Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Evaloarjuk.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to my question. Could the Premier commit to find funding in his department to provide for the making of this Inuit film? Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the Department of the Executive, we do not have funding for such a thing as making films. I will raise the issue with the Minister responsible. The Minister responsible will meet with the Member on Monday, if it is possible and if the Member has time, to get all the facts. Then we will consider it, just like the rest of the requests that are brought forward. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

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

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have hired the mediator or facilitator, if you want, in an effort to get all parties back to the table to reach an appropriate compromise, as I said earlier. Optimistically we hope that common sense will prevail and the interests of territorial residents will be of paramount importance, in whatever decisions we make. I can say and the Minister has talked about it, Mr. Dent, consistently that there is a cost attached to the dividing up of the NWT Power Corporation. It will affect us all. I think it is very important that be said publicly. My understanding, if my memory serves me correctly, as I always like to qualify my statements, as my friend, Mr. Picco does, is it could be as much as 9 percent in the eastern Arctic and 5 percent in the west. As long as everybody understands the ramifications and the long-term costs associated with the dividing of the Power Corporation, the position of this government has been consistent, that we should remain as one at this time. We should find the appropriate compromise that satisfies people in terms of its corporate modus operandi, how its board of directors will operate, et cetera. The implications are significant if we cannot reach a compromise and an arrangement that will satisfy everybody in terms of the overall costs to the people we represent and the people out there in the Arctic, east or west. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Well, as my colleague knows, the negotiations, if you want and the overall political responsibility is Mr. Dent's, who is not here today. I have the overall responsibility of trying to coordinate all the activities in division. My understanding, from discussions with my honourable colleague, is that he stands by those figures where he is saying that there is going to be an additional cost attached to the division of the NWT Power Corporation. He will be back on Monday and I am sure if you ask him, he will be able to confirm that. My understanding of the facilitator is to try to come to some arrangement with the parties and put all the facts on the table as my colleague says. I am not sure whether he is going to examine them to verify whether they are correct or not. I would have to check with Mr. Dent. My overall understanding is that should we decide or should it come to pass that there is a desire to divide the Power Corporation into two entities, there is a fiscal cost attached to it that I am told will be a 9 percent increase in the power rates in the eastern Arctic and 5 percent increase in the western Arctic. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

When I read the briefing note earlier last week, I believe there were two well-qualified facilitators who were knowledgable in this whole field. One was a former Deputy Minister of DIAND, Mr. Arthur Kroeger. I think. The other one was this firm out of Toronto and I must apologize to my colleague that I do not have the name before me today. Both these organizations have impeccable credentials when it comes to the kind of facilitating in this complicated question of the NWT Power Corporation. We are optimistic, as we always have to be in this game that we will come to the appropriate compromise that is necessary. I keep repeating myself, to ensure that ultimately whatever decision we make is in the best interests of people from Pond Inlet to Tuktoyaktuk. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I could not agree more with my honourable colleague. The last thing I would want is politicians negotiating this arrangement, particularly, when you consider the discussion that goes on here on a frequent basis. There is a concerted effort on the part of the Minister and certainly on the part of myself and Mr. Arlooktoo, who are the three Ministers responsible for Division, to reach the right compromise. You know, you have to make decisions based upon the information that is placed before you and you have to believe that the kinds of people you recruit have the capability to be able to give you sound reasons for you to make wise choices. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for Telecommunications. Earlier today I made a statement concerning the CRTC hearings in regard to opening the NWT for competition in the area of long distance phone calls. Yesterday, the Minister had indicated that the GNWT supported the establishment of a national fund to subsidize high-cost service areas. I wonder if the Minister could indicate why the GNWT supports the establishment of this national fund?

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

the CRTC decided to go for long distance competition and, in preparation for that, the GNWT supported this initiative providing that there is some form of subsidization for the high-cost service areas. The reason being, if other telephone providers, such as AT & T and Sprint, like the honourable Member mentioned in his statement, move into this area, they are business people and they will be going for the high profit areas which are the major centres. We anticipate that the smaller communities may be left out of that arrangement and the cost of providing services in these communities is very high. Currently, NorthwesTel is able to provide the long distance service as well the local service and a form of subsidy is in place. If that is lost, then the small local services will have a very high cost. To try to alleviate that problem and try to continue the services in the communities, this government supported the idea of establishing a fund. This fund would most likely come from long distance revenues from the phone companies in the north as well as in the south.