Mr. Speaker, no, we do not have a guideline or a policy that tells the Minister where and when to travel. Each Minister, within his portfolio, should be looking at the global situation in the Northwest Territories and be responsible to take into consideration the requests that he or she has in responding to the various meetings and activities they have been requested to attend, but there is no quota system. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In reviewing the reply to my written question, I have looked at, for example, six trips to Iqaluit alone compared to one trip or even three trips to the western part of the Arctic. I would like to ask the Government Leader it she would consider setting up some type of guideline that would allow Ministers to make sure they look at their travel, and travel just as extensively to the west as opposed to one particular area in the territories? Thank you.

Ms. Cournoyea.

Mr. Speaker, I can certainly do that, but in this last year we have been meeting quite often in Yellowknife. I know many meetings have been held with the Ministers during session, with delegations either coming from the Sahtu, the Delta and Dogrib areas, so many meetings have been held in Yellowknife because many Ministers have been here in the past year and a half. We can look at that. I think everybody would want to be sure when they are holding certain portfolios that they treat each region in the Northwest Territories fairly. I know the Kitikmeot has raised some questions on why we do not go to that particular area more often. In the coming months we will be looking at travel schedules to see that we more evenly distribute the presence of the government within the different regions. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Finance. In the last session, under Bill 14, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3,1992-93, the Minister requested some start-up funding for the proposed Payroll Tax Act, specifically .3 PYs and $155,000. Subsequently, in committee of the whole, by Motion 47-12(3), this request was deleted. Can the Minister advise this House whether or not the Department of Finance has incurred any costs in the 1992-93 fiscal year for the development and/or pre-implementation of the proposed payroll tax?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, beyond preparing information for the Standing Committee on Finance, for this Legislature, for the budget speech or beyond answering questions which have come in from either companies or individuals, no, there has not been anything further done in this regard.

Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Has anyone been hired specifically to work on the Payroll Tax Act?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, not to my knowledge. Thank you.

If the Minister is not currently aware, will he make a commitment to us to find out whether anyone has been hired to work on the payroll tax?

Mr. Pollard.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Premier. In the past few weeks we seem to be comparing prices between Yellowknife and the smaller communities. I wonder if the government is prepared to do research in the area of cost of living between Yellowknife and the smaller communities and to report to this House on its finding? Thank you.

Madam Premier.

Mr. Speaker, yes we can do this.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, we will run a deficit in this fiscal year of some $26.8 million, which is $1.8 million higher than I had anticipated. This will eat away at the $20 million surplus. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 5, oral questions. Item 6, written questions. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.