Mr. Todd

I have indicated a willingness, and will say again for the last time, a willingness to come to the table both in writing and orally to the president of the NWTTA. I will do that once we have concluded the difficult pay equity issue that we are currently in, and I will be talking to that later next week. I have made a commitment here publicly and in writing and I am prepared to do that. I am not going to set timelines here when these things have to be negotiated. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Enuaraq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be directed to the Minister of RWED, the Honourable Stephen Kakfwi. Mr. Speaker, for the past several years there have been polar bear studies conducted in the eastern Arctic, especially in the Baffin region. We, the people from Nunavut or the Baffin region, benefit from those polar bear studies. My question to the honourable Minister is, does his department plan to do more polar bear studies in the eastern Arctic, especially in the Baffin communities. Thank you.

The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

The Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this Lahm Ridge Tower is not a public building. It is not owned by the Government of the Northwest Territories. It never has been. It has been privately owned, and in fact the owners were Lahm Ridge Investment Ltd. and they have sold their asset to another company.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question in regard to the Lahm Ridge Tower lease is that it was a ten-year lease, and that lease had expired a couple of years ago. The department had not exercised the extension provision to the lease but had committed on a month-to-month basis. In late July, the then owner of Lahm Ridge Investment Ltd. asked the regional superintendent for a ten-year lease extension consistent with the lease terms that they were operating under. The landlord had proposed some fairly good reductions in the operation and maintenance cost, which was estimated to be about half a million dollars over an eight year period and they have agreed to upgrade and renovate some of the heating and ventilation system. The regional superintendent then, according to the lease, had agreed to an extension that was limited to eight years. So, under the provisions of the lease arrangements with Lahm Ridge Investment Ltd., this was under the regional superintendent to go ahead and make some further arrangements for extending the life of the lease because of the favourable financial arrangement they were able to reach. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you. I will table the relevant information with regard to this lease arrangement. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, yes, Mr. Speaker. There is some Yellowknife office space planned that the Cabinet just approved. It is going to be information that will be going to the Ordinary Members in their standing committees. 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. In reference to Keewatin health care, Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that as of today there have been no meetings or discussions that have taken place regarding the negotiations with the Northern Medical Unit in Winnipeg to provide interim medical services to the Keewatin people. Can the Minister confirm whether this is the case, and if it is, why it has taken so long to arrange these meetings? Thank you.