Thank you. Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on behalf of the constituents and NWT Teachers Association, I would like to ask the Premier a question. In the name of a constituent, if you will allow is Mike V. Ellsworth. If my wish has been able to be recorded, I spell Ellsworth of Gjoa Haven. The gentleman has endeavoured to purchase a government unit in Gjoa Haven. According to the information I have here, Mr. Speaker, the gentleman has moved to Gjoa Haven in 1996, under a term position. Then within May 1997 the position was upgraded to indeterminate. Since the job that he had was secured, he wanted to purchase a government unit in Gjoa Haven and went to different levels to try and purchase, but no avail. Mr. Ellsworth has indicated, he wrote me a letter on October 29, 1997, but I have not received the letter since I travel from October 24th to Iqaluit, Igloolik, Pelly Bay, Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak. So I apologize.

My question to the Premier, Mr. Speaker, is, will the Premier look into a procedure used to sell government units to private contractors and to try and help the gentleman in Gjoa Haven who is in dire need of a house. Thank you.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have agreed on a process of disposal of surplus government units. We have agreed already to offer units for sale to employees then to communities, private sector. I thank Mr. Ningark for raising this issue, and I will get back to him in writing prior to Christmas so that he can tell his constituent if the proper process was followed. If not, what happened and I will look into it. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, over the past several weeks NTI has passed a resolution to form a shadow cabinet to help the Ordinary Members keep the Cabinet accountable. Mr. Speaker, on several occasions I have tried to raise questions in this House on article 23, article 24, Nunavut Infrastructure and numerous Nunavut issues to try to keep the Cabinet accountable. Again, I will raise the question to demonstrate to my friends at NTI that this Member is trying to do that. My question is to the Minister responsible for Division, the Honourable Goo Arlooktoo. Can the Minister update this House at this time the status of article 24 on this implementation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. The Deputy Premier, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess I should first clarify that Mr. Todd is the Minister responsible for Division. I have the responsibility for transition planning for Nunavut and Mr. Dent has a similar position for the western regions. I do appreciate the question by the Member for Iqaluit. It is true that the Member has raised the issue of article 24 and article 23 on several occasions here in the House and privately with me. I do appreciate the fact that we do try to iron out some of the problems in dealing with those issues. The Government of the NWT has approved implementation measures for contracting in the Nunavut settlement area in accordance with our obligations under the Nunavut Land Claim. This was approved by Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated this past fall and is now in effect.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister inform this House and the people of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut in particular, if indeed that article 24 which has been passed, as he said, which is in the Nunavut Land Claim and is in effect if the agreement in principle that the Nunavut and the Northwest Territories is using is in actuality being used by NTI. Do they know about it? Has it been explained to them? Are they in agreement with them? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government has had two documents in relation to article 24, one was that I introduced almost two years ago, called Interim Measures on Article 24 and more recently The Measures on Article 24. On both occasions we consulted with NTI and got their formal approval before announcing them publicly. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are concerns that this government has not followed the intention and the intent of article 24. I would ask the Minister has there been any recent cases where Inuit firms bidding on contracts have actually brought this issue forward to the Minister? Thank you.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I cannot recall any. As Members are aware, the intent of article 24 is to increase the number of Inuit firms and Inuit persons in getting work, doing government contract, et cetera. The Government of the NWT has done two things. One is they have made sure we have formally complied to all the requirements and the other one is that politically I have made sure that our department and other departments are well aware of the intent of article 24. I believe that we have been doing the best job that we can within the rules to increase the number of Inuit participating in government projects. The one issue that we have received complaints on, on article 24, is not our procedures overall, but on negotiated contracts the fact that as per NTI's request, before any negotiated contract we have to advertise for 21 days and open up the process if anyone else is interested. That has made negotiated contracts pretty much obsolete in Nunavut and that does raise concern with some of our Inuit-owned businesses.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to updating article 24 implementation with our partners NTI before the next sitting of this legislature?

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have fairly regular communication between officials of the GNWT and NTI mostly on division issues. I have been communicating fairly regularly with the president of NTI, twice in the last ten days about other issues. I will make sure that this issue is brought up with them to see if they have any outstanding concerns. Another point of interest is that the NTI board is meeting in Iqaluit today and the next couple of days and they should have article 24 and negotiated contracts on the agenda from what I understand.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services and concerns the Keewatin Health Board. Mr. Speaker, approximately two months ago Mr. Gordie Main of Arviat was approved by the Hamlet Council to be their representative on the Keewatin Health Board. Can the Minister tell me as to the status of that approval through his office? Thank you.