I would like to ask the Minister to give us the names of these three new members who have been appointed. Why were they not appointed earlier?

Mr. Lewis, that is two questions. Mr. Lewis, would you like to pose an oral question?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wonder if the Minister could give us the names of those three people who have been appointed? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, it is my intention to make that announcement tomorrow, after the people have been spoken to to make sure that they will accept those appointments. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Government Leader. As everybody knows, right now there is a crisis in the airline business across the country. And, of course, air transportation, particularly in the smaller communities in the eastern Arctic is the primary mode of transportation. What role, if any, have the Government Leader and the Executive Council taken with respect to the current initiatives and discussions that are going on between the federal government and the Canadian Airlines, given the importance of air transportation into the Northwest Territories?

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories, in its various capacities, has tried to take as active an interest as possible in discussions in lending support to other agencies and groups when they have asked it to lend that support. There was a briefing yesterday morning but I was busy at that time, so I will ask the Minister of Finance to update the Member.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I was advised by representatives from Canadian Airlines yesterday that the amount of money that the Government of Canada has agreed to use as a loan guarantee, the $50 million will enable them to keep going, and as they are a major carrier in the Northwest Territories, they continue to keep us updated. Our position has been that, in the overall scheme of things when you are talking these kinds of dollars, we are a fairly small player in that regard, Mr. Speaker.

We do, however, support those employees who are struggling to maintain their jobs. The economic impact to the Northwest Territories would be considerable if Canadian Airlines were not to function up here. That is not to say that nobody else would move in, Mr. Speaker, but that airline does spend a lot of money in the Northwest Territories.

Having said that, we also have to recognize that there are other air carriers in the Northwest Territories. First Air, who has also been quite vocal in keeping us up-to-date with what impact the assistance to Canadian Airlines by the federal government would have upon them.

So what have we done? We have been listening and we have been encouraging those employees to try to preserve their jobs and their airlines and at the same time, down the road, there would appear to be an opportunity for us to make some recommendations to the federal government with regard to regulation of airline industry in the Northwest Territories. I think the federal government is heading in that direction and I think it is a good direction.

Speaking personally, Mr. Speaker, it seems that the airline industry in the Northwest Territories started to take a wrong turn... Or, when deregulation took place there was a lot of confusion and from the federal government, if they are going to get involved in making the airlines viable in this country, there is going to have to be a move back toward some re-regulation of airlines, and perhaps that is where we will play a role. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, I have a question for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Can the Minister indicate to this House whether or not the current Business Credit Corporation has enough members to hold a meeting? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, there is not a quorum of members, at the present time, of the B.C.C. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Can the Minister indicate to the House how long there have not been enough members to make a quorum?

Mr. Pollard.

It has been that way, Mr. Speaker, for at least a month. Thank you.

Item 5, Oral Questions. Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Speaker, can I ask a supplementary to the same Minister? When was the last meeting of the Business Credit Corporation?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, I will take that question as notice and get back to the Member. Thank you.

The Minister has taken that question as notice. Item 5, Oral Questions. Mr. Ningark.