Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to advise the honourable Member, we have a study that is ongoing, right now, on those particular issues, to identify those potential employment opportunities. In fact, the Department of Economic Development and Tourism and my colleague, the Honourable John Todd, is involved directly with that particular report. It also includes not only this particular region, the Yellowknife and broader North Slave area, but it includes the Kitikmeot and also includes the Keewatin, in that particular study.

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

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

The question is taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Premier. Last week, the Premier stated that the GLO positions in the communities were given notice only five days ahead of time. Did the Premier extend a certain number of days to warn the GLOs? Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the GLOs were given notice of the change in their status on April 1st. We asked the GLOs to, within five days, give us an indication of whether they would be interested in continuing their employment half-time starting April 1st. I haven't got an update on how many people have responded. I know the Baffin is still a bit behind in responding. One of the questions that the GLOs asked in some of the other areas is how the work they were doing that was not related to requirements through the Executive Offices would be applied to their new job. As a result, there are three or four GLOs who will be picking up the other half time, which indicates that it will be Health and Social Services taking up the cost because, in fact, they were doing work on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Services. The five days was only to get an indication from the GLOs to see whether they were still interested in the job if it were half time starting April 1st. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I asked the Premier if she has extended the five days so the GLOs

would have more time to respond about whether they would stay on or not. Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, we indicated to the GLOs that they had more time than the five days that were originally indicated as a response time frame. Thank you.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. In the past year, there has been much discussion about Supreme Court rulings which allowed drunkenness in a sexual assault case to be used as a defence. I noticed in this week's local newspaper a case in the Northwest Territories where a lawyer is going to use this ploy as a defence argument for one of his clients. In October 1994, the Minister of Justice indicated that there were ongoing discussions with all the provinces and the federal government about using the defence of intoxication. My question to the Minister of Justice is what current discussions have been held and what is the current status on this issue?

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Given the recent news articles about a lawyer in our own backyard using the defence of intoxication in a case, is the Minister taking any steps to investigate this specific incident?

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Justice. Over the past few weeks, there has been increasing concern in the city of Yellowknife about crime and about break and enters. I, along with other Yellowknife MLAs, have talked to the police and I know the Minister has been briefed by the police about the situation here in Yellowknife. I wonder if the Minister, in coordination with the police, is prepared to do anything on an interim basis until some of the long-term community-based justice programs come into place. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.