Supplementary, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My second question should have been a yes or no answer. This water pipeline has been requested for the past 10 years or so from the community of Arviat. I do not understand why all these studies could not have been done in that time. I still did not quite understand whether this will be operational this summer for the fall, or whether it will be operational next summer. Thank you.

Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I will try to be succinct. If water quality is found to be satisfactory, the pipe work will take place this summer, but the start-up is not anticipated until the following year, the fall of 1993. At the moment, it will be proceeding in two stages over two years.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the NWT Power Corporation. In reviewing the franchise agreement between the NWT Power Corporation and municipalities, they are working toward a 10-year franchise agreement as opposed to a five or three-year franchise agreement. Could the Minister advise the House why we are looking at a 10-year franchise agreement?

Ms. Cournoyea.

the Power Corporation in the event that it gains access to alternate energy systems over the next 10 years?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I believe the Power Corporation in conducting its business is conducting its business whether it is two corporations, or one corporation. The business plan is to encourage the procurement of power which the Power Corporation would then distribute. So certainly in the development of alternative power, the corporation is quite prepared to buy that power and redistribute it

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to be answering this question to a businessman who generally knows that it is necessary to plan investments in the long term

--- Laughter

The Power Corporation sees that many of the power projects that we have and are committed to installing require a certain amount of resources and revenues to be attained. It was felt that a 10-year commitment from communities would allow an overall planning cycle which would guarantee adequate power to the consumers in those different communities.

Supplementary, Mr. Todd.

As long as the government is paying for it, I guess there is no problem. Anyway, recognizing that in the next decade there will be an unprecedented change in the political and constitutional status in northern municipalities, including the new relationship with Eastern Arctic communities which will be forged under a Nunavut government and possibly the emergence of some sort of district governments in the new western territory, why is the corporation sitting now with a 10-year franchise framework for power delivery which could encumber and obstruct the emergence of the new political structures at the community level?

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, when we attained the Power Corporation transfer from the federal government and formed our own corporation, it was important that we knew what the assets were and where the activities were likely to occur and the expenses. I would assume that if the Power Corporation were split, these 10-year franchises would be equally important as a favourable asset to a new corporation.

Mr. Todd, supplementary.

In response to my December 17, 1991, question to the Minister, the Minister told the House that communities entering into these franchise agreements with the NWT Power Corporation would not be precluded from considering alternate power sources such as hydro and wind-generated power. Would she be prepared to outline the process through which community government, Nunavut government, district government, will be able to vary this franchise agreement with

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Transportation. This spring there were several bids submitted for spraying of water on the Mackenzie Highway. One of the bids was from an aboriginal person from a community. His bid was low enough that he could have qualified; however, he did not qualify because he did not register for the northern preference policy. Are permanent aboriginal residents who have businesses or start businesses required to register in order to qualify them for those points necessary to be awarded those contracts?

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Under the business incentive policy, I am told that everyone in the NWT, including aboriginal people, is required to submit their business incentive policy application in order to qualify for business incentive in the NWT.

Mr. Gargan, supplementary.

Mr. Speaker, why is it that aboriginal people should register? Those are the people who are here, and we know they are going to stay here and whatever business they have is going to be developed and stay in the North. I do not know why they should register themselves in order to qualify for government contracts.

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know all the background on the business incentive policy with respect to aboriginal people. I would like to take the question as notice and give a proper answer to the Member.