Mr. Speaker, is it fair to ask the Minister that, not only are the rental units for public servants going to go up, but there is a possibility of the rents going up in the public units if the tapped ceiling is taken off? Thank you.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess it is fair to ask. Possibly some rents will go up, some will stay the same and some may go down. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Every community that we have public housing in. We will try to make the rents fair between all of the communities and for all incomes. For example, if you earn $100,000 in Pangnirtung, Pond Inlet, Fort Smith, Fort Resolution or Tuktoyaktuk, you will be basically paying the same rent except for the living accommodation adjustment. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I understand there are no caps or ceilings on public housing rents in some communities in the Northwest Territories at the present time. Which areas of the Northwest Territories are going to be principally affected by the Minister's announced intention to remove the caps? Are there some areas which will be affected more than others because caps are in place, whereas they are not already in place in some communities?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. All areas will be affected. With the Member's patience, I will bring a paper forward within a couple of weeks once I get the Cabinet's approval. I do not want to answer the questions by hit and

miss. I am not able to give you all of the information at this time. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I believe it is going to be the remote off-highway communities who will be hit hardest by the Minister's announced intentions. Having regard to the demoralizing effect on public servants of the staff housing increases, I wonder if the Minister for the NWT Housing Corporation would commit that these proposed rent increases, which will be staggering, will be discussed, in the communities and amongst the tenants affected before they are presented to this House. Will there be public consultation of the people who are going to be directly affected before any changes are finalized?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Whatever I do always has public consultation, Mr. Patterson. It will affect some people. Those people will be consulted. As I have said, in two weeks time I will be able to share all of the information with all of the Members of this House. I am aware that you have some information which other Members do not have. I do not know if you believe that off-highway communities are going to be hit the hardest or not, but I think we should wait until I come forward with that paper so all Members can ask questions and discuss it. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Mr. Speaker, I heard the Minister say he was going to bring a paper to the House. Will the people affected by these rent increases be consulted before something is announced in the House or something is taken to Cabinet? That is the kind of consultation I am talking about.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. You must understand the process, Mr. Patterson, you have been here for a long time. The process is that you take a paper to Cabinet, get an agreement in principle and then you take it to the public and the Member for approval. Thank you.

Please try not to be argumentative, just respond to the question. Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Last summer, one of the groups of the Great Slave freshwater fishermen raised a problem they were having with the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation. Some of the group's representatives met with the Minister and the Government Leader, but there did not appear to be any movement on the issue. The price that these fishermen were being paid by the corporation was so low, it was not viable for many of them to continue fishing. The group wanted the ability to export fish so that they could explore their own markets. Can the Minister advise what action he has taken in the eight months since he last responded to this issue in the House to support the concerns of the Great Slave freshwater fishermen and assist them in opting out of the Freshwater Fish Marketing Corporation?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, not all fishermen around the lake want to opt out of FMC. I have never received clear direction from the majority of fishermen. I do recognize the fact that some fishermen would like to export fish on an experimental basis just to see what price they could get for those fish. We have done a study that says we could probably sell more fish into the Northwest Territories and consequently we are going to process, on a pilot project basis, 100,000 pounds in Hay River this summer to see whether we can sell more fish into the Northwest Territories. That should give fishermen a better price, if we can get a better price for those fish, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.