Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not aware of that section of the agreement, word for word. But I know that, on certain parts of those agreements, our government does have some slight disagreements with aboriginal groups on the legal text and what that legal text means. At this time, what I would say is that, in Mr. Krutko's riding, we have negotiated quite a number of contracts. It was to the betterment of this government that we did do that. We got the job done and we got it done on time. We got the job done on budget. The Gwich'in people did excellent work on those contracts. They hired north and they fulfilled their part. So, we will continue to work with those Gwich'in people in that area on negotiated contracts as well. Thank you.

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

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is one of the main reasons that this government does negotiate contracts and a fundamental principle is that we believe it is good government. If you are going to spend $100,000, $200,000, a million dollars, in a constituency or in a small community, the majority of that money, as much as possible, should stay there. The best way of doing that is to negotiate the contracts with those organizations in the community or businesses that live in that community. They can get the best use out of their dollar in that community. We have started doing that two terms ago and, possibly up to three terms ago, the government started doing that. From that, we have seen people start to take better control of their lives, a lot more self pride. When you walk into those communities, you see the pride in the faces of workers. I was in your riding in Fort McPherson when I was the Minister of DPW, and you see it in the people. You see it as plain as day. They are building that building, their company is running the show, their foremen are from Fort McPherson. They are the ones that are benefitting from that government spending and I know, from travelling throughout the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, that in many, many of our small communities, people wait. They wait

all winter to get that job the next summer and they depend on their people to negotiate the contract so that they do get that work. We do not have an influx from the big regional centres or from southern Canada, workers coming in and taking jobs from local people. As far as I am concerned, we are doing the right thing. It is good government to negotiate contracts in the communities and we will continue to do so. Thank you.

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

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the previous Assembly, I was the Minister of DPW, as well as the Housing Corporation, and was in charge of the majority of the contracts for this government. Let me assure Members of this Legislative Assembly and the general public, when this government negotiates a contract, whether it be with the Gwich'in Development Corporation or Fort Good Hope or any other community, a negotiated contract is scrutinized more than any other contract in this government. We make sure that when you negotiate a contract with this government, you follow the principles that we lay out and you will hire north, you will hire local people. If you cannot find them at the local level, contractors or workers, you go to the regional level. Then you go to the territorial level. If you want to bring anybody in from southern Canada, it comes to my level, as a Minister. I was a Minister responsible for DPW and I remember making it very clear to a small community when they say, "We cannot find a foreman, we have to bring one in from the south." "Tough luck, then we go to public tender. You find your foremen in the north, you find your people in the north." Northerners will work with northerners on the negotiated contracts. They benefit everyone, especially the local people. So, they are scrutinized to the greatest extent and they are pure benefits that are real benefits to local people. That is what negotiated contracts do, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With the greatest respect to the Member, I believe that he is asking me for legal opinion. We, as a government, are working and will be at the table in self-government negotiations with his people as well other people throughout the Northwest Territories that have settled claims. The Minister responsible will look into that issue. But just as a fundamental principle, it is good government to negotiate contracts. We do not feel, as a government, that it is a legal obligation to claims. It is good government that we leave as much dollars as possible at the community level. We get the community to benefit from contracts that are at the communities. Thank you.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Morin. Oral questions. The two Ministers are back. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today, Mr. Speaker, is to Mr. Antoine, the Minister responsible for Aboriginal Affairs. The Minister presented the document in the House a couple of days ago, Federal Support for Western Constitutional Process. The Minister acknowledged that we had a very crowded agenda. Some of the areas he identified as having priority was establishment of Nunavut. I am hoping that he also meant to talk about the establishment of the new western territory also. He talked about negotiating formula financing for both territories, streamlining government in accordance with fiscal restraint, continuing to negotiate aboriginal land claims, and then development of the constitution. I could not agree more with the Minister that it certainly is a very crowded agenda. In regards to the continuation of developing a constitution and the process that has been laid out, I would like the Minister to give some reassurance to the people of the Northwest Territories that there is a plan in place, in the event that a constitution is not passed through the federal Parliament, or first of all passed by the people of the Northwest Territories and then the federal Parliament, prior to 99. I believe that there are areas that have to be taken into consideration regardless whether we have a constitution or not, for example the boundaries commission. Can the Minister inform the House and more particularly the people of the Northwest Territories, the western territory, that there is a plan in place in the event that a constitution is not ready by 99? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister of Aboriginal Affairs. Mr. Antoine.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to assure the honourable Member that as we move along in the development of the constitution here in the western NWT, that we have to look at all options. We are being realistic about the whole process. We know that our agenda is very crowded. At the present time, we have made it known that after meeting with the federal Minister of DIAND, Mr. Ron Irwin, that he is going to be involved with his department in helping us here in the north to try to move ahead with this agenda. There are aboriginal people on side on this whole process, aboriginal summit leaders. We have an agenda to go ahead and move ahead with the continuation of development of this constitutional development here in the west. At the same time, being realistic, we have to look at the option that we are assured if this does not go ahead, we could fall on the status quo. This has always been there. As we move ahead with the other option, we will also be developing this option as we go along. This rolling draft will also take into consideration the different options that may arise if things do not happen the way we hope it does. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Antoine. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. Do I take it, from the Minister's comments, that he will be advancing a plan in particular for a boundaries commission because that is one particular item that will have to be dealt with regardless whether there is a new constitution or the status quo? Do I take it from the Minister's comments that he will be advancing a plan to ensure that those extremely important housekeeping issues are dealt with in the event that we do not have a constitution? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am taking the position that we are going to have a constitution here in the west. I am going on that commitment. At the end of the day, if we do not achieve it, I think that through the development of the constitutional process, there are going to be elements within this constitution that will be acceptable to the people in the north. Yes, part of the plan is to look at all the housekeeping issues such as the boundaries

commission that has to be done prior to the division of April 1, 1999. Thank you.

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