Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Yes, Madam Speaker, I am aware that the federal government did make some adjustments in their program. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Arvaluk.

As I stated in my Member's statement, if the mothers, especially in low income, and average mothers cannot actually afford...I'm told in Repulse Bay that Similac is $17 a can and it is $19 for Enfalac. Those cans are not very big. Will he investigate to find out whether that can be reinstated as a medical benefit? Thank you.

Minister of Health, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, I'll look into the matter, both the pricing in the communities because it does seem a little outrageous, and also take up the issue with the federal government and raise the Member's concerns and report back to the Member.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Amittuq, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister of Transportation for answering my question in a very short time. I'm glad that the Minister will commit himself that there will be no disruption in services at these airports. I would like to ask the Minister, would this mean that the services that have been provided will continue to proceed the same way, like 24 hour service? Thank you.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

Nay, Madam Speaker, nay. As I indicated yesterday, the fiscal responsibility for these services is currently provided by the federal government. It was their intent to cut this service back from 24 hours on a seven-day basis, to 40 hours on a five-day basis. We reached a compromise in Clyde River where we're looking at 65 hours on a seven-day basis, and in Cape Dorset and Pond Inlet I'm sad

to say we're looking at a seven-day 40-hour basis. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Is there any chance that the two communities, Cape Dorset and Pond Inlet -- which are relatively larger communities than Clyde River and they get more airplanes -- would be able to get more than 40 hours during the next fiscal year? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

I did raise this issue during my meetings in Ottawa two weeks ago with the Honourable Doug Young, Minister of Transportation. I did explain to him that running these small airstrips in Arctic communities is different than running airstrips in the south because it is the primary mode of transportation. It has serious implications for emergency health care, particularly with charters, et cetera. I have drafted a letter to that effect to him. The officials are still trying to negotiate a better position than what I just explained in my last response. I'll try to keep the honourable Member informed as we move forward on this. Hopefully, we'll be able to come to an appropriate compromise between what we had before and what they are currently offering on the table. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. What could we, as MLAs in the communities, do to get more hours, to get more dollars out of the federal government? Could the Minister tell us what we could do? Thank you.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

At the present time, we're doing all we can. We are trying to negotiate official to official. We are trying to put forward fairly strong arguments as to why you can't arbitrarily cut from a 24 hour seven-days a week service to a 40 hour five-days a week service or seven-days a week service. Hopefully, as I say, we'll be able to reach an appropriate compromise, but at this time it's still very much in the discussion stages. I will keep the Member informed as to what the final results are between Mr. Young's office and mine. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. The questions that were asked yesterday with regard to safety to the Minister of DPW and the Housing Corporation...The hamlet has a business license to do local contracts in the communities. The people who are given the licence, will they be given contracts in 1994-95? Thank you.

Minister of DPW and Housing, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My understanding of the question is if people get a business licence, do they get contracts as well? The two aren't tied together. It's up to the hamlet to issue the business licence, then they would have to bid on the contracts. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Pudluk.

Madam Speaker, those people who already have a business licence in the communities, are they eligible for bidding for contracts?