Okay. Question period is now over. Item 7, written questions. Mr. Patterson, your point of order.

Point Of Order

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll try again. It's unprecedented that a Cabinet Minister would withhold consent. I'm going to try again, and Mr. Todd will pay.

--- Laughter

I would like to request unanimous consent to go back to recognition of visitors in the gallery. Thank you.

Speaker's Ruling

Thank you. I would like to remind Members that you cannot use a point of order to gain the floor. You can ask the Speaker for unanimous consent to go back to an item. So, Mr. Patterson, you're out of order.

--- Ruled Out of Order

Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. May I request unanimous consent, through your good offices, to go back to recognition of visitors in the gallery? Thank you.

Thank you. The Member for Iqaluit is seeking unanimous consent to go back to item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize Mr. Stein Lal, QC, former deputy minister of Justice in the Northwest Territories, who is here, I understand, doing work for the federal Minister of Justice on the possible transfer of criminal prosecutions to the Northwest Territories.

--Applause

Welcome, Mr. Lal. Mr. Patterson.

If I may, Mr. Speaker -- and I regret that I'm not aware of their names -- I recognize Members of the federal gun control...

Point of order.

Speaker's Ruling

Mr. Patterson, I'm sorry but I must rule you out of order. Members are allowed 30 seconds to recognize visitors in the gallery and you have exceeded that. I'm sorry, but you're out of order,

--- Ruled Out Of Order

Mr. Koe.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to return to item 6, oral questions.

--- Applause

The Member for Inuvik is seeking unanimous consent to return to oral questions. Are there any nays? There are no nays. We're back to item 6, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Premier regarding the official languages handbook. I'm very concerned about the production or lack of production of the official languages handbook. Several years ago, the Official Languages Commissioner recommended that a handbook be developed. Subsequently, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions passed a motion sanctioning this recommendation. In response to that report, the government said the handbook would be ready by

December 1994. The Premier then stated, after that, it would be ready by the spring of 1995. We're almost past that time, it's almost summer of 1995, so I would like to ask the Premier when is the official languages handbook going to be ready for distribution.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as notice. Thank you.

Thank you. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Nerysoo, your point of order.

Point Of Order

Mr. Speaker, I wanted you to make it clear to Members, whether they're on Cabinet or anywhere in this Assembly, Members cannot be identified for their absence. In fact, Mr. Speaker, it is in the rules.

Speaker's Ruling

It's not in our rules, but it is in Beauchesne's that a Member cannot mention any Member who is absent from the House. Perhaps, Mr. Zoe, if you would like to withdraw that comment, then direct your question to another Minister if you desire to do so.

It's in the record that you did mention the Member's absence from the House. Those are the comments I would like you to withdraw. Mr. Zoe.