Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe I indicated earlier in my response to Mr. Morin that the department is still honouring and responding to the question of negotiated contracts. We still review each application on its own merits. All the reviews are based on the guidelines put forward by the Executive Council. The department does in fact respond, and my direction to the department has been to clearly indicate to the department that they will continue to respond to the question of negotiated contracts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is great to say they are going to respond, but when you continue to get the same response that there are no negotiated contracts, that has to be coming from somewhere. I would like to ask the Minister again, in the case of Inuvik region, there have been several contracts put out by Public Works, who basically use architects from Yellowknife, Calgary, the southern part of the Northwest Territories, but they will not use architects in Inuvik region. Why is that? Is that because the department or regional staff are saying there are no negotiated contracts in this region,

that we are going to import everybody in from the south? So I would like to ask the Minister again, who has taken the initiative that there be no negotiated contracts on any jobs within this department?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is getting more specific on exactly what form of negotiated contract he is talking here. I would like to remind the Member that there is a policy in place whereby an architectural contract, $25,000 or below, is not required to be tendered. It can be sole-sourced. As far as I know at this point in time, Mr. Speaker, the regional offices have been and I do not understand it at all why they would not be following the direction as set out by Cabinet. If there is in fact a specific situation here that the Member is aware of, then I suggest the Member should contact me and arrange a meeting in the office about this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is exactly the point I wanted you to hit on, the $25,000 usage of public funds and not going through a contracting or public process. I believe that, that is being abused at the Inuvik regional office and that your department should look at it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The question was, will the Minister and his department look at the misuse of public funds at the Inuvik regional office by the Department of Public Works?

Mr. Speaker, I will commit that the department will review how the regional offices in fact handle architectural contracts. If there is in fact any abuse, as the Member suggests here, we will put our efforts into correcting this. But, again, I will commit to the House that I will respond and look into whether in fact this allegation has merit. Again, the original point here, Mr. Speaker, was whether or not this department is still responding on negotiated contracts. I would like to point out, Mr. Speaker, that at this point in time, percentage wise from 1998 to 1999, five percent of our overall contracts were negotiated. Up to now, in 1999, 26 percent is being negotiated. So there should not be any suggestion that we are not responding to negotiated contract requests. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue question period.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The reason I ask the question is there is a reluctance in the department to approve negotiated contracts. It is in regards to a letter that you sent, Mr. Minister, to Mr. Bruce Rattray, stating that in an open letter, which we all have. I would like to ask the Minister, where is the idea that there is a reluctance to approve negotiated contracts?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the letter does not specifically suggest that there was a reluctance anywhere. It very clearly indicates to the department and all the regions that we will continue to negotiate contracts and respond to the question of negotiated contracts. I would like to clarify that there were some suggestions that the department is expected to in fact solicit negotiated contracts. What we clarified is that I do not expect my department to solicit negotiated contracts. However, we will respond and assist, if necessary, to proposals. That is the difference. But we will not do the initial soliciting. It has to be an effort on the part of the communities, on the part of some business group in the community to request a negotiated contract. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Health and Social Services in regard to the lack of alcohol and drug programs, in the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister, as we know, we receive certain funds from the federal government to carry out different alcohol and drug initiatives. I would like to ask the Minister how much money have we received to date from the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development in regard to the native alcohol and drug programs to carry out on behalf of the federal government for aboriginal people? Can the Minister tell me exactly how much funding we do receive and how is that money being allocated to the aboriginal community?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not have that information available at this time but I will have the department prepare that and I will be able to respond to the Member at a later date before the end of this week. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister see exactly how much of the non-insured health benefits that this government gets and exactly how much of that money also has been spent on alcohol and drug treatment facilities or paying for beds in facilities on behalf of aboriginal people?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yes I will have the department look that up. I am not sure if the non-insured health benefits would go toward drug and alcohol treatment programming, but I will check with the department. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister also tell me how much money has been spent on alcohol and drug programs in my riding especially for the Tl'oondih Healing Program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will endeavour to get that information for the Member.