Thank you, Madam Speaker. To my knowledge, it is the responsibility of this government for the management of trees in the Northwest Territories. As long as they are in the Northwest Territories they are within the Government of the Northwest Territories' jurisdiction. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. We're all aware that Christmas is approaching, and many people get Christmas trees. It's my understanding that our government doesn't have an agricultural policy, so we can't do Christmas tree farming and that people can grow these trees so they can be sold. I would like to ask the Minister, is there any impediment in the absence of a farm policy to the growing of Christmas trees in the Northwest Territories for commercial purposes?

Thank you. Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the absence of an agriculture policy, the Department of Renewable Resources falls back onto its forest management policy which we, as a department, abide by. Using that policy, there is no impediment to entrepreneurs who may want to commercialize Christmas trees in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yellowknife people have noted for many, many years now that the big problem we have in developing our economy is that we have all kinds of stuff coming in in trucks, and all the trucks go back empty except maybe for carrying some recyclable material. You know, the trees in the Northwest Territories, in most parts, don't grow to be very large. So I would like to ask the Minister then, if such a project were to be initiated in the Northwest Territories, there would be no regulation or policy of the government that would prevent that from happening. Would he confirm that?

Thank you. Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Madam Speaker, not that I'm aware of. A person who may decide that they want to grow trees in the Northwest Territories for the purpose of selling them as Christmas trees, to my knowledge are able to. There is no regulation which restricts them from doing so. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question will be directed to the Minister of Transportation, also Economic Development. In 1974, about 20 years ago, I know he was around here at that time, there was a plan to build the highway from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. Instead of doing that, they built an ice road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk. I want to know if the Minister knows how much it costs to operate that ice road from Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk.

Mr. Pudluk, your question is somewhat of a detailed question and should possibly be asked under written questions, because of it not being within the general knowledge of the Minister, currently. Item 6, oral questions. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Madam Speaker, I was not in my chair, but I was trying to get your attention that I would like to make a brief reply to the opening address.

That's why you didn't get my attention, Mr. Patterson, you weren't in your chair.

---Laughter

The honourable Member is attempting to seek unanimous consent to return to item 9, replies to opening address. Honourable Member for Iqaluit.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I hadn't intended to make a reply this session, so I'm grateful for the opportunity to make a short reply.

(Microphone turned off)...unanimous consent to return to item 9, replies to opening address. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Patterson.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I should know the rules by now. May I seek unanimous consent to return to replies to the Commissioner's address? Thank you.

Thank you. The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to return to item 9, replies to opening address. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Mr. Patterson, we'll take a short recess.

---SHORT RECESS

Mr. Patterson, I have been advised by the Clerk that according to the House records, you have already made a reply to the opening address. So, I am sorry, Mr. Patterson, you cannot make a reply. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I have four documents I would like to table. They're all from the western Constitutional Development Steering Committee. Tabled Document 61-12(6) is a news release, Constitutional Process Moving Forward. Tabled Document 62-12(6) are the summaries of the member group research reports. Tabled Document 63-12(6) are the themes and issues in the constitutional process for a new western territory. And Tabled Document 64-12(6) is a presentation outlined that is currently being used in our community information meetings.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Hay River, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I wish to table the following document: Tabled Document 65-12(6), Victims' Assistance Committee, 1993-94 Annual Report. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motions for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. Item 18, second reading of bills. Item 19, consideration in committee of the whole of bills and other matters: Tabled Document 14-12(6), "Open for Business" - Privatizing the Northwest Territories Power Corporation; Tabled Document 36-12(6), "Action Plan - Consolidation - Health and Social Services;" Minister's Statement 11-12(6), Return to Session; Committee Report 10-12(6), Report on the Review of the 1995-96 Capital Estimates; Bill 1, Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1995-96; and, Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 1, 1994-95, with Mr. Ningark in the chair.

Thank you. The committee will come to order. I was temporarily away from Yellowknife attending Cambridge Bay KIA meetings. I came back this morning and I'm a little bit edgy, so bear with me. Mr. Dent, what is the wish of the committee?