Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to revert to item 6, oral questions. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for MACA. I have been getting quite a few calls from my constituents, especially the residents of Fort McPherson. Their water rates have gone up and there are some questions being asked. Why do the residents of Fort McPherson have to pay more money for water they cannot even drink? This water is contaminated with THMs. The people of Fort McPherson wonder how they can trust the water source and on top of that have to pay more for water. Why is it that the residents of Fort McPherson have to pay more for water they cannot drink?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was fairly adamant in providing adequate answers to the questions regarding the water problem situation in Fort McPherson. I understand there are some problems with the quality of water. We recognize that. The hamlet agreed to work with us to ratify some of the problems with the cost. We have worked with the municipality and they agreed to raise their water rates to work towards their deficit recovery plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we all know, in Walkerton, Ontario, the Ontario government assisted the community of Walkerton when they had a disaster on their hands by making sure that people had fresh water. The water quality was great and they ensured that they had bottled water and what not. Yet, the community of Fort McPherson through the Inuvik Divisional Board of Education has to buy water for our children so that they have safe drinking water in the schools. What is this government doing to ensure the people of Fort McPherson have safe drinking water so we do not have to worry about cancer and other forms of disease that may have an impact with THMs?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In all due respect, we are trying to maintain some level of awareness about the water situation. We have communicated that to Heath and Social Services. We recognize there are problems with the water quality. On the question of cost, I have said for the last two days we are in no position to fund a separate water source and we are trying to develop a new water source. In the meantime, it is our responsibility to try to retain the old system until we find alternate solutions. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that is the point of my question. Why do the residents of Fort McPherson have to pay for water they cannot even drink out of their taps? Why do they have to pay for that?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am again going to reiterate that we have another method of trying to resolve the debt problem. The only way we can do that is to try to work within our existing funding and if we cannot resolve that through that, then we have to retain the existing system to provide suitable drinking water. It may not be to the Member's standards, but it is within the criteria that were established under existing water regulations. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a process in this House by which we can access dollars that are there for emergencies and what not. It is called the Supplementary Appropriation Act. We are able to get money from this House to assist us when there are emergencies. Will this Minister consider looking at a supplementary appropriation for this matter?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are trying to determine what is an emergency level in terms of the water quality. We are still awaiting a result of that. So until then, I cannot inform the Member if we are prepared to go to FMB for a supplementary appropriation. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Allen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for Health, whose department is responsible for the health and well-being of the residents of the Northwest Territories. I would like to ask the Minister the same question. What is her department doing to ensure that the health and well-being of the residents of Fort McPherson is being monitored and to ensure they have safe drinking water other than that which is presently contaminated with THMs?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the three departments which are involved in this drinking water issue are MACA, who takes the lead role, Public Works and Services, who has the technical support and Health and Social Services in a health advisory capacity. The Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board, Public Works and Services, MACA and the Hamlet of Fort McPherson are working together to address the problem and adjustments have been made to the treatment plant, which have significantly lowered the THM levels. However, the Member is right that some tests do continue to show that the THMs are above the accepted standard but are not, to our knowledge, what would be considered an emergency level. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there is a question about Canadian standards. Canadian standards are set for certain reasons, but I think in the North we have other situations we run into. When our children in our schools are told not to drink the water out of the tap and they are only allowed to drink bottled water because of the public trust or faith in our water system that the Minister's department, especially in regard to environmental health, has a role to play in this matter. So will her department consider putting funds into this matter to ensure that public safety standards are adhered to?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for Health, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services does not have funds that are earmarked for this particular project, but I do understand that the work is progressing on the development of Deep Water Lake and a new source of water for the community. In the meantime, the members of the community have been provided with some short-term options to address the THMs in the water and are encouraged to do that. The THMs are in the water as a result of the chlorine reacting with naturally occurring organic matter in the water and even though it is the chlorination that is causing the THMs, it is still considered to be safer and have less potential for illness if the water is chlorinated. These are temporary measures until a new water source is on tap. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.