was better to get out or stay in, and

obviously the stakeholders themselves have not been able to come to consensus that it would be better to get out.

Mr. Speaker, there is a great deal of debate on that issue. Certainly, the Member also knows there is a big question in terms of the interprovincial trade discussion on the viability of the marketing boards, whether it is the egg marketing board or the hogs and logs situation. These have come under debate. The question is, would the fishermen be better off marketing themselves independently from the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. I would like to say that the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism had been looking into this matter six months ago when the concerned fishermen had come forward and said that we have to take another real serious look at who is benefiting from the fishery, where do they live, whether the subsidy is encouraging or discouraging an open market or a creation of another market. I cannot tell you at this time about the best avenues because deliberations are still taking place within the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

I am getting tired of the word consensus, Mr. Speaker. There is a place for it and it is also the excuse for doing nothing. This agreement was made by governments, one government with other governments to agree to do something. What is the position of our government? The government acts on behalf of the people. However, there is a responsibility to lead and to do something. Does the government have a position on whether they want to keep the agreement or not?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, when the agreement was made, it was made on behalf of the fishermen. The fact is, people's economic viability rests in what you do. The last statement made by the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism was, "Can you get 51 per cent of the active fishermen in that area to give us a message to proceed to break the agreement and look into other marketing ventures?" They could not do that, they could not get the 51 per cent, for all kinds of reasons, but the issue is not dead. I believe if there can be another way of meeting the demands of the concerned fishermen, we will have to do that. I do not think we should say we cannot do anything. One attempt was tried. We said everyone should agree, then the Minister of Economic Development asked if we could get 51 per cent, but he could not get 51 per cent so I guess we will have to take the next step. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Speaker, 51 per cent is not consensus, that is a majority. Is it the position of this government then if you can get 51 per cent of the fishermen on Great Slave Lake to agree that this agreement should be broken, that the government would take the next step to try to break the agreement if it is at all possible?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Economic Development suggested to the fishermen that it would give them much more of a sound basis to act. It was not a position of the government. The issue is not dead and will proceed. I think the request to try to get 51 per cent does not take away the issue, we still have to deal with it. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, there is a policy in place with respect to marine community wharfs. The policy is with respect to capital allocation. If the community of Pelly Bay, for example, was to determine in a capital exercise that a wharf was a priority, we would as a department take a close look at that. We are trying to and we have over the last few years developed some wharfs in the Keewatin area, in Baker Lake and Arviat. We are looking at the possibility of a major wharf in Iqaluit and the expansion of one in Pangnirtung. We have a policy in place and we would welcome any suggestions from the honourable Member.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Premier respecting economic development. Mr. Speaker, there was a feasibility study done by Stanley and

Associates for the NWT development corporation. The study was in respect to determining the feasibility of building a wood pellet plant in the Northwest Territories. Would the Premier be able to advise this House as to the status report of the findings of this feasibility study? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as notice. Thank you.

The question has been taken as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health. Mr. Speaker, last year we had considerable debate with regard to the abortion issue in this House. I would like to ask the Minister of Health, since the report has been completed as a result of the review, what is the status of the recommendations which the government commissioned in regard to the concerns expressed in this House on the abortion issue?

Minister of Health, Ms. Mike.