Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Social Services. Mr. Speaker, about three weeks ago I asked a question to the Minister with regard to the lease of office space, which was arranged by the former Minister, on the Hay River reserve. I received a letter on Monday and the reserve has indicated that there has not been any arrangements of any kind with regard to that lease. I would like to ask the Minister if she has had the opportunity to review the arrangement. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Baffin Central.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The lease is done through DPW, so I would ask Mr. Morin to respond to your question. Thank you.

Before I recognize the Minister for DPW, Mr. Gargan, you have to repeat your question to another Minister. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to direct my question to the Minister of DPW, Mr. Morin. Mr. Morin is aware that an arrangement for leasing space was made between the Hay River reserve and the Department of Social Services. A letter of commitment was already sent before Christmas with regard to that arrangement. At that time, the letter indicated that the arrangement is referred to DPW for them to assess the space and cost and to finalize the agreement. I would like to ask the Minister if his department has consulted with the reserve on that lease. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know if my department has consulted with the reserve on this lease. The normal procedures is, once we are requested by the department to supply a lease, we consult with the people who would be supplying the building. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Is the Minister taking the question as notice?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you. Okay, yes.

Thank you. The Minister is taking the question as notice. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan, new question.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have been going over all the questions I have asked and my intention is to bring them up every Friday, when they have not been responded to. My other question is to the Deputy Government Leader, Mr. Pollard, and it is with regard to emergency communication equipment for the reserve. I raised that question two weeks ago and I would like to ask the Minister whether arrangements have been made for the reserve to obtain that equipment in the event of a flood. Thank you.

Thank you. Member for Hay River.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the question is: Will the reserve have equipment for emergency communications during the spring break-up? The answer to that is, yes, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in previous years, there has been equipment loaned to the reserve from the emergency measures people in Yellowknife with the Government of the Northwest Territories. At times, there has been some leasing of radios so the reserve could have communication. What has been happening is that the government and the reserve have been working together under the JEPP program to access federal funds so the reserve would have ownership of some communication equipment.

Yes, they will have communication equipment, whether or not the funding has come through from the federal government with regard to buying their own, I do not know. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, we do not review the contracts. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I said we do not review the tendering. We do not review the actual tender with hamlets, but we do monitor them. Thank you.