Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Todd on September 9, 1992, an increase in contracts going to northern companies.

The government has seen an increase in the percent of its contracts going to northern firms, since the new Business Incentive Policy was implemented. The following information is provided for Public Works, Government Services and the N.W.T. Housing Corporation.

For the Department of Public Works in the 1991-92 fiscal year, 88 percent of all construction contracts were awarded to northern companies. During the first three months of the 1992-93 fiscal year, this increased to 94 percent, an increase of six percent.

For the Department of Government Services, a comparison was done for the months of July and August from 1991 to 1992. In July and August of 1991, 47 percent of all goods purchased were bought from northern firms. During the same two months this year, this increased to 61 percent, that is an increase of 14 percent. Northern purchases account for 52 percent of the dollar value spent in 1991-92. This increased to 62 percent during the first three months of the 1992-93 fiscal year. That is an increase of 10 percent.

For the N.W.T. Housing Corporation, it is not possible to compare this year to last year. This is because the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the major funding partner, did not accept the Business Incentive Policy last year. On June 3, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation agreed to application of B.I.P. Unfortunately, by then, the majority of the Corporation's supply and construction contracts had already been awarded. To the end of August this year, supply tenders amounting to $12.7 million, or 74 percent of the total dollars, have been awarded to northern companies. Southern companies were awarded $4.6 million or 26 percent of the total. The Housing Corporation anticipates a significant increase in northern involvement in the 1993-94 contracting season, with the C.M.H.C. now agreeing to the application of the B.I.P. Thank you.