Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

It's not often I catch my friend breathless, however...Madam Speaker, it's my understanding that there has been extensive consultation across the Arctic with municipalities, aboriginal groups, airlines, et cetera, about the transfer of nine Arctic A airports from the federal government to the territorial government. That's my understanding. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

It's my understanding that Yellowknife is the only airport and the only jurisdiction that has asked for some consideration to be given to a transfer to local authorities. I should say, let there be light, and there was light.

Ohh.

Anyway, Madam Speaker, I should say that I have been in discussions with the Hon. Doug Young with respect to this issue. I intend to pursue the current course of action, that is, to seek an arrangement where we could transfer all nine Arctic "A" airports. At that time, we will give due consideration to discussions about local authority.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Renewable Resources, and it has to do with the issue Mr. Lewis brought up earlier about the barrenland grizzly population. It seems that in the Cambridge Bay area there has been some increased sightings of them over the past summer, so possibly they are migrating northeastward.

I would like to ask the Minister, since there have been concerns raised by Members of the community because the sightings are around commercial fishing areas and summer camping areas of the people of the community, if he's aware of the increased Barrenland Grizzly Bear sightings in the Cambridge Bay area. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am not aware of the movements of bears. I don't know that the departmental biologists who study bears are aware of the exact movement of bears. I know they have used radio collars, especially on polar bears, to determine movement, but whether they used this for barrenland grizzlies, I'm not aware. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister if his departmental officials could consult, possibly, with the Hunters and Trappers Association in Cambridge Bay on whether this is a real problem that might have to be addressed by the department. Thank you.

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The departmental officers are usually in contact with all HTAs and, certainly, I will find out whether this is the case and whether the HTA in Mr. Ng's area has made any reports on these occurrences. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

The House will recess for five minutes, and I will stop the clock.

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

Mahsi. Yesterday, I asked some questions about the new education strategy. My intention was to try to find out how the information on that strategy will be dispersed to people in the north, and whether they are going to be helped to understand what is in those documents. It's no good if we have a good strategy developed if the people can't understand it. It then doesn't serve its purpose. I support the strategy and the initiative, but I believe we have to do more work to get the information out to people in the Northwest Territories.

My question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is, yesterday in the House the Minister stated that the copies of the strategy were sent to all the chiefs, leaders, school boards and organizations in the north. Is it the Minister's intention that these people are to be the ones who are to relay information about the strategy to the grassroots people?

Thank you. Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So that there's no confusion, Madam Speaker, I think Members should be aware that the development of this document was, in many respects, one of the longest and most detailed consultative processes we have undertaken. It took almost two years, actually, to conclude its development.

It is our intention to continue to work with the divisional boards; they have been apprised of most of the details of the document, since much of the document is a reflection of the work that we have been doing in conjunction with the boards. What I have considered doing is meeting again with the boards to advise them because, in many respects, they are going to be involved with the actual implementation and the development, in conjunction with our department, of the policies that are to follow.

The next important component of the strategy, of course, is the Education Act. That document will hopefully be, as I indicated, brought before this Assembly so that additional consultation can take place, in conjunction with the Standing Committee on Legislation.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.