Thank you, Mr. Speaker. To be courteous to the Members who may not know the background of this project, I will elaborate on how it was started. This facility was ready to be opened last summer. The town of Iqaluit was to run the facility but they were $199,000 over the ceiling of the department's budget. Shortly after that, an FMB submission was made and it was rejected. The management contract eventually went to public tender again in January, 1993. There were two proposals which were submitted to the department. Neither were registered northern contractors, as the department thought.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Allooloo. Mr. Speaker, this fall there was approval for a community assembly building in Kakisa. I understand things have been going well with the planning and design. I have not been to Kakisa for quite some time now and I apologize. What is the status of the building?

Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The design is being done and the construction is scheduled for this year. I am told the site was identified and the site will be cleared by the end of March. The community is involved in this project. My department is meeting with the community officials. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will direct my officials to look into the issue. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will have an answer for the Member by Monday. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. I raised the issue on March 8 of a conference in Edmonton sponsored by the Canadian polar commission and noted that his deputy minister, Mr. Bailey was in attendance, as the only representative of this government. I would like to ask the Minister if Mr. Bailey has reported on the proceedings of that conference?

Mr. Pollard.

Mr. Speaker, Mr. Bailey was in fact there. He chaired one of the workshops. He has reported to me verbally that it was successful, he felt it was progressive and he has yet to provide me with a written report, Mr. Speaker. This is as much as I can tell you at the present time, but he was impressed with the conference. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. Mr. Speaker, while most of us enjoy the privilege of banking in larger centres such as Yellowknife and the other larger communities, there are those of us who come from the smaller communities who do not have any type of banking. The Arctic co-ops have endeavoured to start credit unions across the territories. I would like to know if the Minister has provided any type of assistance to the co-ops in their endeavour to start credit unions? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, last year we had several meetings with the co-op movement in this regard. We have talked to the federal government with regard to them providing the co-operative movement with the necessary funding to get the project off the ground. This is where we are at, at the present time. I think the requirement is $7 million, it may be a

little understated, and it may require more money than that, Mr. Speaker. This is where it is at. We believe the federal government should be assisting the co-op movement with their funding. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the honourable Minister undertake to pressure the federal government to provide some assistance to the co-ops? Thank you.

Mr. Pollard.