Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Members' statements. Returns to oral questions. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Nunakput, Mr. Pokiak.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it's not very often I get people from back home to come down to the Assembly here in the gallery. At this time, Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize my brother, Ernest Pokiak. Mr. Pokiak is the regional airport manager for Tuktoyaktuk, Ulukhaktok, Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk. He's also a board member of the Arctic College Board of Governors. I would like to welcome him today.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Recognitions of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know Mr. Pokiak has been recognized already, but he certainly is the owner of one of the most beautiful houses in the Northwest Territories where I had the privilege of staying when I was there, but he wasn't there, so I would like to welcome him to the gallery. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Ms. Lee. Recognition of visitors in the gallery. Oral questions. Honourable Member from Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister responsible for Public Works, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, I am aware that we do have a number of charity leases throughout the government. It's not a standing policy; it's something that's developed over time when a unit has become available and an organization would put in a request to take over that facility. So, yes, I'm aware of our leases. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services if Public Works and Services is in the business of providing charity leases to certain day cares, I'm wondering how they can do it for one day care and not do it for the other day care. I'm wonder if there's even been a discussion between Public Works and Services and the Department of Education on this inequity that exists and how we might be able to overcome that.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, overall, it's a policy of government not to interrupt the business environment. But being that a lot of these organizations are charitable organizations or societies trying to fill a basic need in a community, it was developed almost as a case-by-case scenario. There is no set policy in place. It is, again as I stated earlier, as one facility comes up for surplus, we would approach communities, our leadership, our other government departments, for potential uses. From time to time, as we have found, there's a number of them out there, not only to day care associations but to other associations, as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think we have a serious situation on our hands with the possibility of non-profit day cares not being able to operate because they're not on the same level playing field that I believe that they should be on, Mr. Speaker. I'd like to ask the Minister of Public Works and Services if they've ever had discussions regarding whether or not Public Works and Services and the Department of Education could look at providing something like rent subsidies, or something to that effect, so that all non-profit day cares are on the same page, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, just for the record, as well, the charity leases that we have in place are to non-profit organizations, whether it's the day cares or day care facilities, or women's associations, things of that...preschools. I'd be willing to have that discussion about the government's role in trying to do these things. As I said, we don't have a

policy in place, but it is probably coming to the time where we do need to look at the environment that we're operating in. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Final question, I guess. I'd like to ask, is it fair that one non-profit day care is provided maintenance costs, rent-free environment which totals over $80,000, while the other day care is left to pay their own operating cost, their own rent and their own maintenance costs? Is that fair, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If the Member's seeking my personal opinion on that basis, I mean everybody asks for the same field to be on, I guess, or the same level to be operating under. So we understand there's a difficulty there. As I stated earlier, initially when these things first came in place, it is a case-by-case scenario, and we're going to have to review that and how we become involved, probably, and whether it's a small community or a large centre. So I guess all I can say to this is we will look at the way we've structured our charity leases and how we will continue to either support them or work around that issue. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member from Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister of Justice and it's in regards to an issue that's been in the media a lot, and that has to do with the injuries from snowmobile accidents, Mr. Speaker. We live in a winter country and snowmobiling is something that a lot of people consider as an essential, as well as sports and recreation. But it is an area of activity that does see casualties and injuries and fatalities every year, Mr. Speaker. The national studies show that snowmobile injuries constitute at least 40 percent of all sports and recreation injuries, and half of those admitted for severe trauma, half of those accidents are also alcohol related. So I'd like to know, as a Minister of Justice, whether he's looked into this issue to see what, if anything, we can do as a territorial Legislature to change this situation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister responsible for Justice, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is a very serious and concerning problem not only across the North, but, indeed, in the entire country. More and more people are being hurt in snowmobile accidents, ATV accidents, and there is some merit in getting the word out to people so that they recognize they probably need to slow down and drive more safely, and be aware that at all times they need to be wearing helmets. Mr. Speaker, one of the things our government is doing, the Department of Transportation and the Department of MACA are working together to put together an education campaign and get out to the communities with this messaging, and talk to people about how we can be safer and reduce accidents on snow machines and ATVs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.