Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mrs. Groenewegen.

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize a good friend of mine from Baker Lake, a businessman, a sometimes friend of Mr. Todd, also the deputy Mayor of Baker Lake, President of Keewatin Chamber of Commerce, and Vice-chair of the Keewatin Education Council, Mr. Glen McLean.

-- Applause

Recognition of visitors in the gallery. I would like to welcome everybody. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

That was two questions. The Deputy Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I would clarify that decision made in Cambridge Bay was amongst the Nunavut Leadership and the three parties. The three parties being the NTI, the GNWT and the federal government. The decision was to support the position of the Nunavut Implementation Commission, which suggests the Power Corporation and the WCB remain intact after division to provide shared services to both the western and Nunavut territory. The final decision to be made by the GNWT, in consideration of recommendations of that decision and all MLAs. If I could exercise my discretion as Deputy Premier in the absence of the Premier, I will ask the Minister of the Power Corporation to answer the second part of that question.

Mr. Dent

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

Again two questions. Deputy Premier.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the position of the government has been clear. In general we support the recommendation by the NIC to keep those two agencies intact, because of the reasons they have provided and the reasons that we see. But, also, to be very clear, the final decision will have to be made by this House in which the western Arctic Members are a part of. They will be fully informed and will be a part of the decision making group.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

The Minister of Finance. Mr. Todd.

No, Mr. Speaker, we would not be prepared to do that at this time. The fact of the matter is, the revenues generated from POL operate in the revolving fund. It would be inappropriate for us to divert from the course we have. If there is requirement for additional expenditures to meet the requirements in Mr. Picco's riding, he has to debate and argue that in the House, seek support for it in committee and get the territorial Minister to support it. You cannot divert a revolving fund as it relates to POL products so it can take care of a particular situation in his particular riding at this time. Nyet.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

I see the Minister is learning Russian. Mr. Speaker, the situation here is the ERS is going to be phased out. I think we have come to that realization and eventuality. The airport fire department in Iqaluit are trained to fight fires. The volunteer department in Iqaluit do not have the proper equipment to respond. If we cannot get money out of the revolving fund, is it possible to have a portion of the fuel sales, the royalties of same, or maybe an extra tax or something, so we can generate the funds to pay for the $260,000, I think it is, to upgrade the truck and also to provide that training?

Mr. Todd.

Dosvedanya, Comrade Picco. Mr. Speaker, the reality is, it is not just Mr. Picco's riding. We have had to do the same thing in Ikaluktutiak. We have had to do it in other constituencies and the answer is no. There is a budgetary process in place, committee structure, and that is the process we have to deal with. I understand he has to represent his constituency as the MLA, but the reality is it was part of a fiscal restraint process. That was one of the areas it was felt had to be cut. It was not cut just in Mr. Picco's riding. It was cut in others, comrade.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the honourable comrade just told me no again. Mr. Speaker, my question is this. I have to clarify, you cannot compare apples

and oranges. The phasing out of the ERS in Iqaluit had nothing to do with the budgetary response of this government. The ERS was cut in Iqaluit because federal regulations said we did not need it. The federal regulations do not take into account, the geographic location, the transportation hub that is Iqaluit. We do not have any roads. All we have is an airport. I know we do not have the six million passengers or whatever level we need, but we also do not have the fire fighting equipment if it is phased out. So, my question to the Minister is, he is talking about bringing it up through the committee level, talking it here and talking it there. That is great, that is fine and wonderful, but it does not give me the help I need, the help my community needs.

I am asking the Minister, what course of action should I take so this government can help me with the five million litres of fuel that is sold by this government in Iqaluit to generate the extra revenue so we can, at least, find the $260,000 to fight the fires? I know the Transportation Minister is helping me here with this but we have to find these funds. I am trying to find it from on-site in Iqaluit, not take it from anywhere else, but take it from there. Maybe he can try to help me with this.