Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to start off by supplying some background to this issue to the members of the Legislative Assembly. The government, the Canadian Coastguard and Sealift, went into Grise Fiord on August 30, 1996 and delivered all 88.15 tons of freight. Organizations served, include GNWT, Grise Fiord Inuit Cooperation, building materials, Hamlet Housing Association, NWT Power Corporation, RCMP and the school. There were also a number of private individuals who received freight on the Canadian Coastguard. The Grise Fiord Inuit Coop, the Housing Association, and the Hamlet decided not to ship all their goods through the government sealift this summer. Instead they chose to arrange the shipment through a private shipper who was unable to reach the community due to ice conditions.

Myself, as well as the Minister of Public Works and Services, committed that GNWT staff would be made available to provide administrative support, if affected organizations required assistance in making alternative arrangements for delivery. The GNWT would consider on a case by case basis, funding support, where there is evidence that residents would suffer unduly, the GNWT will not provide support to shipment of goods that are not considered essential for the community. Funding support will be considered only after alternative delivery of goods have been arranged and contract insurance claims have been investigated.

Mr. Speaker, the GNWT is prepared to consider, on a case by case basis, submissions for assistance where there was financial hardship incurred in the delivery of goods, essential to the community. This part is very important, all submissions for assistance should include an itemized cargo list, cost of alternate delivery, the results of efforts to recover money through shippers, or insurance policies and evidence of hardship. To date, Mr. Speaker, we have received one submission for financial assistance from Grise Fiord. The submission that was directed to MACA by the senior administrative officer in Grise Fiord and concerns assistance with air freight costs and that is being reviewed as we speak. Thank you.

Oral questions, supplementary. Mr. Barnabas.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Now I wonder if this level of assistance would be provided if other circumstances had arisen. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just have the information that I have with me. If they would have used the

government services then this would not have been an issue because the coast guard did get into Grise Fiord to re-supply that community. That is the only information I have. Thank you.

Oral questions, supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I feel that this government has determined to work more like a business than a government. Mr. Speaker, business exists to make a profit, as many of you are aware. Government exists to serve their people, as I am sure you all agree. I am sure that my constituents want the government to behave like a government that takes quick, efficient action, like any good business to assist its citizens when they are faced with an emergency.

Most of us come from small communities and have personal knowledge of emergencies and accidents. Anyone helps quickly and without thought of getting the money up front. Can the Premier please explain what concrete financial assistance this government is prepared to offered the people of Grise Fiord to offset the increases in prices caused by this emergency? I know that the insurance is already covered, but the offset is over $80,000. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Government of the Northwest Territories is prepared to consider on a case-by-case basis submissions for assistance wherever there was financial hardship incurred in the delivery of goods essential to this community. We are fully prepared to do that, but as I said earlier, Mr. Speaker, as every member of this Assembly knows, we are responsible to the public and to the public purse. We need certain things to justify paying out dollars or the Auditor General will let us know that we did not do business properly.

What we are asking the organizations in the Grise Fiord community to do, and the residents, is to itemize their cargo list, cost out alternate delivery, and make sure that the insurance policies and money issued to their shippers is taken care of, give us some evidence of hardship which should be no problem and submit that to the government and the government will assist whatever way they can. So, how much more clear can we make it, Mr. Speaker, but it takes two to solve this problem, the community and the government. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral Questions, Supplementary. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions, Supplementary. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Oral questions, final supplementary. Mr. Ootes.