Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, across-the-board cuts sort of indicate 10 per cent or five per cent right off the top. That wasn't the approach that FMB decided to take. The Financial Management Board decided to form envelope committees where Ministers and deputy ministers were meeting together. They made up different envelopes. There were three envelope committees, and each department was looked at and presentations were made with regard to areas that could be cut back, areas that could not be touched, et cetera. So each of the budgets were combed in that fashion, and reports were made to the FMB and FMB took those particular reports and recommendations into consideration. The Financial Management Board then met in camera and discussed all the recommendations that were made and, eventually, last week a budget was arrived at, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. So, do I take it from the response of the Minister, Madam Speaker, that the across-the-board cuts departmentally that have been employed in the past to achieve financial restraint, that method will not be followed in the budget development process for 1995-96, and, instead, there's a more selective approach being taken for financial restraint? Is that how the new process is working, Madam Speaker? Thank you.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, each envelope committee knew that they had to arrive at a particular percentage, but when it came down to department by department, the Member is correct; there was much more selective...It was done on the basis of an impact that a certain adjustment in budgets would make in a particular area. So it wasn't just a blanket across-the-board shotgun type of approach; it was done in a selective manner, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I think the Minister of Finance has undoubtedly heard the clear concern of the Standing Committee on Finance and of Members on this side of the House that the social issues are important. Just last Friday, Members of this House unanimously approved a motion to finally do something about the wages of shelter care workers. I would like to ask the Minister of Finance, since the budget development process is geared to identifying priorities in developing the coming year's budget, are social issues one of the priorities that the Minister of Finance will bear in mind in developing the budget for the 1995-96 O and M main estimates? Thank you.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, as you speak to people across the Northwest Territories, priorities change, depending on the group, the environment, the location and the topic of the day. When Cabinet meets as the Financial Management Board they try to look at all those areas. So, we're cognizant of the suggestions made to us by ordinary Members, and the Standing Committee on Finance in particular, with regard to social programs. Yes, that was in our minds when we made our decisions, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.