Thank you. The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to reply to the honourable Member by first going back into the background on this situation in Pelly Bay. Mr. Speaker, in the past Pelly Bay was getting subsidized, their dry cargo used to be flown up by air from Winnipeg and there was no sealift at that time so a lot of the dry cargo was subsidized. The fuel was shipped to Hall Beach and then flown into Pelly Bay which was very expensive. In 1992-93, Mr. Speaker, the sealift was initiated and dry cargo was shipped to Nanisivik mines and then the coastguard would carry this cargo to Pelly Bay in the summer time. The gasoline itself continued to be airlifted from Hall Beach, which is still quite expensive today. We have had discussions with the Canadian Coastguard and we are moving into active discussions as well with the Interim Commissioner, along with the coastguard on the eastern Arctic sealifts future and would like to continue to bring down the costs of dry cargo and fuel resupply to remote communities such as Pelly Bay. We are basing these discussions on trying to be fair and trying to be equitable in costs between all the communities up in the north. We are into active discussions with the principal bodies. We are working mainly with the Canadian Coastguard. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same honourable Minister. We know the history of the transportation into the community of Pelly Bay as I indicated earlier today regarding that it was 1993, but service was not available prior to that year. At the same time, I will again remind the Minister the community is paying the costs of transportation so that government will enjoy the substantial reduction since the barge closed to that community. When will the Minister communicate with the Hamlet of Pelly Bay to try and reduce the costs equivalent to the next neighbouring community, again in this case Taloyoak.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, before 1993 the community was paying very reasonable costs and the government was picking up a lot of the extra costs in terms of a subsidy to the community. Once the sealift was introduced, then that subsidy had been lifted and the community then was paying close to the actual costs of delivery of transportation of the dry goods and the heating fuel. Our goal, in our discussions with the Canadian Coastguard, which are the carrier of the dry cargo from Nanisivik, is to come down on the costs of the dry cargo in Pelly Bay and all the other communities. Again, I must say that this community was previously subsidized quite substantially. Again, I want to mention that there is active discussions going on with the carrier, the Canadian Coastguard and the Interim Commissioner. The honourable Member is asking when is this cost going to be put into effect? After the discussions are done, along with the requests that I am hearing from the honourable Member; then we will have a better understanding of whether we are going to reduce the costs or put in a subsidy or not. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the honourable Minister for that reply, but he indicated that there is active discussion between the coastguard and this government and the Interim Commissioner. I am wondering if the community is part of that active discussion? Since 1993 we were told as a result of the barge or Canadian Coastguard going into Pelly Bay, there was a substantial amount of savings realized by this government. In fact, I was told that around $500,000. That is a lot of money. I am hoping that because government has gained from this initiative, will the government share that gain with the community? Thank you.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this current contract that we have in regard to delivering of dry cargo expires at the end of 1998. I guess the active discussion is looking at how are we going to deal with dry cargo after this contract expires? As for, what did the government gain? I do not really know the numbers, but I could look into that matter, but I do not think that the government really gained in this matter. I think if we were subsidizing the community so that to bring the costs down; then, you know, the cost of transportation was picked up by the government at that time and by putting in the sealifts, the cost of this subsidy has been greatly reduced. Maybe that is the way the government benefitted, by having a less expense into subsidizing the community. I will take the question from the honourable Member and since he is talking about specific numbers, I will check that out and get back to the honourable Member with more detailed information. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my understanding is that when the subsidy was provided to the community, it was in the neighbourhood of $100,000 a year, and I am told that there is a saving realized in the area of $500,000. Now we are talking about $400,000 that is being realized by this government. Will the Minister now communicate with the Hamlet of Pelly Bay tomorrow or Monday regarding this matter? Thank you.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you. Yes.

Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Shame, Shame.

Shame, Shame.

I would like to remind the Member from Thebacha that this preamble has nothing to do with Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you. I am not too sure if I heard a question in there, but I would like to remind the Members that when they direct a question to the Minister, the question must be relating to the government, to that Minister, its responsibility, the administration of that government and that it is within his knowledge. Mr. Miltenberger.