Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to address the availability of the Hunters and Trappers Disaster Compensation Program.

In late spring an unfortunate accident occurred in Grise Fiord. A number of hunters were in pursuit of a whale. Unfortunately, the ice beneath them broke away and they were forced to abandon their snowmobiles and other equipment. As a result they lost all of their equipment.

Mr. Speaker, hunting and trapping is very important to the economy of the north. It provides families with food and a source of income. When these hunters lost their equipment, they also lost part of their capability to support their families. Fortunately, there are government programs that help hunters and their families in these disasters. The program I am talking about is the Hunters and Trappers Disaster relief fund. Sometimes, Mr. Speaker, government is really forward-thinking.

Next week I will be addressing this issue further in a letter to the Minister. I hope this fund will be able to help out the families in Grise Fiord who lost their hunting equipment.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise today to address what has been on everyone's mind for the past few days, the Conflict of Interest Inquiry. As the result of this inquiry, the residents of the Northwest Territories have understandably become more cynical about their public institutions. If people cannot trust their Members to do the right thing, soon Members will find that their decisions will have less and less legitimacy.

These recent conflicts of interest have taken attention, time and energy away from other important issues. This may potentially incur more than over $1 million in final costs to the taxpayer. On a sidebar, Mr. Speaker, I wonder if the final costs will be split east and west?

I hope the remaining and new Members of Cabinet will continue to conduct themselves with integrity. I do not dispute that this inquiry was necessary, but this money could have been better spent on more important priorities. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause

Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Madam Chairperson, the committee wishes to consider Bill 6, An Act to Amend the Workers' Compensation Act, and Bill 12, Miscellaneous Statutes Amendment Act, 1998, No. 2. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some patients have to wait at least six months to see a heart specialist or a doctor. How long do these doctors come up to Iqaluit to see these patients? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in the High Arctic most of the patients have access to Yellowknife. The only thing that we would have seen going to Yellowknife is maybe delivery, but there are specialists here in Yellowknife, doctors and specialists, who handle patients from the High Arctic. My question is, why do people from the High Arctic have to wait for doctors or specialists in Iqaluit when there are specialists and doctors in Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, some of these students are not from here, they are from outside of Yellowknife. It costs a lot of money, especially in the High Arctic area, when you have to send money to the student or anywhere else from outside of Yellowknife. They have to pay the amount of money they are sending plus fees and things like that. Mr. Speaker, my next question is, how does the Department of Education check to see if they are sufficient? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my next supplementary question is, are these sufficient loans or grants for the student's support? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as per my Member's statement earlier, I would like to ask the Minister of Education how the department monitors the students who are applying for grants and loans under the Student Financial Assistance? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are some students who are here for a nursing training program and one of them is my constituent who is attending this nursing program. Mr. Speaker, some of these students have had to live off their own money in order to continue their training program and they have come across some problems. It has to do with lack of financial support. They have had to use their own money to buy food and pay for other expenses like child care. They have had some concerns regarding financial assistance.

One of them has approached me about her particular problem. Although they have requested more funding, they have been turned down. Using that as an example, Mr. Speaker, if a student has to pay for rent, they would have to pay over $300 in rent and it only leaves about $200 for food and other expenses. These are some of the problems that have been experienced by nursing students. At the appropriate time, Mr. Speaker, I will be asking the Minister of Education regarding this issue. I also would like to state that in support of the students, if they were to be assisted financially, they would have an easier time with their training program. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. (Translation ends)