Of course that would only happen if you decide to keep health services, correct?

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under certain circumstances, the Member is correct. He is quite correct, thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Mr. Chairman, last week I asked the Minister several questions with regard to cadmium in caribou. There does not seem to be very much concern about it. In the press, even Audrey McLaughlin, MP, was talking about the high level of cadmium in caribou, and that it does pose a danger if you eat enough of it. Have you received any scientific analysis with regard to the cadmium which is in caribou? How concerned should we be? I am sure the people in the communities are very concerned. If it does pose a health hazard, the public deserves to know.

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The reports which have been made through the newspapers were somewhat inaccurate because they stated the cadmium was in the meat. However, the level of cadmium in the meat does not pose a danger to a person's health. The level of cadmium found in the liver and kidneys does exceed the safe level. The level which has been found in the meat is well below the danger level. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does this pose any kind of threat to other animals besides the caribou? I am wondering whether it is restricted to caribou because their diet consists of lichen.

Thank you. How contagious is this to the other animals? Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Did the Member for Deh Cho ask if it also is dangerous to the other animals that eat the caribou, or is he asking if it is found in other animals?

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All right. I will let Dr. Kinloch respond to that.

Mr. Chairman, cadmium is found in other animals. I believe there are studies in Quebec indicating moose kidney has contamination levels of cadmium. Cadmium is also found in the organs of sea mammals. I should note that cadmium is also found in cigarette smoke.

Thank you. Territorial hospital insurances services. Mr. Gargan.

I have one final question, Mr. Chairman, with regard to a senior official from the Department of Health who is warning northerners of the danger of tropical winter vacations. I wonder whether Dr. Ian Gilchrist is saying that soaking under the sun could lead to skin cancer. I want to know from you what is happening in that area because we have many people from the north who take a few weeks vacation in the winter.

Thank you. We have a question regarding UV rays. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will let Dr. Kinloch respond to that.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Mr. Chairman, exposure to ultraviolet light is indeed a cause of skin cancer. There is a growing concern about this as a result of a thinning of the ozone layer which affects us as well as the southern polar areas so that exposure to the sun here is as risky as exposure to the southern sun in many areas. The recommendations are that people should avoid exposing their skin to the sun during the period from 10:00 am until 2:00 pm. In other words, at the maximum height of the sun they should use sun screens and wear hats and protection. There is a danger which is leading to an increase in some forms of skin cancer and is expected to cause even more in the future unless the thinning of the ozone layer is reversed.

Thank you. Territorial hospital insurance services. Mr. Lewis.

Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I was not sure where to raise this issue. Over the past few days we have raised concerns about a number of gaps. The Auditor General's report, for example, identified failures with respect to the department's use of research information. I realize the department does not have a proper research lab as you would have in other jurisdictions to do the kind of sophisticated research work, but they do collect some very important information which I am sure other jurisdictions would find very useful. We had a great deal of discussion recently over E. coli, for example, and last week we also had the discussion on AIDS and HIV. What is difficult to understand is, why has the position of the territorial epidemiologist not been filled? It is a position, I believe, which deals with the entire business of transmittable diseases, and this position has not been filled for quite a long time. Could we have some explanation as to why that position has not been filled?

Thank you. Madam Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That position has been filled since last fall. Thank you.

Thank you kindly. Territorial hospital insurance services. Mr. Gargan.