Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Certainly, Madam Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories tries to implement its policies fairly and squarely across the Northwest Territories but, as I mentioned in the previous answer, if there are instances where there are problems in a particular community or region, we try to address them on a case-by-case basis. So if there are problems that the Member knows of, if he brings them to my attention, I'll endeavour to get him an answer. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

I guess I'll be more specific. It's my understanding that houses in Inuvik were sold in one area with some criteria, and then houses in Iqaluit are being sold on a different criteria. That's why I asked if the strategy was going to be implemented equitably and fairly. If that's not the case, then have the rules changed? Are units in Inuvik being sold on the same basis as the units in Iqaluit and Rankin?

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, I'll do some more work on the issue that the Member raises, but my understanding is that the difference may be in whether it's a multi-family dwelling or whether it's a single-family dwelling and that may be causing some differences across the territories. As I say, if the Member wants to give me the specifics, I'll certainly address the question. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, my question is directed to the honourable Minister of Health and Social Services. On October 18, 1994, I asked the honourable Minister a question regarding the interpreter services for a patient travelling south, especially mothers who are not able to speak English; unilingual mothers, that is. In her return to my oral question, the honourable Minister stated, and I quote, "the medical travel policy does not provide escorts for unilingual escorts escorting children."

Madam Speaker, I feel the policy penalizes the unilingual mothers who want to accompany their children travelling south. I think every mother has the right to travel with their children, especially when the child is going for a medical check-up, sometimes for a very, very serious case. The mother may be hesitant to travel with the child because she feels that she may not be able to make it to the destination.

My question to the honourable Minister, Madam Speaker, is would the honourable Minister of Health and Social Services provide me a copy of the medical travel policy of her department? Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I would be pleased to provide the policy document. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and it relates to his Minister's statement yesterday on the implementation of

the infrastructure program. The Minister has said that all communities in the NWT have been assigned funding allocations. I would like to ask the Minister, since I brought it up to him in the past that there are two communities in my constituency, unorganized communities, of Umingmaktok and Bathurst Inlet that haven't received an allocation under the infrastructure program. I would like to ask the Minister at this time whether or not he recognizes their needs and will be willing to address this. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

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

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am not aware of any particular incidents where our biologist would have been made aware by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. To my understanding, it is the responsibility of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, which is a federal department, who would be responsible for this type of incident in any of our waters. Whether they passed this information on to our biologists, I am not aware of that. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

The problem I have, Madam Speaker, is that I don't know who is responsible for environmental contamination. I believe that the Minister did say that it was the Department of Fisheries and Oceans that was responsible. My problem is I don't know where the territorial government stands with regard to the consultation that should be taking place in order to address the issue when it does occur.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. With regard to the incident that has occurred with the fish in the Mackenzie River, it is the responsibility of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans to find the cause.

With regard to the fish that appeared to be dead on the river, as far as I could tell, and the information that I have received indicates that the warming of the water may be a partial cause for the fish dying in the river. But to date, I don't have any definite answers as to why this occurred. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, it still doesn't address my question with regard to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. That is a federal program. I don't know where the responsibility of the GNWT starts and ends and the federal government takes over. I don't know whether we should be expressing their concerns if the territorial government is not going to act on it in some capacity. Jean Marie River, Fort Simpson, Fort Providence and I suppose the ferry personnel were all aware of the incident on the river. So someone must have reported it. I just wanted to know where it goes from there. Does it go through the territorial government and then onto the federal government? Is there a communication gap that we should be addressing?