Thank you, Madam Speaker. We have a case in my constituency where the local hotel was not paid and has not been paid for a number of years. Does the government have a policy whereby, if the company does not pay and that company has northern preference or local preference, the government is able to take that preference away? Thank you.

Is there assistance that the government could provide those hotels that are not being paid, and how does the process work? Is there a person in your department who handles and helps the local hotels to get their money from contractors? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the government -- I am not too sure if it is the Premier or the Minister of Public Works and Services who handles the contracts in the small communities -- if the government has a policy to deal with contractors who do not pay for their accommodation and meals while doing their contracts for government. These hotels are normally locally-owned. Does the government have a policy to deal with those contractors who don't pay? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of the Department of Public Works a question. Last year, I told him that a contractor in my community put through a false claim. I also let the Premier know, and there was an RCMP investigation. Has that RCMP investigation been concluded now? It has been over a year. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I appreciate the work that has been done by the Government of the Northwest Territories to find out, on behalf of the people of the north Baffin, what happened during the 1950s. Earlier in the spring, Madam Speaker, I was able to work with the Premier's staff to try to get information. I haven't heard from them since the spring. I gave them the name of an RCMP and Hudson Bay managers from that time, who are still alive today. I hope they were able to contact them since those people knew what products were being brought to the community by hunters, parts of whatever it was. These things were brought to the RCMP.

I wonder if the Premier is still pursuing the issue and is trying to find out what things were being brought to the RCMP and Hudson Bay managers during that time?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Last year, in November or December, I asked the Premier to get some information about photoflashes that took place in the north Baffin, as my colleague to my right knows very well. The government committed that they would try to find out some answers. Since I didn't get a response by April 7, 1994, I asked the same question and the Premier answered that she would make sure the Members would get the information. She said, "I can assure the Member that the issue is being actively worked on."

Since then, I haven't heard any more information to supplement what I knew a year ago, or even 20 years ago. I wonder if the Premier has any more information on the activities that took place during the 1950s in the north Baffin? Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. The school children are writing stories based on these pictures. The elders are being invited to the school to view the pictures, hear the stories and discuss them with the students. In Hay River, October 4th was a turn-off-the-TV-and-read day. I'm sure our colleague, Mr. Pollard, did not have his TV on. The community was challenged to go for an entire day without watching television. They also had storytelling and author visits at the public library.

---Applause

Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to continue my statement.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As the Minister of Culture has said, this week has been proclaimed as literacy week by the NWT Literacy Council, with much participation by other community groups and government. The theme this year is "reading can take you anywhere."

Last year, 26 communities were involved with over 8,500 readers registering. Colville Lake had the highest rate of participation, with 100 per cent of the people in the community participating.

Individual communities have also planned activities. For example, in my community of Igloolik, the school has obtained some of the old pictures...