Thank you. Item 3, Members' statements. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you. The Member for Kivallivik is seeking unanimous consent to conclude his statement. Are there any nays? Conclude you statement, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was recently asked if I personally thought that the Rankin Inlet project was feasible and if I thought it would save government dollars. Mr. Speaker, my answer to that question is I really can't say at this time. That project could be the best deal since the invention of the honey bucket, but without being provided the details and accurate facts and figures, I can't offer an informed opinion.

Mr. Speaker, before I conclude my statement, I would ask the honourable Minister of DPW to give some further review and thoughts to the following key points: Does the Minister have the mandate to enter into a multi-million dollar contract for 20 to 25 years, in view of the fact that division is only three years away? Can the Minister state unconditionally that there will be a cost savings in view of the fact that it appears we have no firm capital cost that has been concluded and finalized? Mr. Speaker, it appears to me that it would be difficult to make this sort of a statement. If you don't know what capital costs are associated with this project, how can you determine what the cost-savings are going to be? We don't know what the lease costs are for the project, at this time.

Can the Minister assure this House that when dry good costs rise, they will be subsidized for the long term and not just the short-term period of two years. What will be the amount of the subsidy? Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide information to the fact that prices will not increase once the fuel is delivered or taken from the tank farm and delivered to the other eastern communities?

Thank you, Mr. O'Brien. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark, asked about the recent failures of the runway lighting system at the Gjoa Haven airport.

The existing lighting system has become unreliable and the department will remedy the situation immediately. Our small communities depend on reliable air transportation services and anything less is unacceptable.

I would like to tell the Member that the Department of Transportation has acquired a temporary replacement lighting system for the runway. The replacement system is being tested this week in Yellowknife and will be sent to Gjoa Haven next week for installation. The department expects to have this temporary replacement system installed and operational by the 1st of March.

By way of explanation, Mr. Speaker, the existing system was installed by Transport Canada in 1984 when the technical standards of the day did not require protective conduit for buried electrical cables. This protective conduit may not have been necessary in southern Canada, but with the freeze-thaw cycle in our northern locations, the standard has proven inadequate and caused many maintenance problems.

The Department of Transportation made repairs to the lighting system this past summer and hoped they would keep the system working a few more years until it could install a new airfield lighting system scheduled for 1998. Unfortunately, the system has deteriorated much faster this winter than the department had expected.

In any case, the department will install the new runway lighting system over the next two weeks. I certainly regret any inconvenience or distress the Member or his constituents may have experienced as a result of the recent lighting failures. I can assure him that the department will restore safe and reliable service at the airport as soon as is humanly possible. Mahsi.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Mrs. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Tommy Enuaraq on February 14, 1996.

Realizing that our budget has not been set yet and that our new budget targets may cause significant changes, it is our intention to do planning for the arena in the 1995-96 year with design in 1997-98 and construction starting the following year. This is regarding the arena and skating rink in Clyde River. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the honourable Member for Hay River, Mrs. Groenewegen, asked a question with regard to the subsidization policy on alcohol in the Northwest Territories on February 14, 1996.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories does not subsidize any of the costs associated with the transportation or distribution of liquor.

The retail price of liquor sold in communities varies, depending on what it actually costs to transport and distribute the liquor to that community.

For example, the same case of 12 bottles of a well-known brand of domestic beer would sell for $20.15 in Inuvik, for $18.05 in Hay River and for $21.55 in Iqaluit. These retail prices include the cost of the product itself, as well as transportation costs, distribution costs, bottle deposit fees, administrative costs and a flat mark-up for government revenue.

The government is very aware of the very legitimate concerns outlined in the preamble to the honourable Member's question, with respect to social cost associated with the abuse of liquor products. The NWT Liquor Commission is committed to ensuring that its procedures and policies for the distribution and sale of liquor do not encourage the irresponsible or illegal use of alcoholic beverages in any way. As always, we would be pleased to receive input from honourable Members and from the northern public on ways in which our liquor control system can be improved. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

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

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Rabesca.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize some students of the Native Women's Association, some of whom are from my constituency. I guess they are somewhere in the gallery.

---Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to recognize a very famous person who appears in our living room every evening at 8:00 p.m.; Mr. George Tuccaro.

---Applause

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

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs. We received a letter on January 24th and I'm sure the Minister received that letter. I got a copy from Igloolik. Back in February 1995, during the 12th Assembly, there was a petition that was sent to the Minister regarding a community centre in Igloolik. That particular Minister responded in April 1995 that that Minister would be able to provide a response. To date, the residents of Igloolik have not received a response. It was going to be included in the 1995 capital plans under the five-year plan, but apparently it is not included there.

I had a meeting with the Minister of MACA in February and she informed me that she was going to get her officials to check into it. To date, we still haven't heard a response. I wonder if the Minister can respond to my question. Thank you.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mrs. Thompson.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the budget is not completed at this time, to date we're not sure how it's going to be. Once we find out about our budget, I'll be able to get back to Mr. Evaloarjuk's

question. I apologize for not responding sooner than we said we would. As soon as we find out about our budget, the request and the priorities set for his community will be worked on with him. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister responsible for Public Works. Maybe I should wait until the honourable Member returns.

I want to remind the Members that if a Member is missing in the House, you cannot make reference to that. You can direct the question to the Minister who is responsible for it, or maybe redirect it. Go ahead, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will direct the question to the now-returning Minister of Public Works.