Thank you, Mr. Henry. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize two constituents, Her Honour Commissioner Helen Maksagak and her husband, John. Thank you.

-- Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Krutko.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Are there any further recognitions? I would like to recognize Shirley Johnson. Shirley is a former worker with Dene Nation. Welcome to the Assembly.

-- Applause

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I indicated in my Member's Statement regarding the runway in Taloyoak, which has been reduced by the regulation of the MOT. We are only asking that this government recognize what was taken away from the community to bring it back to the original length. My question is directed to the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine. Mr. Antoine, what is the status of the request of the Hamlet of Taloyoak now, since you have had meetings with the representative, and I posed a question over spring regarding the same, what is the status of the request? Thank you.

Thank you, the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the request of the municipality of Taloyoak in regards to their airport and the length of their airstrip. The honourable Member indicated to the House here that through the Transport Canada regulations now that the allowable usage of their airstrip is reduced substantially so that the full length of the airstrip is not allowed to be used. So, as a result the airstrip has been reduced. In the meetings that we had with the Senior Administration Officer last week, the meetings were very well put together. I think that the municipality is very seriously looking at what they can do to help the situation out.

At the conclusion of the meeting, my officials in the Department of Transportation were sitting with the representative of the municipality of Taloyoak to look at this situation a little closer to see what we could do in terms of planning in the future on how we could accommodate the request. I think it is possible to do so.

I said in earlier discussions there have been many requests along with the Taloyoak airport in the north for this Department to take a serious look at the airports and see how airports could be increased in length or upgraded. The total amount that we are looking at is quite substantial as a department. It is the time of fiscal restraint and we are going to be listening to the Minister of Finance introducing the budget next Monday and from there you will have an indication of what we are dealing with.

But in the mean time, specifically for Taloyoak, we are willing to look at it. I think we started off on the right foot last week with the type of commitment that the community is willing to put forward. That is all I can report on it at this time, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary question to the same Minister. The Hamlet of Taloyoak is in no fault as a result of the MOT regulation being changed to not recognize a runway that was initially used for the type of aircraft that community was able to bring in. The community suffers as a result of a decision by the Federal government. Will the Minister communicate with the Federal Minister to indicate to the Minister that the community of Taloyoak is now suffering? We may not be able to get a faster, better, long-range aircraft, in this case Lear jet, because of the decision imposed upon the community by the federal government. We may not be able to bring in equipment that is necessary in the winter in case of emergency. Will the Minister communicate with the federal government, try and find some assistance to help the community? Thank you.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, as Minister of Transportation I will contact the Minister responsible in the federal government in regards to the situation that we have in Taloyoak. Mahsi.

Oral questions. Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question directed to the Minister of Education. Under the Education Act, which will be coming in place in 1997-98. The communities in the north, the smaller communities

particularly did not really like the idea that there had to be seven members elected in one community and they had to have a two-year term. After two years they will have to re-elect new members for education councils within the communities. Is this in fact the policy of the government at this time? Because this is becoming a concern in the smaller communities. The Act seems to state that every community will have to re-elect every two years for new education council members. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Education, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker and welcome back. Welcome back colleagues. The honourable Member is correct. I did have a meeting with Mr. Martin, on January 8th or the 9th. My meeting with Mr. Martin, just for clarity's purposes, was to deal with the existing formula that we have and some of the problems we have with it in relationship to our projected revenues for 97 and 98, 99. I will deal with that in the budget on Monday.

Another discussion took place in relationship to the incremental costs associated with the development of two new territories. I believe there is a protocol being established by ourselves and Mr. Martin's office to at least get the participants to the table and who they should be, to set some timelines as when we can move forward in an orderly way trying to identify the appropriate base funding and the incremental costs. I have Mr. Martin's assurance that this whole process will move forward in a timely manner.

No discussion took place in relationship to the level of money that was required, because that is premature at this time until we determine the appropriate government frameworks that are required east and west. But there was assurance that we would move on a timely basis and there was assurance that incremental costs were a key component to the discussions. The level of those incremental costs and the degree in which we will negotiate, I am unable at this time to be clear as to whether there will be sufficient money or not sufficient money because again, we need to determine very shortly what kind of basic Nunavut and western governments we are going to have so that they can be costed, and the appropriate incremental costs associated with that costed, and negotiations can then proceed. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.