Thank you, Mr. Nitah. That is a different question. I will redirect your question to the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, the honourable Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the question was directed to the government, asking what the government is doing to support the manufacturing sector. The answer is we had taken on a policy in support of manufacturers a number of years ago. The details of which escape me at the moment, but its intent was to give a preference to the purchase and utilization of products manufactured in the North for use in the North by those buyers and users that can be influenced by government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. I shall direct the question to the honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a need for a broad economic plan and strategy. We have engaged a group to develop an economic strategy for this government to consider. We expect that strategy to be completed and made available to this government in April.

This strategy will help this government consider ways and means by which to develop a broad, balanced economic plan which will ensure we pay attention to all of the different sectors, including agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas, arts and crafts, the fur industry, and all the different sectors of our economy in a balanced and transparent way. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Kakfwi. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is addressed to the Premier. Mr. Speaker, as we are ready to take our leave from the Legislature, I would like to note there are many questions which have gone unanswered and taken as notice.

I would like the Premier to commit that at the next gathering in March, he will ensure all his Ministers have had adequate time to be fully briefed on their responsibilities. That way, when we raise these important issues on behalf of our constituents, we can receive answers, and the public who put us here can hear the answers to these very important questions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The questions asked by Members in Legislature are important to the people in the constituencies of the Northwest Territories. Of course, we will treat them with the respect and the consideration they desire. We will commit to trying to answer questions as thoroughly, as clearly and as quickly as possible.

We said early in the session that many of the Ministers are new, and have been prevented, in part by myself, from getting briefed on the details of their departmental responsibilities. I have deliberately ensured they have focused on the general priorities and needs of government before focusing on their individual departments.

This has prevented them from walking in here with the confidence and the quickly acquired knowledge they all wanted to have. I am still very proud of all of them.

We will, of course, make sure the answers that have not been forthcoming will be forthcoming for all the questions we have not answered and taken as notice. We will strive to do that. I thank the Member for the question. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I placed a question yesterday to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. I would like to continue that line of questioning relating to THMs and the drinking water for the residents of Fort McPherson.

The Minister stated yesterday she is aware of the problem and there is an urgency to find solutions to the problem. Regarding an article I tabled yesterday in the House in MacLean's magazine, a similar problem was identified in Nova Scotia. They also had THMs in their water system. That article states the alarm bells were ringing because this group of chemical by-products are suspected of causing bladder cancer, colon cancer and possibilities of still-borns.

Mr. Speaker, one of the concerns I have is the whole method we have of monitoring cancer statistics, and what not is done through the cancer registry. Usually, at that time, it is too late. You have to have cancer in order to be on the registry.

I would like to ask the Minister, is there any possible way her department, which is responsible for the health and well being of the people in the Northwest Territories, can find a method that will address the concerns of the people I represent? Can they find a method that will give them some comfort that there will be the necessary preventative measures taken, especially with the technology we have, x-rays, mammogram machines and so on? Can they make an effort to go to the community and ensure that there will be an ongoing monitoring program? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the ongoing monitoring of the health concerns of the people in Mr. Krutko's community of Fort McPherson will be dealt with through their visits with their health care practitioners and the professionals who work in that community.

I am not sure if there is any other way to monitor the health concerns the Member speaks of. We are confident as a department that this is somewhat being done with the use of Brita water filters, which every member of the community was given. That particular situation continues to monitor the drinking water in Fort McPherson for THMs on an ongoing basis. We found the monitoring has been very successful. There has been a reduction of 70 percent of the THMs in the water, just using this method.

Mr. Speaker, the Member is speaking of potential health problems. The question is somewhat hypothetical. There is no evidence at this point in time that there will be health problems in the future. I want to assure the Member again the parties that are working on this situation realize it is of great importance to the community. My department will continue to work with the other departments involved to ensure this is addressed as soon as possible. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the region I represent asked for a public inquiry because of the health care service we receive in our communities. Yet we have to wait a month to see a doctor. Many times, people go to the health centre time and time again, and are later diagnosed with cancer.

If you think the simple thing is to go to the nursing station and they will take your blood...we do not do that. We have to either fly to Yellowknife or go to southern institutions to get this treatment. I would like to again ask the Minister if she would seriously consider looking at a preventative measure program to be implemented immediately in the community of Fort McPherson, to ensure the residents this government is seriously considering the preventative process we have in place so THMs will not cause cancer down the road? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would be happy to work with the Member to discuss any screening or monitoring he feels his constituents do not have access to through the health care services provided in their community. I would be happy to hear what he might propose. Specifically, what the Department of Health and Social Services should do to address his concerns. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not avoiding the issue. The question I asked is talking about the THMs in Fort McPherson. I think that is not being dealt with here. Through the research I have done to date, there is a major concern, because no one really knows the long term effects of this chemical.

The solution of using Brita filters...we are talking about little, portable filters you put about half a gallon of water in and stick in your fridge. That is what the people have in their community. The Brita filters we have in place are only good if we are making sure they are monitored to ensure the filters are changed on a regular basis.

The water they have in the houses are placed in 200 gallon portable units, which are inside the house. That is where the THM sits until you take it out of a tap. I think the Minister can state that the Brita filters prevent it, but I would like to know from the Minister, can she guarantee the residents of Fort McPherson that the guidelines that are in place to ensure these Brita filters are continuously changed so they will serve their intended purpose? If they are not changed, they are not doing any good to anybody.

I would like to ask the Minister where did she get her advice on the Brita filters and how productive are they if you do not change the filters?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The Minister responsible Health and Social Services, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I receive my information from the chief medical officer of the Northwest Territories. Ongoing analysis of Fort McPherson's drinking water indicates Brita filters are very effective in removing THMs. Prior to issuing the THM health advisory on November 30th, 1999, the Environmental Health Services of the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board made arrangements for testing the effectiveness of Brita filters with Fort McPherson's drinking water.

A series of samples were analysed, which compared the THM levels of water from the treatment plant before and after it was passed through the Brita filters. The results indicated an approximate 70 percent reduction in THM levels in the water that was passed through the Brita filter. This reduced the THM level well below the interim maximum acceptable concentration of 0.1 milligrams per litre, established in the guidelines for Canadian drinking water quality.

Based on these results, staff at the Inuvik Health and Social Services Board advised residents of Fort McPherson, during a public meeting held on December 9th, 1999, to filter their drinking water with a Brita filter, and to follow all filter flushing and replacement instructions to maintain water quality. Municipal and Community Affairs distributed Brita filters to community residents and ongoing weekly testing of the effectiveness of Brita filters continues to indicate they are very effective in lowering the THM levels in water. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is great they have done this test. I would like to know what happens to these Brita filters after you use them for three weeks in the fridge? What if you have a family of seven, all of whom are using these filters consistently after three or four weeks? What kind of guarantee can this Minister provide the residents of Fort McPherson that by using the Brita filter system, you will have a 100 percent guarantee after three weeks of use? Can the Minister provide this?