Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good afternoon. Mr. Speaker, on or about April 2nd, hopefully the last round of negotiations will take place in Ottawa with our deputy minister of Justice, the principal secretary to the Premier and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs. Hopefully, a document will come out of that that can be initialled, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since this health billings dispute regards the health services that are provided to aboriginal people, mainly treaty Indians and Inuit, once this arrangement that the Minister of Finance is negotiating with the federal government has been accomplished, would this diminish the level of health care for treaty Indians and Inuit? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, as Members know, even though the federal government has not been paying all of the billings we have been sending them, we have not cut back on the health care that we have been providing to anyone in the Northwest Territories, and we don't foresee a cutback in the level of health care services for all the people of the Northwest Territories, even after we have settled with the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Since this involves aboriginal people, I would like to ask the Minister of Finance if aboriginal leaders are actively involved in these negotiations which deal with a crucial service to people they represent. Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, hopefully, the Premier is going to be in the vicinity of Ottawa as soon as we get the document in its final form. The intention would be for the Premier or myself, if I have to go there, and Mr. Irwin to initial the document. The document would be brought back to Cabinet and to the Standing Committee on Finance and it would be communicated to the aboriginal leaders, who we have kept informed over the last two years with regard to this court case. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Minister of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, Mr. Todd.

We will put barricades on the road.

---Laughter

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good question. I think it is incumbent upon this ministry that we look at more than one option. Should we not be successful in reaching an arrangement, either with northerners or the federal government in terms of the orderly transfer of responsibility, it is important that we look at other options that may be available to us to protect the fiscal interests of not only this government, but aboriginal groups and, of course, employees and employers.

I've asked the Department of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources to develop potential options that they think we can accomplish, should we not be successful in reaching an arrangement with the federal government. Some of these options could be a Benefits Act, or amendments to the Area Development Act which would give us some authority on how that industry behaves in terms of economic components to mining, or oil and gas, for that matter. We could look at possibly asking the federal government to transfer some of the programs: the geology program or the mine recorder's office, things like that, so we have some influence over how the industry behaves.

There are a few other more dramatic steps we could take, but at this time, I haven't completely concluded the research necessary to determine whether these steps would be appropriate or if we have to put them into effect. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Minister Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would answer the question this way. First of all, I think this initiative is probably one of the most important initiatives that this government is taking at this time, particularly with the budget crunch that we're all facing, not just in the Northwest Territories but right across the country. If there is a requirement to do more with less, then we have to find new ways to generate revenues. I've said that on a consistent basis. You can't keep cutting and slashing things for people who need it the most. We have to find another way to find additional revenues to meet the basic requirements of our constituencies.

I would go so far as to say that if there was no arrangement, I would seek support for calling a special session of the Assembly to enact legislation as it was required. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, would the Minister be able to advise this House whether or not chiropractic services are covered under the current health care benefits? Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, no, they're not.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister be able to advise if chiropractic services are covered under non-insured health benefits for aboriginal people?

Ms. Cournoyea.