Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The NWT Construction Association is one part of the industry. We also talked to other people in industry. Thank you.

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

Mr. Morin. Did you hear the question?

I think so. He asked what are we asking them for? It is for input into redrafting the request for proposals. They have some concerns as Members have raised. Some people who apply for a request for proposals do not know why they lost and there are some other issues that have been raised there as well. We are trying to address that. Thanks.

Oral questions. Mr. Roland.

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, late last week I might have signed off for a custom adoption commissioner for his community. I will make sure that is the case and if not, exactly what the status is of the Inuvik representation. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you. The Minister responsible for Division Secretariat, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In discussing the matter with my honourable colleague, Mr. Arlooktoo, he advises there are discussions underway right now between all parties, both Interim Commissioner's office, ourselves and NTI. We are fairly confident the Interim Commissioner will provide us with his implementation plan at the end of March. When we get this plan, we will be only too happy to share it with all the Members and the public at large. I would hope that in that plan he would show, as we did in the fall of 1997, where the jobs are going to go, when they are going to go and who is going to go there.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister provide any assurance that the original plans that were laid under Footprints 2 indicating where jobs were going, if we are going to stay the course with this or will there be a change in focus or scheduling? A lot of the communities are waiting and they anticipate these jobs that they have been waiting for, for many, many years will be in place, sometime after 1999 or the year 2000. Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

The position of this government has been consistent, Mr. Speaker. We have supported the NIC, the Nunavut Implementation Commissioner's report from the very beginning, Footprints 2, and supported decentralized government. We have always qualified it by saying assuming that there is adequate dollars, et cetera, there for that to happen. We are just one party at the table. There is a desire and a will to do a decentralized government. I have not heard anything to the contrary in discussions that have been undertaken over the last three or four months. I believe, there are going to be some announcements soon about some senior management team that the Interim Commissioner is going to recruit. It is a positive step and we will, perhaps, get moving much more quickly in the implementation plans which I am assuming will include some form of decentralization.

This government's position has been consistent that we support it. So many dollars are there. I am confident as the Minister of Finance and the Minister responsible for the overall coordination of division they will be there. It really is, as I said to an earlier question, we are but one party at the table. My understanding is Mr. Anawak has agreed to provide his implementation plan by the end of March. I am sure in that, hopefully, all the questions that my honourable colleague legitimately asks, either will be in there or will be answered. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is not my intention to get into a debate over this. I am just trying to get some clarification for the residents I represent. Just one further question, Mr. Speaker, in reference to Arviat. We know as far as the schedule goes, the office complex is supposed to start this spring and be finished the following year. Would it be fair to assume this community could then expect the positions to be transferred into Arviat so that various individuals could take up employment? For example, in Baker Lake where the office complex is not to start until the following year, would we assume these positions will not be transferred until after the office space or the complex is completed? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Well, as I said, Mr. Speaker, in an ideal world, I am optimistic the Interim Commissioner's implementation plan, which he is developing in conjunction with all the parties, and input from all the parties, will be complete by the end of March. I hope, and I am confident that in that plan it will outline as I said, the pre-implementation to 1999. I hope it will have some scheduling and some time lines as to when the decentralized model will take place.

I imagine, it will be tied in somewhere, to the infrastructure deadlines, with offices or houses, et cetera. I would like to be able to unequivocally answer my colleague's question today. As I said, we are just one party at the table. I do not have the answers at this time, but I think we are close to getting an answer by the end of March. I believe we will be able to work with the parties to be able to move on, if you want, moving the bodies, as I said the other day, or moving the positions, some of the positions into the communities, so we can get some of the essential needs of the new government up and running.

Whether that will reflect in a decentralized model, I am not sure, because discussion is underway. The ultimate responsibility lies with the Interim Commissioner. I certainly hope so, and I would only be too happy as soon as I get any of this information, to share it with my colleague and the others in this House. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday the Minister indicated he had some informal discussions regarding the possible use of existing housing and new housing being built as we speak to be used as temporary office space until the new office complexes are completed. Would the Minister commit to engage in some formal discussions with the various parties to see if this is a possibility? Thank you.