I would request that after our prayer today, Members remain standing for a minute of silence in remembrance of the people who so tragically lost their lives in a fire in the community of Tuktoyaktuk. Our prayers are with their families and friends.

---Prayer

---Minute of Silence

Thank you, Mr. Koe. Thank you, Members. Good afternoon. Orders of the day. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday municipal voters in the 25 communities of the Nunavut settlement area cast their ballots in the Nunavut municipal lands referenda.

The referenda, which were held pursuant to article 14 of the Nunavut final agreement, allowed municipal voters to decide, on a community-by-community basis, whether or not they are in favour of restricting the sale of municipal lands now being transferred to the communities. Voters were asked: "Do you want your hamlet or town council to be able to sell municipal lands?" A simple majority of eligible voters who cast votes in each community determined the outcome.

Voters in all 25 communities voted in the majority "no." Therefore, all community governments in the Nunavut settlements area Nunavut settlement area will continue to lease lands. Each community government will adopt a land administration by-law which reflects the majority wishes of community residents to lease land.

Mr. Speaker, the department conducted a public awareness campaign in the period leading up to the referenda. This public awareness campaign was developed in partnership with Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated, and the municipal councils, and involved visits by MACA staff, in most cases accompanied by an NTI representative, to each community of Nunavut.

While in communities, these "information delivery teams" provided briefings for the municipal councils, conducted local radio shows and held public meetings. These community visits were augmented by the production of an information kit in four languages, posters, radio and television announcements and a television phone-in show designed to encourage continued discussion and meetings at the community level.

The voter turnout averaged 46 per cent of voters and ranged from a high of 62 per cent to a low of 32 per cent. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to providing a detailed summary of the referenda results to Members later today.

The completed referenda are a milestone in the devolution of authority over lands to municipal councils. The department will now be working with municipal councils to assist them in taking over responsibility for the municipal lands being transferred to their ownership by July 1996. Our focus will include assisting the communities to develop land administration by-laws, and provide training to staff through the community lands administration certificate program at Nunavut Arctic College. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

Thank you, Mr. Whitford. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I listened to a program called "As It Happens" last night. It deals with current events right across the country and there was an interview with a man called Peter Dobell who runs the Parliamentary Centre in Ottawa.

Mr. Speaker, the Parliamentary Centre did a survey of Members of Parliament who served in the last federal Parliament. They waited a year after the defeat of the Tory government of Mr. Mulroney before contacting Members because they wanted to measure the impact of the federal election on Members of Parliament a year after the event. Some interesting facts have emerged from surveying all of these Members.

The first one, Mr. Speaker, is those Members who retired and did not seek re-election were, for the most part, happy, contented and had adjusted to life outside of politics. Many decided to pursue other options, people like Mr. Clark, for example; Mr. Don Mazankowski; and, John Crosby, who is now the chancellor of Memorial University. The second point is that of those who ran but were defeated, only 50 per cent after one year have found employment. They were not very happy people because they had not been able to adjust to life outside of politics.

Many of the people who were surveyed noted that in the rejection letters they received for employment, the fact that they had been in politics had been given as a major reason for turning them down for employment. It was no longer seen as an advantage of having served the public because the public no longer felt, at least employers no longer felt, that whatever had been learned there had any relevance to the kind of work they were seeking to do. This particularly applied, Mr. Speaker, to Tory and NDP Members whose parties had been rejected quite thoroughly by the electorate in quite large numbers.

Mr. Speaker, those who did find work, examples like Mr. Perrin Beatty, were very rare. His appointment as the head of CBC was an exception. The vast majority of defeated Members who had served as backbenchers, and these were the vast majority of people in that Parliament, were now living on their pensions with little prospect of entering the workforce.

Mr. Lewis, your time is up. Mr. Lewis.

I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement, Mr. Speaker.

The Member for Yellowknife Centre is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Lewis.

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Pudlat.

(Translation) Mr. Speaker, I stand today to make a Member's statement and I would like to thank Kenojuak Ashevak who is my constituent. She got an award and I congratulate her for that. When I was a small child, she started making drawings. I know this isn't the first time she has been given an award but, Mr. Speaker, she was given an aboriginal achievement award and I know that she was called Kenoayoak Pudlat on CBC and I just want to clarify that she is not me. She is someone else. They made a mistake. They always make a mistake with my name. I would just like to thank my constituents and to congratulate this woman for getting an award. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'm sure Members are already aware of the Liquor Commission's recent decision to alter liquor prices in the Northwest Territories, which came into effect April 1st of this year. The new liquor pricing system lowers the cost of many speciality items, while drastically increasing the amounts charged for several of the more popular brands. The brands I'm referring to are the Canadian brands, known as domestic products, such as Calona Wine, Private Stock, and Club Sherry.

For example, Mr. Speaker, Calona Wine went from $8.50 to $10.60 a bottle, Private Stock went from $6.45 to $8.00 and Club Sherry went from $16.45 to $20.75. At the same time, champagne and imported products were priced as follows: you can purchase a bottle of French Cordon Rouge, which went from $59.90 to $25.10 and Asti Spumante went from $17.30 to $11.45. Champagne such as Dom Perignon went from $180.60 to $63.80.

Shame.

Mr. Speaker, I certainly don't agree with the direction that the Liquor Commission is taking on this issue, for a number of reasons, and I really think it should be re-evaluated. It's fairly clear to anyone looking at the new price list, that almost all the wines that have been decreased in price are imported products. The domestic wines that many of my constituents like to buy have all increased in price. Mr. Speaker, one would think that this government, especially, would be supporting a Canadian wine industry, not the Europeans. In fact, many of the wine-producing countries in Europe are the very same ones that are leading the so-called animal rights campaign, against our traditional hunting and trapping industry in the Northwest Territories. I seek unanimous consent to continue.

The Member for Thebacha is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and honourable Members. It is also very clear that many of the brands that have gone up in price are the ones that had been favoured by low-income individuals, who just cannot afford and who don't want to spend their money on French champagne or products like Drambuie, which also went from $44.20 a bottle to $31.85.

It seems to my constituents that this new pricing is catering to the tastes of the elite and people who can afford it. Once again, the poor people, who are too often of aboriginal descent, are taking the inflated brunt of the price change. There is no doubt that everyone realizes this government has to generate more revenue to deal with its current financial crisis. Everyone knows that the sale of liquor is one way that can be accomplished. However, it is very unfair that these revenue-generating initiatives always have to be carried on the backs of the lower-income people in the north.

Mr. Speaker, there is another reason why I feel this ill-considered price policy should be evaluated. Most Members are aware that there is a considerable problem in many of our communities with chronic alcohol abuse, particularly of the "street people." Many of the products that this group tends to purchase, like Calona and Private Stock, have been priced quite high. I think so high that it encourages them to consider purchasing more dangerous products that contain alcohol.

Shame, shame.

Certainly, Mr. Speaker, I am not one to encourage individuals to consume alcohol and I would certainly hate to see individuals turn to the idea of purchasing Lysol products or aftershave.

I sometimes wonder if the Minister has evaluated the economic impact of this pricing policy on the operators of privatized liquor stores. I wonder if he has considered, by raising the price of favourite brands, that he is actually encouraging the people in communities -- in a community such as Fort Smith, which is fairly close to the border -- to buy their liquor in another province. However, whatever the purpose is, I think this new pricing policy should be re-evaluated and redesigned. That should happen now before we lose a lot of costs through increased health care costs.

I would encourage this Minister to look at the re-evaluation of the new pricing which has been in place since April 1st of this year. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to inform Members of the good work which has been accomplished by the parish hall fund-raising committee in Iqaluit. Last Friday, thanks to all the organizing costs being covered by the Royal Canadian Legion from branch number four, a packed concert featuring Susan Aglukark and other northern entertainers raised a magnificent sum of $9,500 towards the new parish hall.

Mr. Speaker, Iqaluit desperately needs a new parish hall. The present building came from the United States Airforce and was built in 1943. There has been overwhelming support from all segments of the community for a new parish hall. As Canon Mike Gardener, our local pastor put it, many people, churchgoers or not, have put their hearts into supporting a new community hall. The community has, once again, pulled together behind this project, which was advocated and supported by the late Simonie Alainga. Although the parish hall fund raising committee has not even been in existence for two years, they have raised $121,000 to date towards a new parish hall. A lot of these funds were raised in nickels and dimes, collection boxes in Northern Stores and Arctic Ventures, which meant about $500 every two weeks and personal donations.

The local committee's fund-raising efforts were also given a great boost by the approval of a $400,000 NWT infrastructure funding contribution on April 6th. I would like to thank the Honourable Art Eggleton and particularly the Honourable Richard Nerysoo, Minister responsible for the funding in the Northwest Territories, for their swift approval of the community's application in time to be announced to the community at the fund-raising concert last Friday. This was a great boost and encouragement to the sell-out crowd in attendance.

Mr. Chris Groves, chair of the fund-raising committee tells me that the fund raising will continue to meet the target of $550,000 set for the new hall. Construction will begin this summer. I would like to thank Mr. Groves and the other members of the fund-raising committee: Peter Scott, Mary Ellen Thomas, Diane Smith, Mathusalah Kunuk, Pauloosie Kilabuk, Paul Taylor and the good people of Iqaluit on their good work on this very worthwhile project. Qujannamiik.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Zoe.

You still have about 44 seconds.

---Laughter

The Member for North Slave is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you, Mr. Zoe. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a fine arts certificate program that's offered in Fort Simpson that gives the people of the Deh Cho region a chance to enhance and display their artistic abilities. This latest program is in keeping with the long tradition of efforts made by the people of Deh Cho to preserve and encourage traditional arts and crafts. Over the years, numerous activities have taken place such as workshops and different events that were provided to the people in the Deh Cho region. The traditional artists of the past have made efforts to see that the artisan aspect of our culture has not been lost.

As I have mentioned before, most recently the fine arts program is offered in Fort Simpson and Hay River. This program in Fort Simpson is instructing nine students on the fundamentals of design, drawing, sculpture and carving. Instructing the course is Bill Nasogaluak whose enthusiasm and expertise has encouraged each participant to grow and mature into committed artists.

Mr. Speaker, the dream of the Deh Cho is that one day the Deh Cho will become the home to an entire school devoted to develop our fine arts for the western Arctic. Traditional arts programs would be fundamental, but today's artists would be encouraged to not only preserve traditional skills but take those skills to new heights within the contemporary world of art. Fashion design, fur garment designs and so forth are some areas that could be expanded based on traditional arts and crafts. Similarly, men's traditional skills, could be incorporated into marketable products which would make use of natural materials from the land.

In addition to the current visual arts program and suggested traditional arts program, Mr. Speaker, innovative programs could be developed in the fields of music, dance, drama, film production, fashion design and so forth that reach those beyond our borders.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to applaud the efforts of Ms. Barb Tsetso whose lobbying and long hours of dedication saw the fine arts program finally offered in Fort Simpson. Further, as an example, Mr. Speaker...

I'm running out of time, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The Member for Nahendeh is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Conclude your statement, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As an example, I would like to congratulate students of this program who travelled to Yellowknife during the Caribou Carnival to participate in the ice sculpting contest. What I just wanted to say, Mr. Speaker, is that there was the...(inaudible)...Mr. Randy Sibbeston and John Sabourin placed second in this ice sculpting contest. Mr. Danniel Allaire and Darcy Moses placed third in the ice sculpting contest. I just wanted to congratulate them at this time and recognize them for their efforts.

I want to add further, that they used only chisels and no chain saws of any kind to do this work so they've done a fine piece of work. If this is any indication of the program, Mr. Speaker, this is a very good program in Fort Simpson. The people who are taking the program are very enthusiastic about this program. They are spending long hours in the evenings and in the weekends doing the work they're doing. I understand they have produced a lot of good work at this point in time. If that's any indication of the program, the government should seriously support Deh Cho's desire to be a fine arts centre for the western Arctic. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the last couple of weeks I've tried to emphasize the positive future we have here in the Northwest Territories and have given the Cabinet some ideas to think about of how we can strengthen our potential. It seems to me we spend so much time here in this Assembly in the north and in the media talking about the negative things; talking about the hurdles and the many obstacles. The negative things are always easy to talk about. It's always easier for people to criticize other people. I think at the end of the day, we have to recognize that the Northwest Territories has tremendous potential. There are only 65,000 people in the territories. We have a wonderful opportunity to provide a tremendous future for our children. I've talked about some of the areas where we're strong and today I want to talk about some of the other areas.

Mr. Antoine made a very good statement about the possibilities of arts and crafts, using the imagination and the skills of our people; to maximize those skills and that imagination and that energy. I would like to hear more of that in this House and in the media. Let's support the people we have who are successful, who are out there doing real things, making real contributions and not whining and snivelling about every sort of real or imagined problem that we have.

---Applause

We in the Northwest Territories have very little to complain about. Our future is in our hands. I think we have every opportunity and will only be limited by our own imagination and our own energy. Here in the western Arctic we have renewed interest in oil and gas. Up and down the valley, we've talked about the mining potential. I would like to see our Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources and our Minister of

Intergovernmental Affairs take some delegations from the Northwest Territories down to Calgary. Let's talk about mining potential. Let's use this government as a vehicle and a catalyst to bring the people who will get the benefits together with those people who want to invest in the Northwest Territories.

The area of tourism...One company alone, Raven Tours, brings in 1,000 Japanese tourists a year. I would like to see Ministers of this government in Japan selling tourism to the Japanese.

---Applause

The potential at the end of the day is immense and I don't think we should shy away from spending money.

---Applause

Politicians are so afraid to spend money wisely with a good return on the dollar, afraid of criticism from their constituents that they're going to Japan. There are some amounts of money that have tremendous potential for return. I think we should be intelligent in how we spend our money, but let's start spending our money on some things that are going to give us a return at the end of the day.

I think in the area of arts and crafts...

Mr. Ballantyne, your time is up.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement, please.

The Member for Yellowknife North is seeking unanimous consent. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you. As Mr. Antoine said, we have dozens, probably hundreds, of very talented people in the territories in the area of the arts. I think there is tremendous potential there. I think there is a huge market of Canadians, Europeans and people from the Orient who would be very, very interested in what we have to offer.

So, again, my message is -- and it's a message that I'm going to continue to deliver in this House -- let's emphasize those things that we do well. Let's stand together as northerners and work on our strengths. If we work together on these issues, the potential for the Northwest Territories is immense and unlimited. Sometimes, I feel that somehow or another, we, in the Northwest Territories and Canada, lack some confidence and we're a little ashamed to stand up and say that we're proud of who we are and what we can do.

It seems it is politically correct to be cynical in the 1990s and I want to say one more time that we, in the Northwest Territories, cannot afford to be cynical. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ballantyne. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Marie-Jewell on March 27th regarding the tabling of the fire suppression review.

Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated, I will not table the consultant's report on the review of the GNWT's forest fire management program and policy. However, I am prepared to provide the report on request to any Member who wishes a copy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq, do you have several more to do?

Mr. Speaker, I just have one more return. It is a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Ballantyne on March 29th, regarding the strategy for monitoring air quality.

The problem of airborne pollutants is not restricted to the Northwest Territories. It is a global problem that requires global solutions. The Government of Canada has taken a lead role in promoting new international agreements on the management of pollutants, such as through the United Nations economic commission for Europe's convention on long-range transboundary air pollution. While Canada no longer allows the use of pollutants such as DDT and toxaphene, many other countries have not yet done so.

The Government of the Northwest Territories, primarily through the Departments of Renewable Resources and Health and Social Services, continues to urge the federal government to take any actions necessary to reduce international sources of airborne pollutants. The Premier has brought this concern to the attention of the Prime Minister. Where appropriate, our government participates directly on task forces or Canadian delegations to ensure that northern concerns relating to airborne pollutants are heard and addressed. Most recently, at the February meeting of Canada's Energy and Environment Ministers, the Department of Renewable Resources spoke of northern concerns and the need to promote new agreements to manage these pollutants.

To respond to concerns over territorial sources of air pollutants, the Department of Renewable Resources has prepared air quality guidelines which recommend local limits for certain airborne pollutants. Compliance with the guidelines is voluntary. The Government of the Northwest Territories will continue to participate in programs that monitor the levels of air pollutants in the air, water, wildlife and people. The most recent information shows that levels of airborne pollutants in country foods are not increasing or affecting the productivity of territorial wildlife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Ms. Cournoyea.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a reply to a question asked by Mr. Patterson on April 3rd regarding GNWT employees' notice of lease termination.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories is allowing the leases on 12 single-detached staff houses to expire, as there is no ongoing need for the units. The leases expired on March 31, 1995.

Affected tenants were hand-delivered written notices on March 3, 1995, by property managers, Public Works and Services, advising them that the GNWT would not be renewing the head lease on their unit. The notice for one tenant was posted on his door as he was not at home. The letter advised tenants of several options available and provided the name and telephone number of a contact person with the Department of Personnel who would assist them with alternate staff accommodation. Tenants were informed that they could be relocated to alternative staff housing and that moving assistance would be made available to assist them. Another option would be to negotiate directly with the owner to remain in the unit.

Mr. Speaker, tenants were advised that, where warranted, the GNWT would consider holding over the head lease beyond March 31, 1995. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize in the gallery a distinguished medical person, Dr. George Gibson, who has been here for many, many years. He's not so heavily involved in medicine as he once was and it's nice to see he's still in Yellowknife, very heavily involved in the community, and I know he has no plans to leave. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Whitford.

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, this period in our orders of the day is usually taken up by Yellowknife Members to recognize their constituents because I don't very often have constituents come all the way here from Iqaluit. I'd still like to take this opportunity to recognize a familiar face back in his old seat, Mr. Ben McDonald, who works for the Union of Northern Workers. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday my colleague, Mr. Antoine, asked the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism about the status of the review of the tourism zone associations. I, too, have concerns about this study and some of the current events that have posed questions about the consultants who were hired to do this study. When the call for proposals was advertised last fall, one of the conditions included was as follows: "Clause 6.7, schedule. The consultant must be prepared to begin work immediately upon reward of this contract and is required to have all work completed and approved no later than March 31, 1995."

Mr. Speaker, March 31, 1995 has come and gone, and here we are awaiting results of this study. Can the Minister advise us if the contractors have lived up to the terms and conditions of the contract to study tourism zone associations?

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Later on today, I will be tabling an executive summary of the study and the review that Mr. Koe is referring to. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Thank you. I look forward to that review. I also understand that currently the department is initiating an interim consultation process with the Northwest Territories tourism operators to assist in the creation of new representatives for both east and west tourism industry organizations.

Mr. Speaker, I agree that there should be two separate organizations, one in the east and one in the west, but I would like to hear why the department is carrying out another consultative process while you still do not have the results of the one that was supposed to be completed for March 31st.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't see it as a consultative process, I see it as an initiative in the private sector and they are both involved in the tourist associations and it would be driven by them. As I said earlier, I believe yesterday, in response to a question asked by Mr. Antoine, the Western Arctic Tourism Association is trying to pull together all the zones in the western Arctic to meet to determine: one, if they concur with the report; two, what action they are going to take, if it is necessary to develop a Western Arctic Tourism Association; and, three, how are we going to live within our fiscal means in terms of the reductions in the OPPLAN and the budgets. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

I am glad it is being driven by the private sector, but the letter was signed by the deputy minister of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. So, the interim consulting process, as it is called, has asked for some tourism operators to participate in a marketing advisory group, a meeting that has been proposed for April 20th. And the call letter requesting participants states that the tourism zone review will be complete in April. Now with these studies and meetings going on, can the Minister assure us that a review of the tourism associations and tourism zones and organizations will be complete by April 30, 1995?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm not familiar with the letter that the honourable Member is talking about, so I cannot talk to that letter as I don't have it in front of me. But I want to assure Members that any development with respect to changes in the zones or changes in the tourism associations will be: one, driven by the private sector; two, reflective of their needs; and, three, has to meet the fiscal conditions that we are all working under. In the OPPLAN we have already reduced the money for the zones from $600,000 to $400,000.

There was a meeting last weekend in Iqaluit with the Nunavut tourism zone associations, in an effort to provide some guidance and instruction to the department as to how they would see the -- I think this is what they called it -- Travel Nunavut Association take place. I am confident that the industry in the west will do the same and that we will respond accordingly. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. As I mentioned, the call for the marketing advisory group meeting was made by letter and was sent directly to tourism operators. In the western Arctic tourism zone letters were sent to five operators, and out of the five only three are currently active. I believe that letters were not sent to the other 50 or more operators, including a zone association, aboriginal groups, hotels, restaurants, and airline services. So I would like to ask the Minister, if he believes that tourism operators should be involved in decision making on tourism activities in the Northwest Territories, should they not be included in the consultative process which his department is carrying on?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If we included everybody that the honourable Member wishes to include, we would not have any money to deliver the program. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, Members know that I have been concerned about the gutting of the legal interpreting program by the Minister of Justice, through his department. I am told that there is a plan to transfer this program to Arctic College. Therefore, I would like to ask the Minister for Education, Culture and Employment, how will Arctic College deliver this program? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is no plan at this particular juncture to transfer the responsibility to Arctic College -- we should say Aurora College and Nunavut Arctic College -- mainly because the assessment that is being done is to determine who and how we will deliver the matter of training. Presently there are five agencies involved in training: Aurora College; Nunavut Arctic College; the Department of Health and Social Services; the Department of Justice; and, the Department of Education, Culture and Employment.

The problem that we have is that we need to determine and rationalize the delivery of training for interpreters/translators, whether they are in the field of health, justice, or interpreter/translation services for the Assembly. Our task now is to rationalize that and we are making every effort. Once that is done, we will be able to deliver the program in a more rational and better fashion.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I understood from the Premier, who is responsible for official languages, in her responses to my questions last week, that this program would be transferred to Arctic College. Now the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is telling me there is no particular plan to transfer this program to Arctic College. Is this program now deceased, dead, gone, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

No, Mr. Speaker. I believe that what is occurring is an indication that there is obvious support for clear responsibility on the part of community and education board, Aurora College and Nunavut Arctic College.

The other component that one must recognize is that in the case of Inuktitut it is generally my view that the responsibility for the training of Inuktitut translators should rest with the institution for which that language is better served. In other words, Nunavut Arctic College would be the best agent for the delivery of that training program.

It would be no different in the case of Aurora College; for instance, Fort Smith, at the moment, is involved in teacher education that deals with language education. The campuses that are involved, whether it is in Yellowknife that delivers Dogrib interpreter training or whether it is in the Gwich'in area or the Inuvialuit, the fact is that there are presently organizations or institutions that are available to us that can better deliver the program. I want to assure the honourable Member that it is certainly not our intention to gut the program, but to improve the ability of this government to deliver or streamline the approach to the delivery of training for our interpreters/translators.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

I understand from the Minister's answer, Mr. Speaker, that there is no particular plan, however, there is "an indication." Mr. Speaker, the Minister may know that many of the important vital functions of the legal interpreters program is to refine, define and improve the translation of legal terminology in aboriginal languages. The Minister, in his response, is talking about training legal interpreters. Will the Arctic College also be responsible for the refining, defining and developing of legal terminology? Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, I want to advise the honourable Member that we are as concerned on this side of the House as the honourable Member is with regard to the delivery of programs in aboriginal languages. What we are trying to address in one component of the work that has been done by Avery Cooper Management Consultants of Yellowknife is the issue of training. The honourable Member raises one other component and that is language development. Irrespective of who, in the end, is responsible, the fact is with the modernization of our aboriginal languages, whether it is Inuktitut, Gwich'in Dogrib or whatever, there is a need for those people who are involved in the languages area to be involved in the development of the language, whether they are educators, interpreter/translators or whether they are involved in the Inuit Cultural Institute, the Dene Cultural Institute, the Gwich'in Social and Culture Institute, et cetera. The development of the language has to be based on a holistic approach. It can't be integrated simply into categories. The issue is language development has to be approached in the context of those people who are using the language and those who speak it.

We are concerned about the issue. I appreciate the concern the Member has raised. The review and work we are doing collectively is not intended in any way to reduce the commitment to program delivery or service delivery, but rather to rationalize and improve the services that are offered. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when I talked about this very important program well used by the courts, which is receiving growing demands, I mentioned that there is a 1-800 number that is available to legal interpreters to call if they are having difficulty, while they are interpreting in court, with legal terminology. I have just heard the Minister say there is no intention to reduce the commitment, the service delivery -- and I have heard the same thing from the Minister of Justice -- and I would like to ask the Minister if he will assure this House that the 1-800 number, which I am told is very valuable to interpreters who are working in court, that they can call for assistance if they are interpreting in court in another community, will be preserved when this program is transferred to Arctic College, which is what the Minister indicated would happen. Thank you.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Personally, I can't make that commitment to the honourable Member because that responsibility still rests with the Minister of Justice. But I will take seriously the suggestion the Member has made and look at the value of the service that we are providing and ensure, in our discussions with our envelope group, that we recognize the value of the service and look at it in the context the Member has raised in this Assembly.

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

Mr. Speaker, my question would be to the Minister of Justice. My colleague, Mr. Dent, talked about a petition from the people of Yellowknife, 1,200 names, which is the largest petition in the history of Yellowknife. It is regarding the fear out there that there isn't adequate policing. Mr. Speaker, this issue has been on the floor of this House for a year and a half. We have asked many questions of the Minister, given him many suggestions of how he can deal with this problem and we are waiting with anticipation for him to tell us how he intends to deal with the problem in Yellowknife of inadequate policing.

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not exactly sure what the Minister means. There has been a request for a number of police officers. There have been suggestions to set up auxiliary police. There have been suggestions to augment Crime Stoppers. There have been suggestions for a program to support the police bureaucracy, so more police will be on the streets. Perhaps the Minister can tell us what questions will be answered and when.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you. I don't know if the Minister has ever read the book "Waiting For Godot," but I was waiting also; waiting for the Minister to announce publicly what he is going to do. Once we saw exactly what we had to work with, I thought we would sit down with the mayor and the Yellowknife MLAs and decide imaginative ways to augment that. It seems that we both have been waiting. What aspect of this will be in the budget? There are studies being done by the RCMP themselves right now. When can we expect the results of those studies?

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as long as the Minister understands that there is a very, very serious problem in Yellowknife, we understand that money is short. Together, we can come up with some imaginative solutions. I will ask the Minister if he would be available during the next couple of weeks to have that meeting and see if we can start on the road to a solution to a very serious problem.

Mr. Kakfwi.

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

Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the number of 1,800 which was provided was a guesstimate of who would be excluded out of a group of people. Some of them may be under health programs and they will also be included in the Northwest Territories package of benefits that are presently available to all Northwest Territories residents. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, could the Member please give me his question again? I missed part of his question. Thank you.

Same supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I'm still working on the figures. I gave a guesstimate and we're working on the figures. I'll be able to provide those at a later time. I don't have the details which show the Member exactly those people who would be excluded because the Metis benefits would take some of those numbers. I really don't have those exact numbers yet, I'm still working on them, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.