Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

I would like to ask the Minister, has he considered naming the colleges after former Ministers of Education in the Northwest Territories?

---Laughter

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll certainly take that as good advice and make that an additional recommendation for my Cabinet colleagues.

---Laughter

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Do we have any further oral questions? Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Mr. Clerk.

Mr. Speaker, Return to Written Question 7-12(7), asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell and replied to by the Premier concerning the firefighting aircraft project offered to Fort Smith Dene-Metis Holdings.

1. The criteria for offering the entire project to Dene-Metis Holdings Limited were:

(1)to achieve economic viability for the Fort Smith tanker base,

(2)not to exceed current costs, and

(3)to maximize northern content.

2. The decision to enter negotiations with DMHL was carried out in accordance with the government contract regulations.

3. & 4. DMHL's human and fiscal resources were not evaluated before the Cabinet decision to enter into negotiations.

Return to Written Question 11-12(7), asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell and replied to by the Premier concerning the participation of Dene-Metis Holdings in the request for proposal of airtanker services.

The Minister replied to the Dene-Metis request by his letter dated October 26, 1994. The decision to terminate the negotiations with Dene-Metis Holdings Ltd. on the contract for the provision of airtanker services was not made unilaterally by the Minister of Public Works and Services but was made by Cabinet on December 7, 1994.

In its decision of December 7, 1994, Cabinet directed that proposals would be accepted only from northern air operators, defined in the decision as a company approved under the business incentive policy as a northern business, and has operated fixed-wing aircraft in the NWT for more than one year. In the case of a joint venture, both partners must meet this requirement, as will subcontractors.

As the Dene-Metis Holdings Ltd. did not meet this criteria, it was excluded from submitting a proposal. They could however, participate through a northern air operator, for example, by investing in a qualified company.

Return to Written Question 12-12(7), asked by Mr. Pudluk and replied to by the Premier concerning ministerial travel.

I have circulated today, a report on ministerial travel. The following information is contained in the report:

- dates of travel during the period December 1, 1993 to March 1, 1995;

- travel destinations;

- purpose of travel.

Also included with the report is a listing of ministerial travel plans for the period March 2, 1995 to August 31, 1995.

Return to Written Question 13-12(7), asked by Ms. Mike and replied to by the Minister of Personnel concerning employment status of government liaison officers in the Baffin region.

1. Notices of lay-off were given this month to GLOs in the Baffin region to accept or reject new half-time positions. What has been the response of GLOs to these lay-off notices and new job offers?

Answer: Between February 13 and 15, 1995, nine GLOs in the Baffin region were offered new half-time positions by the Department of Personnel. The GLOs were asked to confirm their acceptance of the offer within five business days. They were also advised that if they did not accept the offer, a recommendation would be put forward to the chairman of the Financial Management Board to provide them with notification of lay-off.

Following issue of the revised job offers:

- The Arctic Bay GLO position has been assessed and, as that position also serves the community of Nanisivik, it has been returned to a full-time position for the fiscal year 1995/96. The part-time job offer has been rescinded and the incumbent has been advised that her services will be maintained on a full-time basis at this time.

- The Department of Health and Social Services has agreed to provide funding for part-time positions for the delivery of certain social services functions in the communities of Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Pangnirtung. The incumbent Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Pangnirtung GLOs have been offered, and have accepted, amended, full-time job offers which include responsibilities for the delivery of services for both the Department of the Executive and Department of Health and Social Services.

- The remaining Baffin GLOs have not accepted the half-time positions offered. The government is now proceeding with notifications of lay-off, but incumbent GLOs can still accept the half-time position offered until such time as the notification of lay-off is received.

2. Will GLOs who refuse to accept the new half-time job offer be offered the benefit of the workforce adjustment policy?

Answer: GLOs who receive lay-off notices will be provided all entitlements under the lay-off provisions of the UNW collective agreement, including severance pay and priority status on competitions within the GNWT for a period of one year following their lay-off. The question of whether further benefits would be available under the workforce adjustment program has not yet been resolved. The Financial Management Board Secretariat and the Union of Northern Workers are pursuing these discussions.

3. Has the government undertaken a study of the daily work requirements of GLOs in the Baffin region? What were the results of that study?

Answer: A review of the daily work requirements of the GLOs in the Baffin region has been completed. As a result of this review, it was determined that the Arctic Bay GLO position should remain full-time as it also serves the community of Nanisivik.

4. What departments of the Government of the Northwest Territories have GLOs in Baffin communities been serving?

Answer: At present, the GLOs conduct business in varying degrees on behalf of a number of departments and government agencies. In the case of the Department of Health and Social Services, it has been determined that the need for delivery of certain social services functions in Pond Inlet, Igloolik and Pangnirtung is sufficient for that department to commit to funding part-time positions for the GLOs in each of these communities.

The Department of Executive has been involved in discussions with other interested parties to determine how services will be provided once the GLOs become half-time. For example, the Hamlet of Cape Dorset may be interested in taking over the half-time GLO position in that community. If the hamlet assumes responsibility for the half-time position, it might be combined with other responsibilities for one full-time position.

5. Are there any plans to have GLOs in the Baffin region deliver social services for the Department of Education, Culture and Employment in the coming fiscal year?

Answer: The Department of Executive is engaged in discussions with the various departments to determine how services will be provided in future. It has been determined that the delivery of social assistance does entail a significant amount of time; however, no decisions have been made as to whether or not this will include the services of the GLOs.

Return to Written Question 17-12(7), asked by Mr. Patterson and replied to by the Minister of Health and Social Services concerning the status of reform of the Medical Profession Act.

As part of the process to reform the Medical Profession Act, a steering committee of physicians from the NWT Medical Association and members of the Department of Health and Social Services was struck in February 1994 to:

- allow for consultation on issues surrounding the development of the new act; and,

- develop a legislative proposal.

This steering committee has been meeting regularly. It worked closely with the NWT Medical Association and the Dene Cultural Institute to put on a four-day traditional health practices workshop for physicians, in February 1995. The workshop, facilitated by the Dene Cultural Institute, enabled traditional healers to provide knowledge about traditional health practices to participants.

As part of the process of developing the new act, presentations were made by the Minister of Health and Social Services and the President of the NWT Medical Association during the review of the medical registration committee by the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions in April 1994.

The legislative proposal for the new act is currently being considered by Cabinet. Drafting of the Medical Profession Act will be completed early in the term of the 13th Legislative Assembly.

Return to Written Question 18-12(7), asked by Mr. Patterson and replied to by the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, concerning the future of federal fishing vessel insurance program.

The fishing vessel insurance plan will be gradually phased out over the coming fiscal year. The original plan was to cease issuing policies as of April 1, 1995. It is our understanding that the insurance scheme was extended one (1) year because the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is exploring the possibility of another body, the harvester's council, assuming some role in fishing vessel insurance.

Insurance coverage under the plan has been purchased by owners of ten vessels in the Northwest Territories. The owners of these vessels will have to make alternate arrangements by April 1, 1996. Staff will closely monitor this situation and determine the impact on the commercial fishery in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Mr. Whitford.

Report On Bills 13, 16 And 19

Thank you. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table Tabled Document 62-12(7), a letter dated March 15, 1995 from the Scott Polar Research Institute at the University of Cambridge signed by Mr. Mills who is the head librarian.

The purpose of the letter is to indicate that we do have a world-class library in Yellowknife which is visited by people from all over the world and it is very important. I would like to table that letter, Mr. Speaker.

I have another letter, Mr. Speaker, if I could. The second letter, Tabled Document 63-12(7), Mr. Speaker, is from the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. It is addressed to me, dated March 24th, signed by Dr. Margaret Dittemore, who is the head librarian. Again, it indicates that this is a fine-grain collection of library materials and they are used by the institute to keep up its own acquisitions so that it can be guided by the way it develops its own library in Washington, D.C. I expect more letters over the next few days. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document, Tabled Document 64-12(7) is a response to the First Report of the Special Joint Committee on Division, Committee Report 1-12(7) tabled November 16, 1994.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document, Tabled Document 65-12(7), Annual Report of the NWT Housing Corporation for the period April 1, 1993 to March 31, 1994.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Pursuant to section 83(3), part three of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, I wish to table Tabled Document 66-12(7), the report of the Commission of Inquiry with respect to the alleged contraventions of the provisions of part three of the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act brought by Jeannie Marie-Jewell against the Honourable Don Morin.

Item 13, tabling of documents. Mr. Clerk.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table Tabled Document 67-12(7), in accordance with Rule 42(10), a response to Petition No. 2-12(7), which was presented by Mr. Ningark and responded to by the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motions. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Wednesday, March 29, 1995, I shall move that Bill 29, Interim Appropriation Act, April 1 - June 30, 1995, be read for the first time.

I have another one, Mr. Speaker, if I may.