Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I would be prepared to put a briefing note together for Members of this House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is to address the trappers' process facility that was announced sometime this last summer. My question is to the Minister of RWED. In light of the announcement of the trappers' facility, what has the Minister done to help the trappers of the Northwest Territories in light of the announcement by the federal department? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. The honourable Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I last met with committee we discussed this and I think it was quite a concern to the committee, certainly for my department, and I know also a concern for federal Minister Ethel Blondin-Andrew, that the agreement on humane trapping standards that we have with the European Union and Russia was at risk without the research being done at this Vegreville facility. We met with federal Minister Dion to express our concerns and we were able to get the resolution of that issue for this year. There will be continued funding for that Vegreville facility to keep us in compliance, which I think is great news. We also have an agreement to sit down with the other provinces and territories and work out a solution going forward so that we can keep the borders open, which was really the intent in the first place. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister tell the House how serious this announcement is by the federal government in terms of closing the trappers' research facility in Vegreville to the northern trappers here in the Northwest Territories? I'm not too sure what kind of information went out to our trappers to know the seriousness of the closure of this

facility and what impact it will have on our people in the Northwest Territories, especially the trappers. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This agreement is very important for us and it was signed a number of years ago by the Prime Minister. The European Union was concerned, or said they had concerns with our humane trapping standards. We agreed that we would fund research as a country to ensure that we were doing the most we possibly could to find the most humane methods of trapping, and this Vegreville facility was where that work and research was done. Without the continued funding of this facility and in effect without us complying with the agreement, we were in real danger of having the EU step in and suggest to us that we weren't living up to our obligations and there was a very real risk that they would shut down their borders to Canadian furs. By and large, the majority of our furs end up going to the EU area. This would have been devastating to trappers across the country and, obviously, to trappers in the Northwest Territories. So I'm certainly glad that this has been resolved for this year. There's still a challenge for us to get funding for this going forward, but this is certainly, in the short term, a welcome step, and I know trappers across the territory will be happy with this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The time for question period has expired. Mr. Yakeleya, I will allow you a supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of RWED if he would commit to talking to our northern trappers, aboriginal trappers, and to look at a game plan because this agreement is only for one year. I have trappers now who are going out on the land, and maybe they need to sit down with our trappers and really look at the significance of the closure of this facility that's in Vegreville and to let the trappers know the extent or the impact of such a closure if we are not successful next year in renewing that agreement with the federal government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we can do that. One of the things I've been very impressed with is our regional operations right across the territory. I know our regional staff are working very diligently with trappers. They make sure that they take in furs, they advance monies to trappers, we have a grubstake program to get trappers started at the beginning of the year, so we already have a lot of contact with trappers. Certainly, we can sit down and discuss the potential implications of not resolving these issues. They are very important to us. I would like to hear from trappers how they feel about the programs that we are implementing, because it has been two to three seasons now that we've had this new program, which we are very happy with, by most accounts. So I would like to get some more feedback from them. I think our regional staff are best suited to conduct that and carry that out, and we'll certainly commit to discussing this with our regional staff and make sure they engage the local trappers in this regard. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Your final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I congratulate the Minister for working really hard on our behalf and on behalf of the trappers. I would like to ask the Minister, would he inform or advise his workers in the regions on things like this that we need to do and, most importantly, to inform the trappers that are going out into the region because if this industry dies that's a crucial part of history dying with it. I guess I would ask the Minister would he look at this issue and have the trappers have a place in this department's vision and goals in terms of a long-term goal of this government? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I will. Support to the traditional economy and for the traditional economy is very important for this department. We'll have continued discussions with committee about how we can continue to raise the profile of trapping. I think it's very important, and I agree with the Member that if a generation loses their trapping skills, it would be very difficult to get them back. We have to do what we can to make sure the people who want to live this lifestyle can do so. Mr. Speaker, obviously it's not an easy living. I think we recognize that. This is very difficult work, but I applaud the people who continue to make their living from the land and certainly the department is very interested in the support and I'm very interested in working with committee to make sure we can maintain a sustainable industry. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is to the Honourable Floyd Roland, Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board.

1. Please provide the detailed guidelines, policies or regulations that allow for a sole-source/negotiated contract to happen with a party that did not meet the initial RFP criteria for the contract in question.
2. What are the levels of due diligence required for DPW to consider a sole-source/negotiated contract for the robust, free and competitive market we have in Yellowknife? Please provide the details of the requirement in writing that must be met to go out and negotiate a sole-source contract.

Second question, Mr. Speaker, to the Minister of Justice.

1. How much was budgeted for the new Legal Aid office?
2. How much is the expected lease payment over the life of the lease?
3. How much is the cost of lease improvements?
4. How much is the operational cost -- lease and equipment -- in relation to the dollars that will be allocated for the legal aid services: lawyer and support staff?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my written question is to the Minister of Health and Social Services. In light of the recent opinions that drug and alcohol is the main issue for the potential pipeline development in the North, can the Minister provide the following answers for the Sahtu region:

1. What is the average cost to have a client participate in an alcohol and drug treatment program in Hay River?
2. How many clients in the past year, 2003-2004, have participated and completed the alcohol and drug treatment program in the North?
3. How many clients were referred to southern treatment programs in 2003-2004?
4. What are the costs for southern treatment programs?
5. What are the costs of a mobile treatment program in the NWT?
6. How many family treatment programs are there in the NWT that deal with alcohol and drug treatment programs specifically?
7. How many children between the ages of 14 and 24 received alcohol and drug treatment in the Sahtu?

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.