Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. Mr. Speaker, earlier I made a statement concerning the central switchboard that the Government of the Northwest Territories discontinued and the complaints I had received as well as the survey I did which indicated that well over 90 percent of the people surveyed wanted the central switchboard re-introduced. But my question is whether the Premier and his cabinet would reconsider the issue of the closure of central switchboard and re-institute it. Thank-you.

Thank you. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This summer we had basically finalized a more user friendly green book for the Government of the Northwest Territories and that new green book should be out in November. We are also updating the blue pages in the NorthwesTel phone book because it is fairly complicated to use right now and does not help people to get in contact with the government. I would also be pleased to take a look at the cost of re-instating a central telephone number where people have to call one number to get in touch with the government. The Member knows there is a process we have to go through if we are going to re-instate anything, first, it would go to Financial Management Board and then back to the committees and then finally to this House. I will be pleased to look at it and thank you for raising this issue. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

The Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know the nature of the police investigation because the RCMP have not officially informed myself or the Minister of Justice of what they are investigating or anything like that. There is a rumour mill in this community as well as other communities, even in my own communities. I do not feel comfortable talking about this issue, Mr. Speaker, because it could lead to more rumours and I do not want to feed the frenzy of rumours that I have seen have a devastating effect on families in the Yellowknife area. An upstanding citizen of Yellowknife and a very upstanding member of the RCMP had heard rumours circulating about this spring. That hurt the families and people should not repeat rumours or repeat

gossip so that it hurts people. I am not going to really answer these questions too well, today, Mr. Ootes, because I do not think it is something that should be brought to a public forum at this time. Thank you.

Thank you. Again, just to remind the Ministers that you have that option of declining to answer any questions if you choose to do so. Oral question. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, once our government is officially notified then I will make sure all Members are notified as well. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Henry

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Antoine. Last year the Department of Transportation privatized the Motor Vehicles Division. This privatization resulted in a private operator taking over the issuance of drivers licence renewals, et cetera. I would like to question the Minister of the effects of this privatization. My question, does the Minister receive statistical information or regular reports from the company on the number of renewals of drivers' licence tested, and the new licenses issued. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine. Two questions.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Yellowknife is the last community to have this service on motor vehicles privatized. Other communities have had it for quite a number of years and they are providing the service on behalf of the Department of Transportation and the statistics are related over to the Government of the Northwest Territories the Department of Transportation, yes. Thank you.

Oral question. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I bring this up because I have heard a number of complaints from people who have been going to take their written driver's test and it seems there are a number of these students who have failed this test two and three times. I am wondering if the Minister could provide to this House the statistical information as to the same area office, the Yellowknife office on what the statistics were and the number of applicants who passed the first, second or third time when it was not privatized? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in Yellowknife, here, the honourable Member is referring to the private company of Quick Mail Plus is the successful applicant for the request for proposals in this case. The driver examination is that the applicant applies to the Quick Mail Plus and pays the fee and sees the driver examiner who is still with the Department of Transportation. Therefore, there is a road test and a written test. In the case of the written test, we have introduced an automated computer testing system which is based on common sense questions the applicants are required to take with the automated system. If the honourable Member wants to know the specific details, we will get the specific details of before privatization and after. Generally there is a failure rate of about thirty five percent, compared to the rest of the country which is forty percent. We are doing a lot better than the rest of the country. What I have been told by the department is that the driving test is where the problem is, the road test and generally the applicants need more practice to succeed in the drivers examination. Thank you.

Oral questions supplementary. Mr. Henry.