Madam Speaker, Return to Written Question 7-12(5), asked by Mr. Pudlat, to the Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, concerning employment in NWT mines.

1. During the last half of 1993, 59 per cent of employees at NWT mines were northerners and 10.2 to 10.5 per cent of employees were aboriginal workers. The breakdown is as follows:

Mine, Nanisivik; total, 205; northern employees, 125; aboriginal employees, 40; percentage aboriginal, 19.5; mine, Lupin; total, 385; northern employees, 53; aboriginal employees, 53; percentage aboriginal, 13.8; mine, Polaris; total, 275; northern employees, 95; aboriginal employees, 27; percentage aboriginal 9.8; mine, Treminco; total, 15; northern employees, 15; aboriginal employees, 0; percentage aboriginal, 0.0; mine, Giant; total, 220; northern employees, 220; aboriginal employees, 12; percentage aboriginal, 5.4; mine, Con; total, 348; northern employees, 348; aboriginal employees, 15 to 20; percentage aboriginal, 4.3 to 5.8. Totals: total, 1448; northern employees, 856; aboriginal employees, 147 to 152; percentage aboriginal, 10.2 to 10.5.

2. Staff at Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources wrote to each mine requesting information on the turnover rates for northern residents and aboriginal employees and will be following up with a phone call. Responses have not been received at this time. It is not known whether all or any of the mines will be able to provide this information.

3. There are examples available of the earlier benefits agreement for the Colomac Mines (1989) and the agreement for Nanisivik. There are many other examples of benefits agreements in other jurisdictions in Canada and the provisions of these agreements are synthesized in "Aboriginal Communities/ Mineral Companies/ Governments Working Together: A Summary of Socio-Economic Agreements." I will provide copies of these publications to all Members.