Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

to include this project in the capital plan is difficult because of the financial situation that this department is in. We all know the type of cutbacks that this department has gone through the last couple of years and we are still in a very difficult financial position. We are lucky to be able to maintain what infrastructure we have in terms of airports that are out there now and the highway system. Particularly on the airports, we do not have any capital money to build any new airports at this point in time. It would be very difficult to make any commitments to the honourable Member in committing such a large amount of money towards a project of this nature at this time. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

The Minister responsible for the Workers' Compensation Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it is important to give a little bit of background or some history. The position of this government up until several months ago was that the Workers' Compensation Board should stay as one and, in fact, had supported the NIC Commission's recommendations a year and a half ago. Unfortunately, there is a difference of opinion out there as to keeping it as one and it would be fair to say that there has been a significant amount of political pressure being put to bear by all the stakeholders, both on labour's side and on the employer's side that we should look at the possibility of two new Workers' Compensation Boards, east and west. Therefore, with that position being fairly entrenched at this time, it was incumbent upon us and myself as the chair of the Division Secretariat, if you want, to work towards a transition plan that would allow an orderly way in which two new Workers' Compensation Boards could be set up, and also to ensure that, particularly on the asset and liability side, that there was a transparent fair and equitable process to deal with that.

Currently, Mr. Bargery who works for the Division Secretariat was working with all the parties involved trying to develop an appropriate process that would allow the transition to take place, and to determine an appropriate time schedule through a sort of phased approach. He is currently working on that. I am advised on the notes that the work is proceeding on a intergovernmental transition plan and draft legislation amendments. The target set for the first drafts will be this week apparently and we will have to move forward on the legislative amendments in December of 1998. The discussions are under way. They are trying to reach a reasonable compromise. I am confident we will get that. I would caution everybody that the transition plan will have to be phased. There is no set-up in the eastern Arctic to put a Workers' Compensation Board in place but that will get done. There will be a fair hands-off approach to assets and liabilities and that will probably be done through that asset and liability table which is a technical exercise, not a political one. I am confident at the end of the day we will be able to move forward and ensure there is no disruption in service to both workers and employers and that the costs will be kept to a minimum. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Todd.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. I think that is an important issue and if I can, it gives me an opportunity to give some clarity today. In defence of the Workers' Compensation Board, the chairperson of the board was prepared on March 13, six, seven months ago, to give a number of stakeholders a luncheon address, an update on the division strategy. Unfortunately, that did not take place. There have been discussions under way now since September and early October in an effort to address some of the concerns being presented by, for example, the NWT Construction Association, which has been a very aggressive advocate for the need for a public discussion on this. On October 7, 1998, Ms. Deneron wrote to the president of the NWT Chamber of Commerce, Yellowknife Chamber of Commerce, NWT Chamber of Mines, Nunavut Chamber of Commerce, NWT Federation of Labour, NWT Construction Association, indicating that she was prepared to work with them as quickly as they can, and also indicating that Mr. Bargery and others were prepared to meet with all of these organizations to give them an update on the status of the Workers' Compensation Board as it relates to division.

The other important thing to point out, for my honourable colleague's benefit, is that both the Yellowknife and the NWT Chambers of Commerce are represented on the Western Coalition and the Western Coalition has been extremely active in this whole process since the beginning. There are also two members from the Aboriginal Summit, there is one member from the NWTAM. The point I am trying to make is, there have been ongoing discussions by a fairly representative group on the Workers' Compensation Board. The second part is, the legitimate concerns have been raised by the organizations that represent industry and labour. They are going to address that as quickly as they can. My understanding is the transition plan is being provided today to all the Members and that Ms. Deneron, her letter which I have a copy of dated October 7th, indicates that she is prepared to meet with all parties as quickly as possible in an effort to try and reassure both labour and the private sector that this process is a fair, transparent and equitable one. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Todd.

I could appreciate that Mr. Bushey talks on a regular basis to my honourable colleague, Mr. Ootes, and he represents one particular interest, but I am telling you right now on October the 7th, Mr. Bushey got a copy of this letter where Ms. Deneron was prepared to meet with them and we are prepared to do that. I do not hear anybody out there ever saying, thank you very much Workers' Compensation Board, for the 35 percent decrease in the rates or for the fact that tomorrow, or next week, we will approve the YMIR which will be the best YMIR in Canada. Let us applaud the Workers' Compensation Board where it should be applauded and I never hear the Members saying anything about that. I suppose Mr. Bushey does not have the time to decide to talk about it.

Mr. Speaker, I do not have the current update on the fiscal framework of the Workers' Compensation Board, but I will provide it to him next week.

Thank you. I would like to caution Members regarding mentioning names of people who cannot defend themselves in this House. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Todd.

I suppose it is fashionable in today's world to identify the problems. It takes a great deal of effort to find the solutions. Mr. Speaker, I will assure my honourable colleague that I will table the transition plan as quickly as I can. I believe if it is being provided, as I said in an earlier statement, it is being provided to these organizations that work closely with us. Today I do not see a problem that we could not provide the Members with the transition plan, I will check with Mr. Bargery, but as quickly as we can. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Housing in Iqaluit

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, referring back to my earlier Member's statement on the housing situation in Iqaluit, I know that the Minister for Housing is aware of the severe housing and private housing shortage in Iqaluit. Can the Minister inform the House if his department has looked at this issue? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it well known that there is a severe and growing shortage of housing in all parts of the NWT, particularly severe in a place like Iqaluit, the Member's constituency, which is growing at a very fast pace. Although there are houses being built, they are in no way keeping up with the demand. We recently have been working with the district office and the local housing authority to try to look at options on how that can be dealt with. What it really comes down to is resources, and there is a limited amount of resources but we continue to try to find options on how to deal with the shortage of housing. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.