Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am trying to basically tie down a time frame as to when we can be looking at this. I would like to ask the Government Leader, in the event that the House does decide to continue sitting into next week, will she be able to give us a specific time frame next week.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, if I can get it set and finished by this weekend, it will be this weekend; if I get it finished by Thursday night -- it will be just as soon as I get it completed. We are in meetings from about 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. each day and it is difficult to sit down and organize cabinet meetings or finalize our work plan. So as soon as it is available. If I can get it done by Monday, it will be available. Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

My question is to the Minister of Finance. I understand and appreciate that the Minister of Finance cannot attend the conference of financial Ministers of Canada that is now occurring, because of the pressing needs of this House. I am sure that one of the items for discussion at this conference will be the economic proposals contained in the federal government's constitutional package. Such a policy could adversely affect northern preference polices such as the business incentive policy. Will the Minister state categorically that he will fight these economic proposals on behalf of the government so that this government cannot only protect the northern preference policies we currently have, but implement even stronger policies?

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Finance Minister, Mr. Pollard.

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Antoine

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Government Leader. If there is somebody working for us and they do not like it -- I was in Trout Lake and Nahanni Butte recently; I was all over these communities. They told me a lot of things. Maybe we could work things out and make it better.

Ms. Cournoyea, Government Leader.

Mr. Speaker, really that is what the Ministers are here for, but one of the ideas that I would like to see -- I know people disperse and go back into their communities, but I would be willing to personally meet with each of the Members before they go and ask them to outline the specific needs and requirements so that we can at least put them in the overall planning of where we are going. As well, if we delay the budget a bit, to work it into the whole relationship between the cabinet Ministers, the overall planning, the standing committee on finance -- I realize that when people are new oftentimes you feel that you are lost in the whole process. I would be willing to do that before you go home, even if it has to be over this weekend, just to try to get your requirements into the general discussion and then when we come back again it can go in the process again with the standing committee on legislation. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, a supplementary. I would like to ask the Government Leader if and when the Ministers will be planning to travel into the communities. Mahsi.

Madam Government Leader.

Mr. Speaker, we have not set an agenda at this point in time. A lot of our planning goes around when the meetings are happening in the Legislature and when the standing committee on finance is going to hold their meetings because many of us are involved. I know a lot of us are interested in getting those dates set for community travel, so as soon as many of the outside meetings that we are compelled to be at are set, then we can work in the community visits.

If the honourable Member is interested in any specific Ministers travelling to his constituency because of particular needs, I would suggest you approach the individual Minister to express that concern and perhaps work out a schedule when it is appropriate for yourselves. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Dent.

Ms. Cournoyea, Government Leader.

Mr. Speaker, I will take that as notice. I will see what I can do and come back to the Member tomorrow. Thank you.

The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Government Leader. Given that the Minister of Finance has agreed that he will support strongly the northern preference policies, my question to the Government Leader is this, Mr. Speaker: We have heard much in the last three or four days regarding the implementation and recommendations of the Beatty report. What we have not heard are the economic effects of the recommendations on northern business. In reality, the size of the pie for northern business is getting smaller. As an economic component of the Beatty report, and to ensure that northern business gets more of less, would the Government Leader commit this government to implementing both a "buy North only" policy and a "tender North only" policy, before the end of the fiscal year?

---Applause

Ms. Cournoyea, Government Leader.

Mr. Speaker, I think we attempted to get that initiative ahead a couple of years ago. Certainly I can say that I have a commitment to do that. We will try to get that process in place. I do not know if I can meet your deadline by the end of the fiscal year, but we will commit ourselves to try to reach that objective. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.