Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Environmental liability will be dealt with the same as any other liability in this government, through negotiations, and through some form that will determine when we get to the table and try to determine an appropriate process for assets and liabilities and the appropriate split in terms of costs and responsibility as we move towards April 1, 1999. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is acceptable for this government just to state that by a cursory inventory, we cannot afford to clean up these sites, and just leave it. Does the government, the Minister's department in cooperation with Arviat have a plan to address the 624 identified sites to date for mediation?

Could I ask the Member for Iqaluit if he could rephrase his question as to the financial responsibility of the Minister? I heard two different questions and I would like you to rephrase your questions, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will rephrase the question. It is not acceptable for this government just to state by cursory inventory that it seems we cannot afford to clean up these sites. So my question is, does the department have a plan to address the 624 sites and to clean them up?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I agree with my honourable colleague, it is not acceptable. There is no question about that. There are a lot of things that are not acceptable, that this government cannot do because of the fiscal constraint in which we are under.

I have already indicated to him that we have identified the sites and I am advised that it is going to cost somewhere around $30 million, not for clean up, but just to do a careful analysis of what each of these sites are going to be. I am not prepared to commit today as to whether we could afford $30 million right now or not. All I am telling you is, that as far as I am concerned, it is an important issue, it has to be identified and we need to find the funding. Maybe it is a joint federal/territorial responsibility. I do not know, but certainly, I do not have some money tree as people occasionally think I do and go out and pluck large dollar bills from the tree.

We are trying to deal with the issue as we move towards division for the assets and liabilities. We have done a preliminary review of 640 odd sites. I will endeavour, as I said in an earlier question, to answer his concern about responsibility and at the same time will undertake to determine an appropriate course of action as to whether we can do a full feasibility study which will cost $30 million and discuss it with the committee at the time and determine which programs, and which jobs and programs we are going to take it from.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is our responsibility to set standards for overall health care delivery through the Northwest Territories. We have worked with our partners, the boards, that deliver the programs and the services to the constituents in recognizing their priorities and working with them in trying to support them in those initiatives. Thank you.

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

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes, regional health boards have a lot of independence in recognizing the needs. They are made up of community representation on the regional boards to set programs and standards, and the concerns of the well-being of their services and constituencies is of their utmost priority just like it is of ours, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as the Minister responsible for this government for Health and Social Services, I have the responsibility for the health and well-being of the residents throughout the Northwest Territories. But having said that, of course, the federal government and the federal ministry, as one of the main providers of funding for the health care system nationally also has standards and criteria and a responsibility to ensure that health care is delivered in an effective manner.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I said that it is the health board's responsibility to set their priorities and what programs they would deem as the most necessary ones to enact and to act on in a proactive manner, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Roland.