Louis Sebert

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, significant discovery declarations do fall within responsibility of OROGO, but significant discovery licence are obtained from ITI, so I'm not sure whether the Minister of ITI would like to respond to that portion of the question. I can advise that there has not been much significant activity of any kind in the Member's constituency or throughout the Northwest Territories in the last couple of years since these matters were devolved to us.

Mr. Chair, no, we're not looking at other models at this time. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Yes, Mr. Chair, we will inform the Member when the position is coming out. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, we don't believe that the public trustee is facing the same avalanche of applications and I'm not aware of any particularly significant increase of activity. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, the department is aware of this issue and we continue to work with the RCMP, looking at various models, but no final decision has been made. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I understand that all of the positions are indeterminate. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

In the past there's been, Mr. Chair, some difficulty in filling these positions, so I don't think I could make that kind of commitment at this time. Clearly, a local resident, perhaps one speaking one of the local Aboriginal languages, would have some advantages. I don't think I can commit at this time to restricting the competition to a certain radius. I will hear from HR with respect to this matter I imagine. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Mr. Chair, I wonder if I might have the deputy minister address the issue. Thank you.

It is clear, Mr. Chair, that they are at arms-length from the government. I know that there are other models, including models in Saskatchewan, where there is not that separation. So we have agreed to follow a model, rather, that does in our view ensure that separation and therefore their independence. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

These changes, Mr. Chair, were only contemplated after very, very complex and comprehensive examination of the clinic library system, and it was thought that our money could simply be used more efficiently in a different way. So these changes were not taken on lightly. I realize there's a good deal of concern about many of these changes, but we thought it was simply the best, moving forward. Thank you, Mr. Chair.