Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Mr. Speaker, subsequent to my Member's statement that I made earlier in my language, I would like to ask the Minister...While Nunavut Caucus was meeting in Gjoa Haven a lady made a presentation to the Caucus -- incidently, the lady has been working as an Inuktitut teacher for many years -- and one of her concerns that she brought to our attention was the teaching materials in Inuktitut used across the board in the eastern Arctic.

Mr. Speaker, the teaching material in Inuktitut is written in one dialect, although dialects differ from region to region. According to the lady who made the presentation, the teaching staff from Netsilik area literally have to translate the material into the appropriate dialect. My question to the honourable Minister is could the Minister communicate and seek advice from the Kitikmeot Divisional Board of Education to see what can be done to address the need in the Natilikmiot area. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do want to advise the honourable Member that it's our intention to be as supportive to the aboriginal languages as possible, no matter what dialect they are. I want to say to the honourable Member that yes, I will communicate with the Kitikmeot divisional board on the matter of curriculum issues and ensure that they respond positively to the concern the honourable Member has raised. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. When will the honourable Minister communicate with the Kitikmeot board of education? Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll communicate as soon as possible. I think the honourable Member has raised an important issue, and I need to do a bit of research, but I'll do it as soon as I can, depending on the information that I receive. In fact, I will send a copy of any communication that I have with the Kitikmeot board of education to the honourable Member.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. The indication that I'm getting from the honourable Minister is the honourable Minister will be communicating with the Kitikmeot divisional board within a week from today. Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

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

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe that in the early part of this calendar year there were some officials from the United States who came in and looked at the administrative process we have and the way in which we

manage polar bears in the Northwest Territories. This is in accordance with the work that they have been doing on the importation of polar bears. Whether they have come to a final decision as to whether the work that they are doing will be enough to support the idea of transporting animals to the United States from Canada, at this point, I don't know. But I do know that they wanted to be sure when they export polar bears from Canada to the United States, that our management of the polar bears was sufficient to meet the needs of the people here in the Northwest Territories as well as to meet some other requests that are being made by residents of the United States. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Whitford.

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To my knowledge, it has been limited to polar bears. Because of the vast area of land that the polar bears cover, I believe that the Northwest Territories is only one jurisdiction of many that they were going to visit. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of the Workers' Compensation Board. In the past, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions completed a review of the Workers' Compensation Board. One of the recommendations in the report recommended providing extended coverage to hunters and trappers. My question to the Minister is what changes have been made in the provision of coverage for hunters and trappers.

Minister of the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The ABCs committee, along with yourself, Mr. Speaker, have been strong advocates of increased coverage for hunters and trappers. We were able to reach a satisfactory arrangement early last year where I believe we were able to determine an appropriate amount of money that was greater than what was there before. That is now in place where we're providing increased coverage to the hunters and trappers. The actual dollar amount, I think is somewhere in the range of a maximum of $20,000, but I can check into that. I want to assure the honourable Member that we did meet the objectives and the recommendations made by ABCs and the consistent and dogmatic lobbying done by the current Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Mr. Koe.