Mr. Kakfwi.

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

Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Mr. Barnabas.

Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Member please tell me what offices they are, if they are Renewable Resources offices? Before I answer the question, I have to know which department he is talking about. Thank you.

Mr. Barnabas, would you answer the question?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, these offices are being used by MLOs and other workers that are in the same area, not the GNWT Renewable Resources offices. These are government transfers to these hamlets. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When a transfer takes place in a community, the person who has been transferred to the hamlet, or the department that has been transferred to the municipality, does not physically move out of his office if he does not need to. He can stay in his office and work out of that office, even though the department might be moved to or transferred to the municipality. I will check the correspondence that has been going back and forth to those communities with my department or their hamlet minutes indicating when they had asked for assistance and they have not received it from my department. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am talking about the offices that were still being used by these persons that were transferred. The one in Grise Fiord has been condemned, but after the transfer, because of lack of office space, the office had to be used again even though it was condemned. The other office that I am talking about in Arctic Bay was supposed to be condemned too because of sewage problems and the walls are still in panels which is a fire hazard. There have been no improvements done to date, even though

the hamlet took over these offices.

My question for the Minister is the government giving funds to the hamlets in order to improve these offices or will hamlets have to come up with funds in order to improve the offices? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before a transfer takes place to a municipality, there is a negotiation process that is gone through, so that both parties agree with the transfer. I do not know what has happened here, but it maybe a different department that deals with infrastructures. I will definitely check for the Member as to what has happened with the transfer. There is usually a very long process before a transfer takes place. There is negotiation, and if the community decides not to take a building, we give them that option not to take the building. I will get a response from my department and get back to the Member right away. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Barnabas.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my supplementary question is for the Minister. Are there any funds available for office complexes since community empowerment will be used by the hamlets? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Ms. Thompson.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, I will ask my department to respond to those communities right away and see how we can assist them. It will be coming from the regional office. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Oral questions. Mr. Henry.