Good afternoon. I wish to inform the House that I have received the following message dated October 21, 1994 from the honourable Deputy Commissioner: "I wish to advise that I recommend to the Legislative Assembly of the Northwest Territories the passage of Bill 18, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 4, 1993-94; Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1994-95, during the sixth session of the 12th Legislative Assembly." Signed by Helen Maksagak, Deputy Commissioner.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to advise Members that the Honourable Silas Arngna'naaq will be absent from the House today and part of tomorrow to attend the Nunavut Tunngavik economic development conference in Rankin Inlet.

Madam Speaker, I have another statement. May I proceed?

Madam Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to bring the Members up to date on the implementation of family law reform.

I am pleased to advise that work is proceeding on schedule. The Departments of Justice and Health and Social Services have been working on the development of new legislation, as recommended by the family law review report in September 1992 and by the Special Committee on Health and Social Services in November 1993.

The first piece of legislation, the Aboriginal Custom Adoption Recognition Act, has already been introduced and will come forward for further consideration in committee of the whole this session. Cabinet has approved three additional pieces of legislation to be prepared by the spring of 1995, so they can be tabled for consultation during the life of this Legislative Assembly.

Work has commenced on a new Family Law Act, a new Children's Law Act and a new Child Welfare Act. The child welfare legislation presents several opportunities and challenges. Communities must be given more opportunity to be involved in child welfare matters. This will have to be balanced with the responsibility to ensure that children taken into care receive the protection and care they need.

Further consultations with interested groups and individuals will occur as this act is drafted. Both Minister Kakfwi and myself will consult with Members, communities and the public as work on family law reform progresses. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I am proud to present to the Members of this Assembly, and to the people of the Northwest Territories, the details of our new Education, Culture and Employment strategy called "People: Our Focus for the Future, A Strategy to 2010."

Communities in the north have been, and continue to be, challenged to find ways to maintain their traditions, while continuing to adopt to social, technological and political change. As well, in the territories, we are also contending with the same fiscal realities as many other jurisdictions. Choices will have to be made about how we organize, fund and deliver education, culture and employment programs and services now and in the future.

Madam Speaker, 12 years ago a strategy for education was approved by this Assembly. That strategy, "Learning: Tradition and Change," focused on three major initiatives: the implementation of aboriginal language programs, the establishment of divisional boards of education across the Northwest Territories and the establishment and development of a regional campus system for Arctic College. Madam Speaker, these goals have been accomplished and it is now time to move forward with a strategy to meet the realities of the Northwest Territories that they are now facing and will be facing into the next century.

The Strategy to 2010 represents the ideas and comments of citizens and organizations across the Northwest Territories. During the past 18 months, the department received comments from many different sources:

- elders participated in focus group session and proposed ways to enhance culture and tradition;

- educators and students provided valuable comments on the way education programs should be delivered;

- community and aboriginal organizations provided insight for great local decision-making; and,

- business and industry groups identified methods for establishing stronger links between work and education and training.

Madam Speaker, last November, I tabled Towards a Strategy to 2010: A Discussion Paper which was considered by Members in committee of the whole. The completed Strategy to 2010, which I will be tabling today, represents the outcome of a comprehensive consultation process. It incorporates the themes, issues and solutions which people in the Northwest Territories identified.

Our consultations have led us to further develop a community-based model for education, culture and employment programs which focuses on three major strategy concepts:

-First, we plan to link all phases of the learning cycle, from early childhood to adult education, into a continuum of lifelong learning activities;

-Second, we plan to enable greater community control and ownership of education, culture and employment programs through changes to the Education Act; and,

-Third, we propose to develop the concept of a community learning network which would link all community-based programs and services together through a single organization.

People have told us about the importance of being able to address their community's learning priorities through education, culture and employment programs coordinated and delivered at the community level.

The community-based model proposed in the strategy will meet many of the objectives we heard in our consultation, including:

-establishing an early childhood learning system;

-improving student achievement;

-developing a comprehensive system of post-secondary education in the Northwest Territories;

-improving support to communities for culture programs; and,

-developing a territorial system of information networks.

Madam Speaker, the completion of the Strategy to 2010 marks the beginning of a new period of planning and activity for Education, Culture and Employment in the Northwest Territories. The focus of that planning and activity over the next 15 years will be on the people and communities in the Northwest Territories. I will be making announcements over the next few months about the programs initiatives we are taking as a result of our strategic plan. I look forward to Members' comments and suggestions, and the comments of all our constituents. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

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

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I am very concerned, Madam Speaker, about the NWT Power Corporation's proposed rate structure changes which are presently before the Public Utilities Board.

Madam Speaker, the proposal raises several questions. It is based on the cost of service analysis completed by the corporation over the fiscal year ending March 31, 1994. This analysis looked at the true cost of providing electrical services to a community versus the actual revenue received. The Power Corporation has said it needs revenue of nearly $100 million to remain in the black.

Proposed rate zones were created according to the source of power, diesel generator or hydroelectric. Also taken into consideration for creating these rate zones was the community's geopolitical location. What this means, Madam Speaker, is that rates in some areas, such as areas served by the Taltson hydroelectric project will go down and rates in the western diesel system rate area, which includes all the communities in my constituency, will go up. As a matter of fact, Madam Speaker, the rates in the western Arctic diesel zone for domestic service will have increased by approximately 50 per cent to meet the corporation's cost and service revenue requirements.

While the corporation has indicated in their proposal that the cost of commercial services will go down, the government will now pay the same rate as other ratepayers. The corporation, in it's rate application, is shifting the onus for revenue generation to the private household ratepayer. Rates for domestic service in the communities in my constituency will go up by 20 per cent over the next two years. Of course, none of my constituents are too happy with this development. It means that people in my constituency will be paying more money for their power. Some people pay too much already.

In addition, Madam Speaker, I am not too impressed with the entire process of public hearings held by the Public Utilities Board into the proposed new rate structure. Adequate notice was not given to the residents of the NWT so that they could make informed submissions to the board. I am very disappointed that there were no hearings held in any of the regions on this important matter.

Madam Speaker, I am running out of time. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. It also seems to me, Madam Speaker, from looking through the newspapers of the last few weeks, that there has either been a news blackout of the hearings, or that it has been decided that the conclusions of the board are foregone conclusions and there is no point in sending out anyone to cover this matter by the media. Putting a small advertisement in the territorial newspaper announcing that there will be hearings into the NWT Power Corporation's application for proposed rate structure changes gives people little information on how this will affect them. When the hearings on such an important matter are only held in one community, it causes undue financial hardship for anybody who would like to appear before the Public Utilities Board.

Madam Speaker, as a publicly-owned corporation, I believe it is the responsibility and, indeed, the obligation of the NWT Power Corporation when it proposes such a radical change in the way it provides services to residents of the NWT, to provide as much information as possible. As well, to give an opportunity to people in the communities to make presentations to the Public Utilities Board in their own communities.

I also have concern about how these rate change proposals will affect the territorial government's power subsidy program, given that the power subsidy amount is based on the cost of providing power in Yellowknife. Mahsi, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statement. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I would like to, first of all, congratulate all the native organizations and groups that have been successful in negotiating final claims agreements with the federal and territorial governments over the last ten years.

Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, in most cases when this negotiating process occurred, the people most affected by the outcome are the non-claimant groups in the areas. A classic example of this is the impact of the Nunavut land claims on the Treaty 8 claimant groups.

This claim has not only affected the Dene and Metis of the western Northwest Territories, but also the aboriginal people living in northern Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

A recent signing of an agreement in the Sahtu has impacted on the future selection of lands in the Deh Cho area. We also have concerns about the Dogrib claims also incorporating traditional Deh Cho and Treaty 8 lands in their claim.

It seems to me, Madam Speaker, that this is another example of the federal government's traditional approach of negotiating with aboriginal groups which is, simply put, divide and conquer. The government doesn't care if, in the process of finalizing land claims, it is discovered that the boundaries impact on another group. This has been proven time and time again in claim after claim.

Madam Speaker, I understand the reasoning on the part of the claimant groups that have signed. They have their land base and money to provide economic opportunities for their people. In the old days, Madam Speaker, when aboriginal people had a disagreement about the boundaries between two tribes, the matter was usually settled by consultation between the elders of the two groups. The elders would use traditional knowledge and common sense in solving the problems. They would make the best solution for all the Dene people.

Madam Speaker, we...

Sorry, Mr. Gargan, your time has lapsed. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Madam Speaker, I would like to seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker, honourable Members. Madam Speaker, we, as a people, have lost sight of the guiding principles in the rush to sign these agreements. In the rush to provide opportunities for their members, the

claimant groups have forgotten their Dene brothers and sisters in the non-claimant areas.

I don't blame any groups for going for the biggest piece of the pie. Just remember to leave the rightful share for the rest of us. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Aivilik, Mr. Arvaluk.

Madam Speaker, over the past few months, Members were aware that the federal government was considering appointing a circumpolar ambassador. Many of us were concerned about what duties this ambassador would have. We were also worried that this might be a patronage appointment, rather than getting the best person for this important job.

Therefore, it was with great pleasure that I heard the announcement of Mary Simon as Canada's first circumpolar ambassador. In my opinion, Madam Speaker, Ms. Simon is definitely a great choice for a circumpolar ambassador as Canada's first Inuk ambassador. Mary Simon is no stranger to the people of the north, either in Canada or in other circumpolar countries. For the past two decades she has been a strong spokesperson for Inuit people. Her work has included a leadership for the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, Makivik Corporation and the Inuit Circumpolar Conference. Many of you may have met her, especially at the last ITC conference in Inuvik.

Ms. Simon will have an important responsibility to carry out, at the time when circumpolar relations are becoming more important. She will represent Canada at international meetings on circumpolar issues, raising our concerns and ideas. She will also be responsible for coordinating Canada's participation in the eight-nation Arctic environmental protection strategy.

During my two terms as president of Inuit Tapirisat of Canada, I had the pleasure of working with this remarkable lady. I am confident that she will continue to be a positive role model for our young people and an excellent ambassador for Canada.

I am sure all Members of this Assembly will join me in wishing Ms. Simon success when she assumes her new role this coming Monday, October 31st. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm making a Member's statement with regard to this spring there was a large TB outbreak and there were a lot of people in the Baffin region -- I'm not really such about the number of people -- who had TB, especially from Cape Dorset and other Baffin areas.

Madam Speaker, this is a concern of mine, as well. I remember years ago when we were younger when there was a TB outbreak; I know, Madam Speaker, that the people of Cape Dorset pulled together to send people out for medical treatment. The people helped each other out as much as they could.

Madam Speaker, I would like those people who get struck by TB to be assisted by the medical services staff, especially the people of Cape Dorset, so this disease will not be spread throughout the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I rise today to speak about sports in the north. My colleagues, Mr. Pudlat and Mr. Zoe, over the last few weeks have raised issues about the status and support to various sporting events and support to communities to host sporting events in the Northwest Territories.

In sports there are many people involved; there are the athletes, there are officials, cheerleaders and organizers, and they all participate one way or another. There are many sporting events and gatherings in the Northwest Territories. We have regional community games which mainly focus in on northern games, which include the Arctic sports and the Dene games. We also have indigenous games, as was mentioned by Mr. Zoe. The next set of annual games are in the United States. There are spring carnivals and festivals in most communities. We also have Arctic Winter Games and Canada Games.

These events, Madam Speaker, help keep our people busy, especially our youth. There's an adage that if you have a healthy body you're going to have a healthy mind. So that's something that we should continue to support.

There are several questions that have to be raised, though, and that is are we focusing our energies on the right events; are we spending our finances supporting the right things? Madam Speaker, these are issues which concern organizers and athletes in communities, and these are the ones, especially in small communities, who don't have a lot of corporate sponsors to turn to so that many athletes don't have the opportunities to get the experience and get to places where others are more fortunate to get to.

I would like to just say that this government has to look at and review how and where our financial support for sports in the Northwest Territories is going. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, on Friday, October 21st, this Assembly passed a motion supporting the increase of salaries and benefits to family violence prevention workers, to make their salaries and benefits comparable to equivalent positions within the GNWT.

As we all know, the funding for the family violence shelters comes from the Department of Health and Social Services. Many of them have been in existence for years; most are operating at minimum service levels due to inadequate funding. In my constituency, Cambridge Bay has a crisis shelter operated by the Katimavik Society. Of all the shelters funded by the GNWT, this one receives the least funding. They have in the past, and currently continue, to make do with what funds they are given to operate with.

Madam Speaker, in some instances, strong community-based and supported initiatives have been ignored as a result of, what I believe are, financial reasons. The other major community in my constituency, Coppermine, submitted a modest funding proposal in February 1994 to operate a crisis shelter. This proposal was from the hamlet council in conjunction with the Coppermine women's group. The facility to operate the crisis shelter was to be provided by the hamlet council. The proposal was turned down on the basis of unavailable financial resources.

Madam Speaker, the government must review the overall funding to organizations operating family violence prevention programs. Firstly, to ensure that there is fairness and equity in the allocation of funding and, secondly, to ensure that there is an opportunity for communities recognizing and willing to act upon, the need to establish family violence prevention programs in their communities.

Our Legislative Assembly and the GNWT have adopted the policy of zero tolerance for violence against all people. The Standing Committee on Finance and the Assembly have recommended that the government develop a plan to deal with family violence, which I believe must focus on supporting and expanding community-based programs such as family violence prevention initiatives and recognizing and addressing some of the needs in our communities. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Justice. I just looked through the famous red book here. Mr. Gargan keeps it handy, so we check the Liberal bible here everyday to see if there is anything interesting.

---Laughter

Madam Speaker, I notice there is not a lot of emphasis on programs for victims in the red book. In his discussions with the federal Finance Minister and in the face of impending massive cuts, has the federal Justice Minister indicated to our Justice Minister that he intends to fully support victims' programs here in the Northwest Territories?

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Supplementary, Madam Speaker. In the last five years, I think we have made a lot of progress in the area of programs for victims. The Northwest Territories, I think, is one of the more enlightened jurisdictions in the country. But, we still do depend on some federal funding for some of the programs available here in the Northwest Territories.

Has the Minister made a strong representation to the federal Minister to at least protect existing federal funding for victims' programs?

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you. As I said, Madam Speaker, during the last few years we've come a long way. But, I think it is recognized by everybody that the rights of the victims, to this point, are still nowhere equal to the rights of the accused or the rights of somebody convicted of a crime.

Can the Minister give assurances to this House that he will aggressively pursue, with the Minister, the continuation of the existing programs we have for victims throughout the Northwest Territories?

Thank you. Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Baffin South, Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Last week, I mentioned that elders have to have a better place to live. Like I mentioned before, there should be an elders' centre in Cape Dorset. This has been talked about for quite some time now. I wonder if the Minister of Health and Social Services or her department has done any planning to put an elders' centre in the Cape Dorset area so the elders in my constituency and community could stay in their own community instead of going to different communities or regions. Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, as I indicated yesterday, the Minister of Housing and myself are trying to find solutions for elders' housing. We are working very hard to see if we can put into place a program where we can do long-range planning for the needs of elders. At this point, I don't see the specific planning for Cape Dorset in the capital budget. However, I want to emphasize that we know the program for elders is one of great importance. We are trying to work that out, jointly, to come forward with a plan of action on when and how to provide those facilities. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is the Minister of Health and Social Services. In our communities, there are family violence shelters which are funded by the department. In the communities where there aren't these shelters, I would like to ask the Minister how people that are in these conflicting situations of having to find emergency shelters are dealt with. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I can't give you a breakdown of exactly what is available in each community. I'm attempting to do that so we can address the global concern of what is available to communities in terms of the support they get. I am aware that in areas or in

communities where there aren't any crisis centres, that the department works with several families in communities where there can be designated safe homes. This is where we have a working arrangement with an individual family who will receive families or children or mothers who find themselves in a critical situation where the situation at home becomes unbearable and they have to placed under someone's care. So there are designated safe homes pretty well in all communities, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary. I would like to ask the Minister, in a situation where individuals would require some emergency assistance, who would be the initial contact in the community for that person. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, generally the social worker or the mental health worker. It would be in that department's responsibility, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Recognizing that the social workers in some of the communities turn over fairly quickly, I would like to ask the Minister how the department gets out the information of which social worker or where that social worker resides in order to be contacted in these types of situations. Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the one area where it seems that people are very well aware who the particular employee is, is in that area of social work. As we all are aware, in our attempt to try to refocus where we're putting our support, our income support, right at this moment in time it goes to the social worker. So there should not be an incident that the social worker would be unknown to the community because normally, if there is a crisis situation, the RCMP are called in on a difficult situation, or if another family or friend is aware of it, they generally call the social worker, and advise them that there are severe problems. Otherwise, the RCMP is aware of where we allocated the safe homes, and would immediately bring that person to that particular location. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary. I would like to ask the Minister then, in a situation where the community is aware of the social worker and somebody goes to that social worker for assistance, given that it's not going to be during regular working hours, I would like to ask the Minister would that social worker be expected to answer these emergency calls at any time of the day or night. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I know that certainly where there is more than one social worker, they generally make an arrangement of who is going to be on call. I know there are some communities that don't have the privilege of having more than one person, but the RCMP would also be aware of where that safe house is and so would the nurse in charge, Madam Speaker. So to access a safe home is generally a known location to all the authorities who work in the community. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation. It's related to my Member's statement earlier in the session today. The majority of the communities in the western Arctic diesel zone, as proposed by the new power rates, have no heavy industry; they don't have any major corporate clients such as mines, for example, to create revenue for the Power Corporation. Under the proposed new plan, each region will be responsible for creating a monitor reserve to replace equipment if it breaks down. Given this, I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the rationale for their rate schedule. Is it based on a system that is currently used in Canada? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the issue of the rate zones is not a new issue. On several occasions, as we made our report to the standing committees of this House, there was always an acknowledgement that there was a commitment, when we took over the Power Corporation, to rationalize the rate and rate structures.

The body that hears the application and suggestions or proposals is the Public Utilities Board. The Public Utilities Board is an agency that is set up, and it's a quasi-judicial body that looks at the applications that are put before it, analyses the application, looks at the rationale as to why that particular proposal is put forward. What shoots out at the end of the hearings would be the determination of what the Public Utilities Board has determined on the application and proposals that have been put forward by the Power Corporation, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don't know whether I received an answer to my question, but I will follow up with a supplementary question since the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation mentioned the Public Utilities hearing process. There was a great concern by ordinary Members that this hearing was only held in Yellowknife. I know there was discussion earlier in this session, last week, about this. I would like to know from the Minister whether the people in the communities will have the opportunity to provide their presentations on the NWT Power Corporation rates to the Public Utilities Board in the communities. Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the question legitimately should be placed to the Minister responsible, Mr. Todd, or the Minister responsible for the Public Utilities Board.

Madam Speaker, the Public Utilities Board is a quasi-judicial body and frowns very strongly upon interference, as they generally call it if you try to short circuit the legitimate responsibility they have as a Public Utilities Board, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My reason for questioning is not to interfere or short circuit any quasi-judicial board. I'm here to represent the members of my constituency and their concerns about the huge increase that they expect to incur once this proposal has been reviewed and if it's approved by the Public Utilities Board. So I would like to further ask the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation whether these hearings have been concluded, or if there's opportunity for people in communities to express their views on this. Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Power Corporation, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I will have to take that as notice. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Personnel. In the Baffin region, there is a shortage of housing, mainly in Arctic Bay. This is with regard to staff housing. What is the Minister going to do about the shortage of staff housing in Arctic Bay? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Minister of Personnel, Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. On July 11th, we did a survey as to how many staff houses might be needed. According to the July 11th document, we have 36 employees in Arctic Bay and they have 16 units. Seven of them are presently occupied. The other units are occupied by people in the Department of Health. I think there are some units that are not occupied. We did a survey on July 11th. After the survey, there were other units that were not occupied. I will look into this and find out what we can do. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Health. Over the past several years, there has been a lot of work going on in terms of reviewing the status of the Department of Health and health boards. There has been work on the memorandum of understanding to clarify the roles of the Department of Health and the roles of the health boards. Can the Minister advise this House as to what the status of that MOU is? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I am pleased to say the arrangements between the health boards and the Department of Health are moving along very quickly. We have a very high degree of cooperation at this time. I am hopeful that in the immediate future, the MOUs will be concluded. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. The Minister is responsible for appointments to health boards. Can the Minister very briefly advise as to the responsibility of an appointee to a health board in relationship to the Minister? What is the relationship between an appointee and the Minister once an appointment is made?

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the process for the appointee is names are solicited and recommendations are made to the Minister responsible. The person then being selected is appointed. Those representatives are community representatives and they are responsible for communicating health needs and concerns to the health board, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for her response. So once an appointment is made, what are the duties of an appointee? Do they have a job description?

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I believe so and that would be at the board level. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

So would that job description be included in this memorandum of understanding that is being developed?

Thank you. Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I would have to take that as notice.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Good afternoon, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it is a review of the 1989 affirmative action policy. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

I have a question to the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. If the Public Utilities Board agrees with the new rate zones, when would be the earliest that the new rate zones could be set up?

Mr. Ballantyne, could I ask you to repeat your question? I wasn't sure if I heard the first part clearly.

Certainly, I would be pleased to. My question was if the Public Utilities Board agrees with the new rate zones, when would be the earliest the new rate zones could be set up?

The reason I asked you to repeat that question, Mr. Ballantyne, is somehow I find it could be considered as a hypothetical question since the process has not been completed. Therefore, I would like to ask if you could rephrase your question. I know what you are trying to ask, but rephrase it so it doesn't appear to be hypothetical. Thank you.

I can do that, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister, in the presentation that the Power Corporation made to the Public Utilities Board, when did the Power Corporation anticipate that the new rate zones could be set up?

Thank you. Minister of the Power Corporation, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I am afraid I don't know the answer to that question. I am not aware that there has been any date set at this time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to make a supplementary to the question I asked to the Minister of Personnel. She mentioned she would check into this. How many houses are they short and where are the people who don't have staff housing housed right now. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Personnel, Ms. Mike.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the Member for High Arctic knows, we will try to provide staff housing in the communities, but not in Yellowknife, Fort Smith, Hay River or Inuvik. We will be providing more staff housing. At this time, 1994-95, there is construction of staff housing through the Housing Corporation. At this time, I cannot answer exactly how many employees require housing. I will have to take his question as notice. Thank you.

Thank you. May I remind honourable Members that when you take a question as notice, you just indicate that you are taking notice and not give an explanation. Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.