Thank you. Madam Premier.

Yes, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Koe.

Another initiative which was announced, and I notice in the definitive objectives of the department, is the privatization initiatives. Can the Premier please advise us as to some of the initiatives which are under way or some which have been completed, a status report on privatization.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, we have that review ready and we are planning to discuss it at Cabinet tomorrow. From there it could be made available at the soonest opportunity. I would think we should have it ready by the beginning of the week once we take it through that process.

Are there any general comments? Is it agreed we go line by line. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Page 02-10, Commissioner's office, total O and M, $230,000. Agreed?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Ministers' offices, total O and M, $2.696. Agreed? Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to ask the Government Leader a question with regard to Ministers' offices. I have asked her to provide us with a breakdown of all of the travel. It has been provided and that was appreciated. However, in reviewing many of the travel itineraries of the Ministers I noticed that some communities, and quite a few, have remained absent from Minister's travel. In fact, there is a great deal of travel in the south as opposed to the north on a ratio basis. I would like to ask the Minister whether or not the Executive considers any concept of regional travel tours by Ministers where they can go into a particular region and cover as many communities as they can as opposed to Ministers only going into one specific community. If you look at some of the travel itineraries, the travel to the Baffin and only to Iqaluit, for example, is outstanding as opposed to the smaller communities. Sometimes the smaller communities feel they are being overlooked. If you look at this type of concept being implemented by the Ministers I think you would receive, since you are setting up a travel management office, more from the travel dollars expended. At the same time, you would hear many of the ideas and concerns of communities expressed directly to the government. I would like to ask the Government Leader if she would direct her Minister to consider the idea of ministerial travel on a regional basis to make sure that travel is being to done to all regional communities as opposed to just specific communities. Thank you.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, yes, we know that in the last year some of the southern travel was related to the constitutional issues so that brought the number of travels to the south a little higher than it would normally be. As well, we have had a very difficult and long time sitting and meeting in Yellowknife. I certainly agree that the Northwest Territories should be covered, including small communities and travel to these communities. Not only for the people who are Cabinet Ministers but also for the people themselves having more access to probably more global meetings in the communities. We are already planning blitzing the Northwest Territories in the next year since we have some time outside of sitting in the Legislative Assembly. I believe that it was necessary last year to bring us together in terms of doing some of the changes that were necessary and we had more meetings. In terms of Iqaluit, I know that one of the concerns I have always had in that region is that many regional meetings take place but generally that community makes those decisions. I know that often times I get invited there but the regional meetings are staged in Iqaluit and not in the other communities. I think that would reflect why many of the travels were to Iqaluit. I certainly agree that we have to do more regional travel and hit all the communities, not only the main ones. Thank you.

Are there any general comments? Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I look at these type of travel itineraries and, for example, I see one particular Minister travelling to Iqaluit four or five times and there has never been any visits to south of the lake. I do not think that the whole travel itinerary is fairly looked at. The Ministers have to be reminded that they represent all the people of the Northwest Territories, not just one particular area. I would like to ask the Government Leader if she would review that to ensure that equitable travel -- if we talk about equity we mean in the travel, the way they do their work and the way distribution is done -- I would like to ask if she can assure this House that travel is being considered on an equitable basis to all regions in the north by all the Ministers. Thank you.

Mahsi. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, we will certainly do what we can but I want to make another note that while we are sitting in Yellowknife, many delegations from the region, generally from Deh Cho down to the south of the lake, find it

easy to come to Yellowknife to have meetings with the various Ministers. I did not put on the representations from the regions that were presented and some people feel it is accommodating to do that. I know many people like to come and have a series of meetings here. The travel might seem a little skewed in that way because I did not list all the meetings that were held by various delegations from other regions. However, I take note of what the Member is saying and I know visibility in communities is very important, as well.

Thank you. Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

The other note that should be taken into consideration is these delegations. They have to come to Yellowknife because they do not see an effort made by Ministers to go into their communities and they are not visible in their communities. They come to Yellowknife during the Assembly because of the easy access to Ministers. The concern that I have is that if there are no guidelines on ministerial travel you do not see a Minister in a region. I think we should try to avoid that to make sure that Ministers are seen and are present in regions. Even though I recognize that we do have many meetings here in Yellowknife, in between sessions, I think it is important to be able to see Ministers out into the regions. Particularly the senior staff that go along with Ministers because they get an understanding of what the concerns are in the regions or in the other communities. Thank you.

Thank you. I believe that was a comment. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, when the objectives first came in I did take a reduction in salary and it does reflect that. It has some others increases this year. What is the increase from $1.908 million to $1.958 million, is that a make-up for the $5,000 increase?

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Mr. Chairman, it is the pro-rating of 1.8 which was given as an increase that is relative to the negotiated salary increase.