Mr. Speaker, I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 31, An Act to Amend the Official Languages Act, No. 3, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I'm speaking about getting information to the Member by October 3, and I will get it tomorrow for the Member. Thank you.

Well, I was going to say October. Where are we? It's October 2nd today. How about October 3, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are in the process of looking at gaining access to more units in Northern United Place. At this point, I don't know whether they've dedicated to a specific program such as the nursing program or others, as well, Mr. Speaker. But that is one update, and it would be on a lease situation, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just on the comment that we don't know what the problems are, as usual we need to get behind the scenes and behind all the arguments to find out substantiation, so mediation is a good process normally. We feel that this is the first step that needs to be taken. Perhaps it may be the only step, but certainly we need to know what is causing this rift between the two parties that they can't resolve together. As I say, we use this process for all our school children in our schools, to come together, be collaborative and resolve problems, Mr. Speaker. If we can't do that, you know, we seem to rely on legal processes and determination that outside bodies have to resolve this. I am an outside body, but they're also elected bodies, Mr. Speaker, and they have a responsibility to try and resolve this amongst each other. I think that's my recourse to it, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the conditions for mediation are usually difficult to adhere to when parties start putting conditions on it. One of the things we have to recognize is legal recourses are not the panacea to resolving very complex problems such as this one. They sometimes don't resolve anything. My feeling is that through mediation we can get on the table what some of the issues are; what is causing some of the differences. We need to know that. What are the problems that are faced by Mr. Butler, what are the problems that face the DEC? I think we need to know that and to put it on the table to see if we can't resolve it.

You know, Mr. Speaker, in schools we teach this to our children, if they have any difficulties amongst each other, we bring the parties together, sit them down and say can you resolve this conflict, and its collective collaboration to try and resolve it. Thank you.

I think, Mr. Speaker, DEAs and DECs are in a position to get their own legal advice, which surprised me that they never did do their own. We recently, in response to a request from the DEA, advised them that if they wished to get a legal opinion, then they should be in the position to do so and they are free to do so, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At the time, Mr. Speaker, it was my intention to seek a departmental legal opinion. I've got the request from the department to seek a legal opinion. That was subsequently changed to seek Ministerial advice on this. I seek advice from other parties, as well. It became a Ministerial request, Mr. Speaker. It came back and it had a privileged document warning on it that it was strictly for my eyes only, Mr. Speaker. The process is different when the department seeks a legal opinion, versus as a Cabinet Minister when I seek a legal opinion, Mr. Speaker, so that changed the process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that is actually a good suggestion that Mr. Lafferty is asking about because I think this issue may not go away. This issue might be on the table for a long time and it is time, I think, that we got some feedback perhaps from people, but also then be able to put it before the Members, to say okay this is the intent of the program, here is what it is all about and are we still in agreement with that. I think you have a good suggestion, let's get some information from people. We can do some survey work, I think it can be very basically done. I don't think we need a lot of complicated work done on this because we have a lot of information already and we know people's comments from time to time. We can put that before the Members. Perhaps the next Legislative Assembly could consider this as a very important element. Do we redesign this program, or do we keep it the way it is? I think we have to look at the philosophy of it. Thank you.