Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past several year in my research on this topic, I have found that there has only been one other instance, and that was in 1967, of fungus or bacteria growing in fuel in the eastern Arctic. That case was on a DEW line site which caused major problems with a DEW line generator. Mr. Speaker, someone is at fault here with the purchasing of fuel. I understand, Mr. Speaker, that there are problems in Repulse Bay with water in that fuel, and some indication in another community. Mr. Speaker, the buck has to stop somewhere. Can the Minister tell me who is responsible for the purchase of below-grade fuel? The consequence is that when we bring fuel into Iqaluit, or bring fuel into Coral Harbour or bring fuel into Rankin Inlet, it has to stay there for a year. We do not have the luxury of putting it in a truck on the road and shipping it back out. If it is causing damage to the NTPC generator or, in some cases, it would seem to people's furnaces, that is a major concern. My question is, where does the buck stop? Who is ultimately responsible for this? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, the information we have to date indicates to me that it is not because of cheap, contaminated fuel. We have taken samples to be tested and until those are confirmed, I cannot answer the Member's question.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Mr. Speaker, this is shocking to me that the Minister cannot say who is responsible for this. Maybe it is not important to the people of the Northwest Territories. Maybe the media has fallen asleep at the wheel. Maybe there is just me. I am getting indications from phone calls and everything to my office that there is a greater concern out there than people are seeing. Again, I ask the Minister is he responsible for petroleum products? As the Minister of the Crown, he is. Then where does the buck stop? I see there are three of them thinking about this question now.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I realize that it is an important issue, although I did get several calls yesterday and this morning asking why we were dealing with fungus in tanks when there are many other important issues to deal with.

Hear, hear! Bravo!

It was not me, but somebody told me that. All I am saying is until we know exactly what the problem is, I cannot discuss solutions here. We cannot start fixing something if we do not know if it is broken or not.

Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, the role of enforcing rent payments, non-payment of rents, collections, et cetera, lies at the hands of the local housing organization, which is in all of the communities. The Housing Corporation's role is to be supportive in an advisory capacity to the LHO. There are some LHOs that have chosen to put in a policy at the board level, that if an eviction must take place, it will not take place during certain periods of the year, the coldest part of the year. This has been brought to my attention recently and we actually have a letter going out to all LHOs right now, which says to the communities, here is what some of the LHOs have done, you might want to try it to ensure there is no undue hardship to the people that are to be evicted.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am sure the department has a great deal of influence on the policies that are developed by the local housing associations. I would like for the Minister to take it a step further, to ensure that the policy is in place, that no family can be evicted during the dead of winter. Thank you.

Hear, hear!

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, that is exactly our suggestion to the LHOs, that this type of policy is one that they might want to adopt. We have given the power and authority to the LHOs. We have empowered them to make that kind of decision, and it will be up to the LHOs whether they have some kind of moratorium in the winter on evictions.

Good answer.

Oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends) In my statement that the social worker had left Arctic Bay about a month ago, there has been no advertisement for this position since then. I would like to ask the Minister of Social Services, Honourable Kelvin Ng, when his department will advertise this position for a social worker in Arctic Bay? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is the first the honourable Member has made me aware of the issue of the vacancy in Arctic Bay. I will have staff take a look at it and see where it stands. As you can appreciate, if it did happen over the Christmas period, we are just getting back on our feet now from the holiday period, and I would expect that if there are vacancies, they will be filled as soon as possible. However, I would also state that if there are vacancies, I am sure that the service is still being provided to the community residents of Arctic Bay, if there is not another social worker in town, certainly through another social worker that would be available as required, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.