Thank you, Mrs. Thompson. Good morning. Orders of the day, item 2, Ministers' statements. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to advise the Members that the Honourable John Todd will be absent from the House today to attend meetings in Rankin Inlet.

As well, Mr. Speaker, tonight I'll be travelling to Iqaluit for a number of important functions which will involve two world leaders.

On Saturday, Iqaluit Mayor Joe Kunuk and I will officially welcome German Chancellor Kohl to Iqaluit and Nunavut. The Chancellor, who will be joined by Prime Minister Chretien, expressed an interest in visiting the Canadian Arctic following the G-7 meetings this week in Halifax.

In addition to their presence in Iqaluit, the Chancellor and Prime Minister will visit Cape Dorset on Sunday, and Pangnirtung on Monday. Baffin Central MLA, Rebecca Mike, will be in Pangnirtung during their visit.

Mr. Speaker, both world leaders will have the opportunity to meet residents of all three communities; to spend some time on the land; and, according to the Prime Minister's office, to view Inuit art and meet some of Nunavut's world-famous artists.

Chancellor Kohl has expressed a particular interest in Inuit art. On Sunday evening, the Government of the Northwest Territories will be hosting a dinner for the Chancellor, Prime Minister and a number of guests from Iqaluit.

Mr. Speaker, Members should also be aware that I will take this opportunity to meet with the Prime Minister to discuss a number of territorial issues. I will travel back to Yellowknife on Monday and will be present in the House on Tuesday. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Whitford.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I don't have the usual Friday statement today, unfortunately, but I do want to make a few comments about the activities in the Nunatsiaq riding concerning Bill C-68. The Nunatsiaq Coalition Against Gun Control had a meeting last night, and I was asked to convey to Members of this Assembly the fact that members of the coalition are very impressed with the statements and the work that has been done by this Assembly on this issue. They're pleased that at least one level of government seems to be adequately representing the very strong concerns of constituents of my riding and others in the Nunatsiaq riding.

I would like to also announce that they're still working on the petition that I tabled the other day, collecting more names. There are well over 2,000 names that have now been collected, and it is still growing. The plan is to present this petition to the Senate committee and other persons to make them aware of the strength of feelings and the unanimity of feelings on this very important issue in the Nunatsiaq riding.

I would also like to say, Mr. Speaker, that I'm very grateful to have been given the honour of representing the Caucus, through the Caucus Subcommittee on Bill C-68. We have, as you know, some plans to continue our work in Ottawa next week with aboriginal organizations and Senators in a low-key way, but I think it's very important this work continue. So this will be my last day in the House, perhaps my last day this session, perhaps my last day in this House forever. But more about that when I make my reply to the Commissioner's Address, Mr. Speaker. Thank you very much.

---Applause

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

Mr. Speaker, I listened with interest last Friday to the discussion that we had on Bill 33, An Act to Amend the Legislative Assembly and Executive Council Act, No. 3. An act that has also been referred to by some to make the Premier into a queen or an empress or a deity; all kinds of uncomplimentary words, in my opinion.

Mr. Speaker, everyone has an opinion on this bill, and various people recall that we have had people in the past who were deities. I refer, of course, to the first northern-resident Commissioner, Mr. Hodgson, who was sometimes referred to as the emperor of the north; sometimes referred to in...(inaudible)...

Mr. Speaker, there has been some interest in the last while in what's been referred to as team politics. Team politics being a word to describe those people who can, in fact, work together. The alternative to teams, Mr. Speaker, is gangs. If you recall, Mr. Speaker, this week when I was discussing this issue of sport; I raised it as a statement that sport was a very important thing. I found that when I worked in the poorer parts of London and England, as I was a young man very interested in sport, I was asked, why don't you try to get these young people interested in sport; because the alternative to being on a team is really to become part of a gang, and gangs really do terrible things. They get into trouble. Their objectives are not always good objectives. I see that happening in all the urban areas throughout the world. People operate as gangs, and they can cause mayhem, problems, trouble.

So, Mr. Speaker, I'm suggesting today that if we really want to advance, we should think about teams and teamwork; otherwise the result will be gang warfare. Gang warfare, as we all know, is very unpleasant. It characterizes many of our cities throughout the world. And I don't see anything wrong with being part of a team, because that's how you get things done, that's how you move, that's how you become a winner. Gangs never win. They may succeed in the odd battle but, in the long run, they will be divisive, destructive and will get you nowhere. This system is in danger of, in my opinion, descending to gang warfare until we do something about it.

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

Thank you. The Member for Yellowknife Centre is seeking unanimous consent. Do we have any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Lewis, conclude your statement.

Mr. Speaker, my honourable colleague from Yellowknife South, Mr. Dent, has talked about the necessity of a cohesive team approach. The Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson, has mentioned team politics. I agree with these statements, Mr. Speaker, and I think we should start working on it right now before the next Media Sharks charity hockey game. That maybe is the secret. If we can get this House to work as a team for the first time to beat the media, by working cohesively perhaps it could be the seeds of a new approach to politics in the Northwest Territories where we suddenly arrive at the formula to be successful. Who knows, Mr. Speaker? If we do it right, this may become an election issue and people can begin training right now so that in the next Assembly we can get a really good team to beat our traditional enemy at this well-known Canadian game. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Hear! Hear!

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my colleague, Mr. Whitford, said in his Member's statement yesterday, this is Mining Week here in the Northwest Territories. Mining has played a very important part in the economy of the Northwest Territories for many years, and it has been a key part of Yellowknife. In my constituency, Giant Mine has provided employment and business opportunities for decades. It has been a very important part of the community.

My understanding is that last year, mining provided some 75 per cent of the goods produced in the Northwest Territories, and actually provided 25 per cent of the GDP of the Northwest Territories. So it's a very, very important component of our economy. As the federal cutbacks become more and more of a factor, I think we're going to have to look at the potential that we have. To me, mining is going to provide some of the greatest potential here in the Northwest Territories.

Members are aware that there has been concern by governments right across the country that the mining industry has been leaving Canada. For many reasons, the mining industry has not found Canada to be very supportive of mining, even though, in many ways, the Canadian economy and the very high quality of life that we've enjoyed in Canada has been an important part on mining. But the other governments in Canada are coming around. There are major endeavours now to support mining. In fact, the big find in Newfoundland in Voisey Bay with Diamond Fields Company, could turn around the economy of Newfoundland. It could go from being a very, very poor province with a tremendously high number of unemployed people, to being a self-sufficient province. I think that's a lesson for us, because if we, especially here in the west, don't take advantage of that mining opportunity, and as the federal government cuts back, we're going to have serious economic problems. So I look to the future with a lot of optimism because of the potential in mining.

This weekend, the Chamber of Mines has many events. The mine rescue competition will be at the Yellowknife arena over the next couple of days.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It's a good opportunity for Members to become more familiar with mining and I hope that Members take advantage of this opportunity, get out and talk to the miners and see what they're doing here in the Northwest Territories. I think all of us should remember, although there are very legitimate concerns right now about the environment and very legitimate concerns about self-government, at the end of the day, the mineral wealth of the western Arctic is going to be what we need to sustain us. There is really no other way around that.

So, I think our challenge together is to find a way to ensure that responsible mining responds to the needs of the Northwest Territories -- especially for us over here in the western Arctic -- including environmental concerns. I think we have to get more aggressive and take control over our destiny. At the end of the day, the only way we're going to receive the full benefits of mining is if we control the agenda. Hopefully, the discussions taking place right now on the mining accord will come to some resolution and we, collectively, in the western Arctic can ensure that mining takes place in a responsible way, and can enjoy the full benefits of mining opportunities. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we've had an opportunity in this House on a number of occasions to discuss Bill C-68. I want to personally, Mr. Speaker, thank on behalf of my constituents, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Jeannie Marie-Jewell, Dennis Patterson, Jim Antoine, Fred Koe and, especially, John Ningark for having represented the interests of the people of the Northwest Territories and this Assembly in bringing forward our concerns as they relate to Bill C-68.

It is my impression that they have contributed significantly, from at least hearing the comments of Mr. Ningark who brought forward his personal experiences as an aboriginal person to the Canadian public about the relationship of aboriginal people and the use of firearms -- not for the purpose of abusing them but for the purpose of carrying on a life that has been historic.

So, Mr. Speaker, I want to thank again the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi, Jeannie Marie-Jewell and Dennis Patterson, for venturing into our capital city of Ottawa to express their concerns. I hope others will accept the challenge. I want to say to them, thank you for the work that you've done and thank you for the ongoing work that you will do during the next several weeks. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. Kakfwi.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member for Thebacha, my constituents are very concerned about the way we address fires, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, many northern residents at times, I believe, don't fully understand the responsibility of an air attack officer, better known as Bird Dog officers. I'm going to attempt to explain some of the working conditions they have to work under.

When the Bird Dog aircraft flies ahead of DC-4s or CL-215s, they assist the pilots in fire attacks. For example, when the Bird Dog is five minutes back from the fire, the air attack officer will contact the fire boss and any aircraft in the area to notify them that the Bird Dogs are now controlling the fire space and to start making arrangements to clear the area for the tanker group. The air attack officer is responsible for the safe operation of the air tanker group and, as such, may remove crews from the fire if he deems it hazardous to life or property, either people on the ground or in aircraft.

Mr. Speaker, the air attack officer works under very difficult conditions. Remember, smoke could be very dense from a fire; and, there could be very hot conditions which create hot air pockets so planes could lose altitude very quickly. There are, at times, turbulence, prevailing winds, down drafts and lack of visibility, no doubt from the amount of smoke.

Mr. Speaker, I was saddened to hear that there were lay-off notices given to two air attack officers, including the assistant air operator, Jack Bird. Jack Bird was raised in Hay River and also Yellowknife. I recall, quite vividly, going to school with Jack here in Yellowknife. Jack Bird started in Inuvik in 1974 as a firefighter. He completed training in resource management in February 1975. He was based in Yellowknife until 1980 as an assistant resource management officer, where he was responsible for the supervision of ground crews. He also has worked as an air attack officer since 1980. He has been on loan to most agencies in Canada, the United States and in Mexico.

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

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. Mr. Speaker, I want the House to note that Jack Bird, was the first and only native to be nationally certified in Canada. Incidentally, the only other native was from the NWT, Fred Lepine, from Hay River. In 1989, Jack Bird moved a step ahead in his career and was able to achieve the assistant manager of air operations until Wednesday, where his

responsibilities, including supervision of the air attack officers, had been questionable.

In addition, Mr. Speaker, another air attack officer, Mr. Jeff Austin, who is a certified air attack officer with 16 seasons of active fire suppression, who also lives in Hay River also has been given notice. I will be seeking clarification from the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board with regard to these two lay-off notices, particularly with respect to what the Premier had announced in this House yesterday. I will also be requesting further clarification from the Minister of Public Works and Safety. I did invite Mr. Jack Bird, Jeff Austin to this House today. I will be pleased, at a later point in time, to recognize them, along with their regional vice-president, Mr. Keith Dowling. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mrs. Marie-Jewell. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mrs. Jeannie Marie-Jewell on June 9th with regard to the request for extra assistance to fight Sahtu forest fires.

The Fort Smith Forest Fire Centre regularly receives offers to purchase or lease additional aircraft for firefighting purposes. However, if additional aircraft are required during the season, the forest fire centre will first determine if these can be charted from local air carriers and if not, will issue a request for assistance from other jurisdictions through the mutual aid resources sharing management agreement. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Brian Lewis with regard to the reason for an increase in stumpage fees.

Under the Forest Management Act and regulations, there are two charges for timber harvesting: reforestation charges and timber cutting charges. Changes were made to these charges as part of the 1995-96 operational planning process. These changes affect spruce and pine saw logs, but not fuel wood. The reforestation charges have increased. Despite the increase, this fee is still substantially lower than other jurisdictions. Under legislation, the money collected for reforestation must be put back into reforestation activities.

A new schedule for the timber cutting charges is being developed. This new schedule will tie the timber charges to the price of lumber. With the present lumber prices, most operators will pay less under this new schedule than they did last year. This new schedule will be in place for the next harvest season. I am providing a letter with additional information to the honourable Member. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Whitford on June 12th with respect to the forest fire emergency measures procedures.

Municipal and Community Affairs, through the emergency measures organization, coordinates this government's role in emergency responses. This includes coordinating government support to municipal emergency operations such as the efforts in Yellowknife and Deline to house and feed the evacuees from Fort Norman and Norman Wells.

This coordinating role is largely guided by the GNWT peacetime emergency plan and the community's emergency response plan. A community emergency response plan typically identifies local emergency response resources and the procedures, roles and responsibilities of local organizations for various emergency situations.

The rapid and successful response to the evacuation efforts of Fort Norman and Norman Wells is the result of a coordinated effort of the city of Yellowknife, the GNWT department of Health and Social Services, Education, Culture and Employment, the emergency response committees of Fort Norman, Norman Wells and Deline, and the countless volunteers who responded to requests for everything from strollers and baby diapers to pillows and bedding.

Akaitcho Hall was used as one of the residences for evacuees. Akaitcho is being used for an elder hostel program at this time and arrangements were made by the Department of Education, Culture and Employment to organize the operations of the elder hostel program to make available the space and services of Akaitcho Hall for evacuees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Nerysoo.

Mr. Speaker, could I ask for the unanimous consent of my colleagues to return to item 2, Ministers' statements, please?

The Member for Mackenzie Delta is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 2, Ministers' statements. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Nerysoo, proceed with your statement.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have two statements. I hope I don't take up too much time. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to announce that this week, June 12th to the 18th, is Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Week 1995. The theme of this year's Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Week is "Communication: Open the Channels."

Communication is an essential element in the prevention of injuries in the workplace. Employers must ensure that employees know how to do their jobs safely, but employees must ensure that their employers are made aware of hazardous conditions that develop, so that employers can take steps necessary to rectify the hazardous conditions.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Safety and Public Services is especially active in providing public education this week and promoting the theme of "Communications: Open the Channels." The department has public information booths in the lobby of the Siniktarvik Hotel in Rankin Inlet, in the Northern Store in Inuvik, in the WG Brown Building in Iqaluit and in the Panda II Mall in Yellowknife. At all these locations, staff are handing out pamphlets and printed materials, stickers and other material promoting safety and performing demonstrations.

The staff involved in our public education efforts this week include safety officers, electrical inspectors, gas and boiler and pressure vessel inspectors, as well as mine safety inspectors and staff of the fire marshal's office.

The department's mining safety division is especially active this week in public education through our participation in Mining Week. Our staff are key participants in the mine rescue competition, which allows the general public to gain an appreciation of the emergency response systems in place in NWT mines. I would like to invite all honourable Members to come out and watch mine rescue teams from across the Northwest Territories to go through their paces this weekend at the firehall and the Yellowknife Community Arena. Our mine rescue teams are the best in Canada, and this weekend they will be judged by some of the toughest mine rescue competition judges in Canada, including Mr. Terry Vaughan

Thomas who was instrumental in developing our new mine safety legislation.

Mr. Speaker, when the department investigates accidents, our staff know that one of the most common causes of workplace injury is poor communication. The Department of Safety and Public Services is using Canadian Occupational Health and Safety Week to focus public attention on the need to keep the channels of communication open in the workplace and to the general public so that we can all learn how to work safety together. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Continue, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at the appropriate time today, I will be tabling the government's legislative action paper on recall. The action paper was prepared in response to a recommendation last fall from the Standing Committee on Rules, Procedures and Privileges. Recall is a formal "citizen-driven" process to remove a Member from their seat before the normal term of the Legislature is over. As requested by the standing committee, the action paper addresses a number of issues related to the implications of and approaches to implementing recall in the Northwest Territories.

In preparing the action paper, the government has attempted to provide a balanced account of the arguments in favour of and opposing recall. The government acknowledges that the issue of accountability of Members to their constituents has been the subject of numerous debates and a number of concrete initiatives during the life of this Assembly. Recall represents a measure where constituents can initiate measures on their own to hold their elected Member accountable.

The government also acknowledges the work of Yellowknife Centre MLA, Brian Lewis, and other Members who have encouraged this Assembly and our constituents to give serious consideration to recall for increasing the accountability of their elected representatives.

In the final analysis, the government believes that recall has both advantages and disadvantages, given the circumstances and challenges that the Northwest Territories, our constituents and their elected representatives will face in the coming years. Accountability will no doubt be an issue in the upcoming territorial general election. This legislative action paper on recall will hopefully make a useful contribution to the debate on whether this accountability instrument should be incorporated into our consensus system of government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

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

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Jack Bird from Fort Smith who was the assistant manager of air operations until Wednesday. Mr. Bird resides in Fort Smith. I would also like to recognize Jeff Austin from Hay River. Both gentlemen are accompanied by Mr. Keith Dowling who is the regional vice-president in Fort Smith of the UNW. Thank you.

---Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mrs. Thompson.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question directed to the Minister of Renewable Resources. I know that the Minister of Renewable Resources is also aware that the sport polar bear hunters who come into the communities go to Repulse Bay and Coral Harbour to hunt polar bears. This has been running smoothly for a long time, and the guides and outfitters are paid well by these sport hunters who are coming to these communities. All the men and women in the communities benefit from those sport hunters who are coming to the communities, especially to Repulse Bay and Coral Harbour. The hunters are able to make some extra money by taking them out; and the women who make the clothing for those hunters, are paid well for the work they do by making the outdoor clothing for these sport hunting. So, sport hunting for polar bears has been one of the programs that has operated very well in the north, and everyone is aware of that.

As our Minister knows, the Department of Renewable Resources has said in Coral Harbour there are a lot of caribou on Southampton Island at this time. My question is regarding the sport hunting of polar bears, as it has operated very well in the past. I'll ask my question in English. (Translation ends)

My question is to the Minister of Renewable Resources. Building on the success of polar bear sport hunting, will the Minister provide direction and encouragement to his officials to find a way to make caribou sport hunting tags available for a much-needed economic opportunity to my constituents? Thank you.

Hear! Hear!

Thank you. Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that caribou sport hunters, at least in the west, have been very successful. I also realize that the polar bear outfitters have also been very successful in bringing people up. I believe there are commercial tags that are available, at least in the Keewatin for the Beverly Qamanirjuaq herd. However, I also understand that it is up to the local hunters to decide how those tags will be used. At the present time, I believe those tags are being used to catch caribou to be brought to the processing plant in Rankin Inlet.

For the caribou on Southampton Island, I'm sure everybody knows of the work that has been done in conjunction with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism. From what the department tells me, there are sufficient caribou there to produce caribou meat for processing for a long period of time. I would think that it would be timely if there were some local people who would want to start outfitting on Southampton Island, but I believe that that decision should lie with the people on Southampton Island. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is, will the Minister provide direction and encouragement to my constituency in caribou sports hunting? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know what type of direction would be required. I would be willing to write to the hunters' and trappers' association in

Coral Harbour to suggest that a portion of the tags that are available for commercial processing could be used by outfitters, if they so wished. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Are there any further oral questions? Mr. Ballantyne.

I have question for the Premier, Mr. Speaker, and it's to do with the question of division. Presently, Mr. Speaker, the process of decision, it seems to me, has some inequity in structure as to how it's being approached, and all the more power to the east, but in Nunavut there is a legislative pace for division, there is a structure for division with the Nunavut Implementation Commission and later on with an interim Commissioner and there's a time frame.

There's not an equal structure in the west, and there is some concern raised by a number of people, and I've had this concern for a long time. At some point, this inequity in structure could cause us some problems as we try to have a fair resolution of the division question.

My question to the Premier is, how would the Premier suggest that we deal with this and what is the government plan to ensure that there is equal participation in the creation of two new territories by both east and west? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I believe that we had hoped, as a government, that the constitutional development process would have taken care of some of those so-called inequities. As well, we thought that the aboriginal groups would also utilize the Western Caucus to feed into the process as well.

Mr. Speaker, I realize there are concerns out there about the perceived inequities, and I believe that because of the varying and diverse opinions of several groups in the western territory, it is difficult to get a consensus on what should be fed into the process.

Mr. Speaker, I realize that this is an outstanding issue. It's my intention to try to look to some type of formula that would take care of the problems that are expressed. Mr. Speaker, we have had some general discussions on how we can accommodate or try to do a better job in involving the varied western interests in the process.

I believe it is one issue that I had intended to discuss with Mr. Irwin again. It is not an issue that has not been discussed with him. As Mr. Irwin has stated to me, we have give him a better plan of action so that he can evaluate just where the various groups in the western Arctic or the Mackenzie valley can come together on some very important issues.

So, Mr. Speaker, I know that this is an outstanding issue and we will try to address it as soon as possible. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ballantyne.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I want to really emphasize that I don't have any criticism of the approach of Nunavut towards division. My concern is that because the approach in Nunavut is federal government backed, they have

a more direct pipeline and they have an institutional advantage, as it were, in all discussions to do with division.

It seems to me that we have to come up with, in the west, some equivalent body with an equal sort of status and an equal pipeline into Ottawa. Otherwise, inevitably, there will be serious problems down the road as we try to deal with the thorny issue of division.

My question to the Premier is, has the Premier thought about some kind of an institutional body in the west, whether it's an interim division Commissioner in the west or some other such body that has the same sort of access to the federal government as the interim Commissioner in Nunavut will have? Is the government looking at some possibilities to ensure equity of access and equity of opportunity to make sure that the debate is fair and no misunderstandings will arise? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I know that, in the discussions with Mr. Irwin, he continually brings up the issue of the consensus of what the west wants. There are varying opinions by region on what that should be. However, I know that the honourable Member is suggesting -- and I should correct it as this is not correct -- that the Nunavut Implementation Commission is deriving its legislative authority through the federal government and some kind of process and that there should be some equivalency on this side, in the west.

Mr. Speaker, I will try to continue to approach the subject with the Minister responsible, Minister Irwin, on that inequity, and we will continue to work with the various groups in the western Arctic to try to come up with a consensus on working together to try to get the support from Mr. Irwin; he feels that consensus is imperative in order for him to support any kind of initiative that I would suggest on behalf of this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Safety and Public Services a question, but he's not in the House, so I will pose my question to -- Mr. Speaker, I just realized that I have said that he wasn't in the House, and I withdraw those remarks. But I was initially going to pose a question...

---Laughter

to the Minister of Safety and Public Services, but I will pose my question instead to the Premier, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I have been aware that the chief safety officer of the Northwest Territories has indicated that the responsibility of air attack officers lies under the jurisdiction of the NWT Safety Act and is the responsibility of this government. In light of the information that I've received, I would like to ask the Minister whether he can indicate to this House if he's aware of this latest development, recognizing that yesterday he stated that he was going to obtain a legal opinion. Thank you.

Thank you. The question is to the Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I indicated yesterday, the information that the honourable Member has provided through her questions has been provided to the staff. As a result of the information, they have had discussions with the Department of Justice and with our constitutional legal counsel. They have been advised by legal counsel that, in their view, this matter does lie in the territorial jurisdiction because the issue of qualifications of the pilots has been settled by Transport Canada, and because the issue of air worthiness of aircraft has been settled by Transport Canada. The issue remaining is whether the air attack officers, as government employees, are not involved in the actual operation of the aircraft and are in the aircraft in the capacity of passengers.

Mr. Speaker, I can advise the honourable Member that, as a result of this information, I've been told that the chief safety officer is now investigating this particular matter, in conjunction with close contact and advice from legal counsel. I would ask the honourable Members for their patience and understanding so we can permit the chief safety officer to conduct this investigation thoroughly and as quickly as possible.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you. I appreciate that response. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister whether he can indicate to this House the time it would take to do the investigation.

Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can't give an absolute time frame because we're not certain of the extent to which the investigation needs to be conducted. Therefore, it makes it difficult for me to give the honourable Member the time frame she is looking for. The other thing is, we're not sure about the complexity of the investigation either. We understand the concern the honourable Member has raised and will carry out the investigation as best we can, taking into consideration all factors. Then I will report on that investigation to my colleague accordingly. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Minister of Health and Social Services, Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services has set a target reduction of $1 million and, presently, the department is in negotiation with the representative medical society dealing with that issue. Mr. Speaker, as well, we've also indicated to the representatives of the medical profession that there may be other issues they may be able to suggest to us where there can be additional target reductions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, these negotiations are presently under way and in those discussions, we're aiming at target reductions. As everyone is aware, the overall availability of funds to this government for social programs for the residents of the

Northwest Territories is under scrutiny. I'm sure in the discussions with the medical profession representatives, some of these issues will fall out of those discussions. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, yes, I will.

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

Minister responsible for forest fire management, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning, all crews in tanker bases throughout the Northwest Territories reported back to work; except, I believe, there are three Bird Dog officers who have presently booked out sick. They have been sent letters to provide doctors' slips; I guess that is the process for reporting in sick. But, we cannot be left without some plan in place if people are sick for a lengthy period of time, so we do have a plan in place. We have two CL-215s in from Newfoundland, and in Newfoundland for many years now, they have actioned fires with a lone CL-215; that's when a CL-215 will actually go out on a smoke patrol when lightening has struck. We have lightening detectors out there that tell us where lightening strikes and the CL-215 can action that fire prior to anyone else being in that area. Then a ground crew can go in and mop that fire up.

We have procedures being drawn up today to action fires. Contrary to the perception that we will be bombing fires with ground crews, helicopters and heavy fixed-wing equipment, we will not be doing that. We're in the process right now of hiring some more Bird Dog officers to replace those who have booked off sick. We don't know how long they are going to be sick. We should have a better idea on Monday how long they will be sick. There are two experienced officers who have offered their services to us. For serious and threatening fires, we have been offered officers on loan from other jurisdictions. There are also several experienced northern firefighters, aboriginal people born and raised in the Northwest Territories, who have worked for Renewable Resources for many years who have expressed interest in air attack or Bird Dog on a full-time basis. So arrangements are made presently to ship a few of them down to BC and Alberta. They are out of Fort Smith and Fort Resolution. Those two people have expressed some interest and they are also fire bosses.

Fixed-wing tankers will only be used on the fire scene as long as we have effective communication in place. So we will be doing that. We do have things under control. We are working with the crews that we have. I must say we have approximately 150 firefighters, who are very skilled and committed to fighting fires in the Northwest Territories, and they are willing to show up every day and go to work. We would prefer to use the air attack officers, but I can't be held at ransom, as the Minister, and have the system stop because a few of my employees choose to book off sick or choose not to go to work when they are instructed to.

So we have made alternate plans. I feel quite comfortable with those plans. We must always remember that safety is first. We have had the best in Canada check out our pilots and they say they are safe. We have had MOT check out our pilots and they say they are safe. So let's leave MOT and these type of people to check things out. They are the ones who know; not Bird Dog officers. Thank you.

Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask a question to the Minister responsible for FMBS. Mr. Speaker, since the Minister of Safety and Public Services has indicated the responsibility of air attack officers is this government's and the Minister made this House aware that there is an investigation going on, would the Minister consider reinstating the Bird Dog officers who were laid off until the investigation is over? Thank you.

Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning. Mr. Speaker, that isn't a possibility. The department has advised the secretariat that they wish for us to terminate two employees. The process now is that we have written to those two employees and advised them of the request for termination. Those employees now have five days to respond to us at FMBS. In the meantime, an investigation has been started. Once I receive the results of that investigation and I receive the responses from the employees who can be assisted by the UNW in preparing their responses, then a decision will be made and recommended to me with regard to the action to take with these employees. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since he indicated that the investigation is taking place, is it fair to say that he is discussing the issue of the investigation being done by labour relations? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

That is correct, Mr. Speaker. Labour relations do the investigation and that document, along with the responses from the affected employees, will determine the outcome of these cases.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In light of what the Minister of Public Works and Services has indicated to this House, I would like to ask the Minister of FMBS whether the labour relations guidelines for his investigation will take into consideration the results of the investigation done by the chief safety officer of the Northwest Territories?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I am not absolutely sure whether it will or won't be taken into consideration. Labour relations are the people who will conduct this investigation. It won't be influenced politically. I never influence these things. I let them go out there and do their job and bring the details back to me. Once I read those reports, if I think there are other factors that have been overlooked and so on, I may ask them if they have considered this or that. That has been done on rare occasions. So I can't say the kinds of things that they will be looking at, but I can say that we are going on the basis that a recommendation was made to us by a department head that two people be terminated. The department head has given reasons for the termination. That is where we start from. Were the procedures followed properly? Is the request for termination justified? What are the views of these employees? I can't say yes and I can't say no. I can just say I have confidence that labour relations will do a thorough investigation, as they always do. If I find there are some things missing, I will ask them to look at it again. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I appreciate that. I do have full confidence in Mr. Pollard assessing this fairly, along with labour relations. Is it possible for the Minister to advise this House the parameters of how these investigations are conducted, so the public can understand? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as notice and I will table a document on Monday, a document that outlines, point by point, how these investigations are done. There is some variation depending on the circumstances of discipline or termination. I will get a general outline and table it in the House for all Members on Monday, Mr. Speaker.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat revenue cops section. Mr. Speaker, I think the Minister is aware -- and I wanted to wait until this day to bring this up because it is Friday -- that a constituent of mine is very upset that tobacco police from the FMBS revenue section went to Montreal and obtained food invoices from a Montreal food order supplier and used these invoices to send a staggering $498 bill for taxes on cigarettes they found purchased in Quebec in this food order. My constituent says that this was done without regard for his privacy and was with complete disregard to his integrity and decency. How could this have happened? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, the tobacco cops are not with FMBS; they are with Eric Nielsen, chief of tobacco police over at the Department of Finance.

---Laughter Mr. Speaker, there were a number of issues raised with regard to this particular Tobacco Tax Act by various people. I have had brought to my attention that there were people who were believed to be circumventing the Tobacco Tax Act in the Northwest Territories, and consequently, we were losing revenue, something that I am not willing to allow to happen, Mr. Speaker.

I think that there are some people out there who are good and upstanding citizens who really didn't know that they were evading the tax because they were placing tobacco orders through food orders, so we brought it to their attention that they should start to pay the tax and also that they should pay us for the tax on the products that they brought in before we snooped in their food hampers which is, I think, how they refer to it. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister knows that my constituent and his wife are very concerned that the government and the Minister now have knowledge of what he and his wife eat, drink and smoke. He says, in his letter to the revenue section, that he feels his rights and freedoms have been infringed, that he hasn't been treated with the respect that any law-abiding citizen of the NWT deserves and that he feels violated.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister what he would recommend I should tell my constituent, to make him feel better about having been violated by the Minister and his officials? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I note that the Member asked what he should tell his constituent so that he can feel better. The Minister of Health tells me that the first thing to do is to stop smoking.

---Laughter

Mr. Speaker, I am taking seriously the constituent of Mr. Patterson who has claimed that we have snooped into his food orders and that we now know what he and his wife eat, drink and smoke. I am asking the department to respond to this particular constituent, because it is not our intention to violate people's privacy or to pry into their private lives.

But we do have a law on the books that allows us to determine if we are losing revenue by people -- shall we say -- smuggling tobacco into the Northwest Territories, albeit innocently without the knowledge that they should be paying these taxes, Mr. Speaker.

It is not our intent to offend or to pry into people's private affairs, and I will have the department respond to the particular constituent and explain our point of view. I hope that he or she is able to understand our point of view. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.