Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yesterday, in response to a question that I asked in November, the Minister for Justice came back with the reply concerning the Supreme Court judge appointment. Mr. Speaker, in the written reply to my oral question from November, the Minister of Justice responded by saying that incremental costs paid a very important role before he could get this Supreme Court justice appointed. Can the Minister tell me and tell the House, has the Department of Justice looked at an actual dollar figure that we will be looking at from the federal Department of Justice to have the incremental cost included, so that we can have the Supreme Court justice up and running in Nunavut as soon as possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Justice. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no, not at this time, because it was planned to do this within the contents of the division implementation plans that the departments will be undergoing in the next several weeks and trying to roll that together in the development of a justice system for both territories, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question to the Minister is on the consultation in Nunavut with the judicial people there on the ground. I understand there is some concern that we do not have a Supreme Court justice or judge based in the region, as promised in this House, I guess in the past and over this life of the Assembly. Can the Minister tell the House what consultations in this issue have been held to date with the judiciary in Nunavut?

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No consultation has been done to date with the judiciary on this matter based in Iqaluit. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I just assumed that the honourable Member was speaking about Iqaluit because he so often refers to it in the context of Nunavut, and no, there have not been any consultations by that same vein in any areas of Nunavut, along those lines, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Minister referring to Iqaluit and the more publicity we get the better. However, after saying that Mr. Speaker, he said there was no consultation, my supplementary question to the Minister will he be consulting with the judiciary, the judges, the court workers in Nunavut to see about the need for this position, that I understand that we need asap, will he be doing some consultation with the judiciary in Nunavut?

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will take it within the context of soliciting input on it. I do not know if it will be direct consultations with the judiciary in respect to the establishment of a Supreme Court judge for the Nunavut territory. However, I do recognize where the Member is coming from. I just did not know if it would be proper to solicit that information. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to honourable Member Stephen Kakfwi, Minister of Renewable Resources. My question is, has there been any study of games that are feeding, either by water or by land, what kinds of affects, or what kinds of disease these games have taken in their body from these mines? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The Minister responsible for Resource, Wildlife, and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My concern is that the animals that we eat, like seals, or caribou, or rabbit, that are eating from the ground or are living in the water. What kind of effects or diseases they contribute from the mines around these areas? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Oral questions. I would like to at this time recognize Chief John T'Seleie. John is the Chief of Fort Good Hope. Welcome to the Assembly, John.

-- Applause

John is also a former Member of the Legislative Assembly. I had to wake up so I had to do this. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.