Mr. Speaker, as I said, some aboriginal leaders have different priorities. They want to finish their negotiations for a land agreement or a land claims agreement. We respect that and we're not going to try to force them to change their priorities. Mr. Speaker, those who want to participate with us, of course, will be able to take advantage of the benefits that may come with a successful agreement and we do appreciate the support from them.

Mr. Speaker, what's at risk? I think the main thing at risk here is the ability for northerners, aboriginal or non-aboriginal, to make our own decisions regarding our territory. Mr. Speaker, it's very possible that if we are not successful with devolution and resource revenue sharing as a package, that we will achieve resource revenue sharing through another avenue. That is working with the provinces and other territories on the fiscal imbalance task. We could, and I'm optimistic that we will, get the same sort of share of resource revenues in the Northwest Territories as do provinces. That was the recommendation from the O'Brien report and it's possible for it to be achieved that way.

Mr. Speaker, my concern with going that route alone is that it does not include the aboriginal governments. It doesn't include the aboriginal self-governments in the equation, and that would be the second choice, in my view. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. With respect to the Member's question, the Tlicho road access improvements are continuing to be something this government has been looking at. We have done the Tlicho corridors options study, which was completed last year. It does provide a basis for more detailed engineering and environmental scoping studies to be completed this year. Our government is consistent that any new roads, as well, the cost is usually borne by the federal government, as it will be in this case, and we continue to press the matter with the federal government, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

...transportation again about, like, how is the department involving Tlicho Government and the affected communities, Whati, Gameti, and Wekweeti, in the planning stages for the proposed realignment? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Our government does provide winter road access to the Tlicho communities on a yearly basis in order to provide materials and supplies for those

communities. In fact, in the last couple years we've added Gameti to that section as well. But in terms of the Tlicho corridors options study, Mr. Speaker, we did receive some money from the federal government to actually get into the engineering and environmental scoping studies to be conducted this year. That's when we're talking, the Member had asked about the realignment and this is the actual engineering realignment study that's going to be conducted this year. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. (Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)

...the department's, their planning on this new initiative. I'd like to ask again to the Minister, is the department, in their planning initiative, going to include the realignment all-weather road connecting to Tlicho communities and on route to the mining industries? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With respect to an all-season or all-weather road going through the Tlicho area and into the Slave Geological Province, that is something that is under discussion with the joint venture study that is currently going on as well. The department continues to look at the engineering study. That is the first thing we are going to have to do, is do our realignment. Having access into the Slave Geological Province for the mines is another issue we have been working with the joint venture on addressing. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Final supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my final question to the Minister is, when can we expect the construction completion of this winter road realignment? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. I can't give a definite answer, but what I can say is that there is some very positive news with the funding from the federal government in getting money for the engineering scope and study for the Tlicho realignment. Once that is done, it looks like it might be up to $1 million. Once that is done, we will look at the realignment of the winter road and, in the long run, an all-weather road. It will be part of that plan, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier today, in my Member's statement, I rose with concerns about the contract that Nats'ejee K'eh has with the territorial government, so my questions are directed to the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister advise whether it is typical for funding to continue for service contracts with agencies such as the Nats'ejee K'eh when services are disrupted for an extended period of time? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Health and Social Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that contract is held with the Deh Cho Health and Social Services with the society and each authority would follow the outline of the particular contract. There would be provisions in there for dealing with a lack of meeting the commitment. There are also avenues of working it out. In this particular case, that hasn't been acted on. As we know, we are proceeding down a path hopefully to a successful conclusion on it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In my Member's statement, I pointed it out that it was over half a million dollars that we have been paying Nats'ejee K'eh to carry on this contract that they have not been providing. Now whether it is in good faith or scandalous or anything, that is not the issue here today. The fact is we have been paying them for no service. So I think personally that is wrong. Mr. Speaker, the Minister said that there should be provisions or there are provisions in the contract. As Minister of Health and Social Services, will he communicate this concern to the Deh Cho Health and Social Services Board and ask them to recoup the money that has been lost that we have paid for services we do not receive? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Roland.