I have another return. On December 9, 1992 the Member for Thebacha asked if I would consider a change in the sale process for staff housing. It was suggested that rather than providing first preference only to government employees who are living in the units, all government employees of the community should be given equal preference.

Mr. Speaker, the sale process has already started in Hay River, Yellowknife and Fort Smith and the current tenants have been given the opportunity to buy the units they occupy. I do not believe it would be fair to withdraw this option from them now that it has been given. However, if the existing tenants do not exercise their right to buy within the specified time frame, the units that are made available will be turned over to the real estate agents in those communities for sale to the general public at market value. At that point, all employees in the communities as well as everyone else will have the ability to submit a bid. This process appears to be working quite well in Yellowknife as some units have already been sold through real estate agents. Mahsi.