Thank you, Madam Speaker. I apologize for making my preamble very long. Madam Speaker, supplementary to the same Minister. Has the Minister heard complaints from the communities I represent about the contractors in those communities not hiring as many local people as anticipated, as set out in the conditions of the contracts of the government? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have had some concerns raised in the Member's riding about contractors not hiring enough local people. I was sure those issues were addressed. We also heard a concern from his riding about alcohol being supplied into a community by contractors, and I'm sure we addressed that as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Amittuq, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, there has been quite a bit of research done to try to find out some answers to the concerns that Members have been expressing. Although quite a bit of information has been sought, basically, according to all the work that has been done -- and I can provide the Member with that information -- including seeking the help of other agencies, I don't believe we are any further ahead than we were originally, although we do have some information about the possibilities of what happened in different areas, like Manitoba, Alaska or the United States of America.

But, I'm afraid, even with all the information seeking and work that has been done, we are not any closer to a clear explanation to what happened during the 1950s or any closer to answering the concerns that have been raised. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the work that has been done by the Government of the Northwest Territories to find out, on behalf of the people of the north Baffin, what happened during the 1950s. Earlier in the spring, Madam Speaker, I was able to work with the Premier's staff to try to get information. I haven't heard from them since the spring. I gave them the name of an RCMP and Hudson Bay managers from that time, who are still alive today. I hope they were able to contact them since those people knew what products were being brought to the community by hunters, parts of whatever it was. These things were brought to the RCMP.

I wonder if the Premier is still pursuing the issue and is trying to find out what things were being brought to the RCMP and Hudson Bay managers during that time?

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the work continues to take place. I have not given anyone a reprieve on our commitment to try to find out what happened and put it down to more detail. Even though there has been a

considerable amount of searching going on, I can't give any further information or conclusion other than what the Members already know. But we will continue to try to pursue the matter until we come to some conclusion. So it's still an active file, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South did suggest that we look at a donor card on the drivers licences. I know that the suggestion was well-intentioned.

However, in discussions with the Department of Health, it is somewhat impractical. I'm told that an operational donor card program requires the ability to remove the donors' organs, store and transport the tissue in a sterile environment, identify and prepare the recipient to receive the organ and carry out the delicate transplant surgery, all at short notice.

Given the conditions that exist in this part of the country, the lack of medical expertise that we have across the country and what would be required to do that kind of operation, at this time it is impractical. However, I do commend the Member for bringing that matter up earlier last year. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

Well, the matter is never closed. As I said, I think that the question that was raised earlier in the year was a well-intentioned one. But there are some logistical problems. There are some expertise problems. We don't have doctors or surgeons across the territories.

We are still...No, the matter is closed. At this point in time, we're not in a position to put into effect the donor card as has been suggested by the honourable Member. Sorry. It's a lot easier that way.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

I think the Department of Transportation is an unemotional lot. But we've looked at this thing in terms of the practical approach to it. As I said already, I thought the suggestion was an excellent one, earlier in the year. We have looked at it. We think it's a little impractical at this time to put it into effect. Maybe in future years as things change and as we get more expertise across the territories, new hospitals, et cetera, we may be able to do it. But at this time, we're not prepared to put any more fiscal resources into the research of this project. I hate to say no to the honourable Member because I know it's an important issue, but I'm afraid at this time, we're not prepared to move any further on this project. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.