Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is our intent over the long term, of course, to try to meet some of those accreditation guidelines as they progress. I think, what is more important right now is to try to develop some consistencies in some of the services that are able to be provided through our facilities and, of course, with that, beefing up the human resources aspect to be able to provide those services. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, since the Minister indicated consistency in medical services, what is the department doing to ensure consistent medical services in the regions? I am speaking specifically about certified people for certain positions.

Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we continue to work towards finalization of our MOUs with the health boards, the service delivery providers in the regions, to define clearly, what expectations are and how they go about delivering those services in their regions. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is directed to the honourable Minister responsible for Transportation. Mr. Speaker, as the honourable Minister knows, we are endeavouring to build an access road in hunting, fishing, recreation, and tourism areas. I believe those different things are important to the community's economy and for commercial and domestic use as well. Mr. Speaker, we have been building a community access road for about three years now, little by little. I believe the annual funding is about in the area of $10,000. We do have one problem in the community of Pelly Bay, which is we do not have the technology nor material to build a bridge. I believe the Canadian Armed Forces, through their exercises in communities across the territories, and there are times when rangers are required to do a search and rescue, I believe the Armed Forces have the technology. I believe they have the materials for building a bridge in a matter of hours. I wonder if the honourable Minister could endeavour to communicate with the Armed Forces, if such an endeavour could be shared by two entities like government and the Armed Forces, working together to build a bridge in the community, which I believe would not be as expensive as conventional types of bridges? Thank you.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I will do that. I will contact the Armed Forces in this matter. Just recalling about two years ago, they did have a briefing with the Armed Forces where there was a kind of an idea floated by us by the Armed Forces that they do have these types of programs in place. If I recall correctly, they would provide the manpower but we had to provide the financial resources to do that. I agree with that type of approach, if it is there, and I will endeavour to do that. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mrs. Groenewegen.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker there was some time in there where we were aware that upon the signing of the agreement with the Lahm Ridge Tower owners on the new negotiated lease that they were interested in selling it to a northern company, the numbered company. There was some assignment of the lease that happened around that time. We will get that information to the honourable Member. Thank you.

Okay. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Lahm Ridge Tower Investment Company owned by Mr. Marceau had approached the regional superintendent, Mr. Vince Dixon, to extend the lease provision of their agreement Mr. Vince Dixon was directed by my deputy minister, Mr. Ken Lovely, to go ahead and negotiate a lease. Once all the elements of the lease were hammered out between Mr. Dixon and Mr. Marceau, and when it came time to sign these documents, they became aware that Mr. Marceau was interested in selling his property to a northern company. A northern numbered company. We knew the identity of the owners. It was not a condition of his sale. I do not know whether Mr. Marceau had the options of putting this deal in his pocket and walking away. It is obvious by Mr. Marceau approaching the Department of Public Works staff and asking to extend the lease, then once the lease was hammered out, coming again to us and saying he was going to sell his property and we had to do this assignment. It is obvious his intention all along was to negotiate the lease and then sell his property to another company. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not know that and I will get back to the Member with that information. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Justice. It is not about the Lahm Ridge Towers. Mr. Speaker, there have been numerous concerns raised regarding policing issues in the small communities.

Mr. Speaker, we have heard comments about calls being responded to much later than they should have been because of a shortage of staff. In some cases, where officers have to fly the next day to address calls they have received. My question to the Minister is what is this department doing to address this very critical issue? Thank you.