Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps yesterday I was somewhat abrupt in my response to the honourable Member's question.

Shame.

Anyway, Mr. Speaker, this is the last day.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, we all need a break. Anyway, I would like to assure the honourable Member that I did discuss the matter with the deputy minister yesterday, and I want to assure him there will be provision made for a broader-based representation on this important issue with respect to tourism marketing in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

As mentioned yesterday, there are a lot of operators who seem to have been missed in the first list of invitations that went out. Will other participants be given an opportunity to feed into this process and have an opportunity to make their comments known on how tourism zone associations will be managed and operated in the future?

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to assure my honourable colleague that every effort is going to be made to ensure whatever evolves out of this Western Arctic Tourism Association is reflective and, more importantly, representative of the industry in its broadest context. We are making provisions, within the fiscal restraints we all live in, to try to ensure we have broad-based representation in this review, to try to come to some consensus as to what kind of association we want that would represent western Arctic interests. And, when that association does get up and running, to redirect additional fiscal resources the department has into that association so they can more clearly reflect the needs of the industry, rather than just the needs of the department.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for those words. Will the Minister assure me that he will, or through his senior staff, direct the tourism people and other departmental people in the communities that this is a direction that is coming from the Minister, that tourism should be industry-driven, should be managed by the operators and that the membership, rules and by-laws will be set by the tourism industry itself?

Mr. Todd.

Absolutely, Mr. Speaker. There is no question in my mind that whatever the association or organization resolves should be clearly reflective of the interests of the industry. One of the partnerships I see, perhaps for the government, is in the distribution of dollars and an examination of the existing programs to see if they are relevant to the industry today and, if they are -- and I stress "if they are" -- what kinds of new programs and marketing plans do we want to put in place that should be industry-driven, in some kind of partnership with the government. Thank you.

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

Thank you. Minister of Transportation, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Did he say his last gasps?

---Laughter

Sorry, Mr. Speaker. The department has, in fact, been reviewing this important initiative that the Member has brought up on a number of occasions. We felt at the time that it was impractical to carry out this request because of the lack of medical facilities in the Northwest Territories. However, in the honourable Member's statement earlier today he indicated that in southern Canada that isn't the case. So, I'm prepared to re-examine the issue and get back to the honourable Member as soon as I can. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, about two weeks ago I asked a

question of the same Minister regarding the delays in old age pensions. Since then, I have received information from the Premier's office. I'll read part of the information, Mr. Speaker:

"We finally received an answer from the Edmonton office. They apparently sent out the cheques in time but there was a delay either in the transportation or post office. There are plans to open an office here to handle CPP and old age pensions."

My question to the honourable Minister is, when will the office open to handle CPP and old age pensions here in Yellowknife? Thank you.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, that information was just given to us the other day, and when the question was asked there was no indication when exactly that would be. Because of the volume of work and problems that were increasing, I guess they are trying to get closer to the people they serve. They couldn't give us a date or time when they would implement such a plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. Perhaps the honourable Minister could communicate with the airlines that currently have the contract to deliver mail to the eastern Arctic regarding the problem of delays in receiving old age pension and CPP cheques. Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.