Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement, I spoke about the closure of the Iqaluit weather station. I was also just informed that, on April 1st, 1997, that the Yellowknife weather station will also be closed. My question is for the Minister of RWED. Has the Minister contacted the federal Minister for the Environment, Mr. Sergio Marchi, on the impending closure of the two weather stations here in the north?

The Minister of Transportation. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regards to the question and in regards to the weather stations in Iqaluit and in Yellowknife, that particular situation is the responsibility of the federal government. I think the department has expressed concern about that, but the only concern that we have in the Department of Transportation is in regard to air transportation in this case. NAV Canada is responsible for the weather for providing it to the aircraft industry, and the coast guard is providing weather and ice conditions to the ships. That is our role in this government as Department of Transportation and, in regards to the overall weather station, it is an Environment Canada issue. We could pass on our concern to the federal government, the department that is responsible for that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the concern here, of course, is that the weather station, for example based in Iqaluit for Nunavut, and I guess the one here for Yellowknife, provide that on-the-spot weather service. Now right now if it goes to the 1-800 service then we have to contact Edmonton so that is the concern especially in the east where we have a lot of people who go hunting and fishing and rely on that weather service daily. The next logical step after you downsize the weather station is go to automation. We have had some very serious concerns like in Cambridge Bay, where they have had automation problems. So, I guess, my question to the Minister of Transportation would be then, would he commit to this House to write Minister Marchi with these concerns and I will forward some letters that I have already written to Mr. Marchi and update the Minister on our concerns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before the New Year in November, I had opportunity to travel to the High Arctic. I was in Resolute Bay as well as Cambridge Bay, and in Cambridge Bay that concern was addressed to me by residents up in the Kitikmeot area there. Phoning a 1-800 number and getting a recording from Edmonton is not very suitable. It was expressed to me that the conditions in the High Arctic are extreme and you need visual contact with the environment to talk to the different aircraft that use the airspace in that area. So, yes, in fact I think that the department has already sent our concerns over to the federal counterpart in this area. If we have not done so, then we will do so with the support of honourable Mr. Picco and working together, perhaps we could emphasize the point of the concern that was raised here today. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

The Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Roland.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there was an issue in respect to the use of the capital equipment that the Delta House Society had within their centre and whether or not that equipment would be available for their use post-April 1, once funds from us were withdrawn in respect to the residential alcohol and drug treatment dollars, and I advised the chairperson of the Delta House Society at that time that I saw no problem, that I committed to allowing them to continue to use the equipment at least until June 30. Further to that, I would like to say that I am even considering taking it one step further, Mr. Speaker. I am having my staff check out right now if we even require to have those capital assets returned at all, and the possibility of just writing them off or allowing them to continue to remain in that facility for community use, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I did indicate in the public meeting that we would entertain proposals for coordinating or accessing funds that are within this current year's fiscal budget, if the Delta House Society could make arrangements with community groups, with the local town council to take on some of the, for example, alcohol and drug awareness outreach programs that they had. If they wanted possibly to access some of the funds that may be available through the early childhood intervention initiative that we are in the process of finalizing and any other programs that may be available through our current funds, I said that we would have no problems in entertaining those types of proposals, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Mr. Ng.