Thank you. This change has happened during the last couple of months. Has there been any change in the level of interest expressed in the programs since the restructuring took place? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I did recently travel through Iqaluit on my way back from Ottawa, last week. I met with the superintendent of Economic Development, Ms. Katherine Trumper. Ms. Trumper has had a long history with the department. She is the superintendent there. I asked her how she felt the new programs and new authority were going, from a bureaucratic perspective. She indicated to me that she thought morale was at its highest at the regional level, that there was a significant increase in interest, certainly from Baffin Island, and that she felt that with the new financial authority she had been given allowed her the ability to move much more quickly in responding to the clients.

It appeared -- and it's early to tell because we've only put this thing in place in mid-December -- that client satisfaction which was a unique thing in Economic Development, appeared to be on the rise. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

I'm doing this all from lack of looking at the notes, but I could provide the honourable Member with a complete list if he wants. For example, Fort Resolution Sawmill would be one. I would have to check with my colleague, but I believe the Fort McPherson Canvas is another one. The fish and meat processing plant in my own constituency of Rankin Inlet was originally run by the government many years ago. The arts and crafts centre in Pangnirtung is another one. I could give the honourable Member a complete list, but at this point I don't know whether that would satisfy him or not. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Speaking personally, as the Minister responsible, it is my belief that the NWT Development Corporation was originally set up with the principles of trying to create employment in the areas where there was high unemployment. It was recognized early on that one of the failures in a number of businesses in level II and III communities is the inability for them to access capital and to service the debt. The principles of the Development Corporation are to provide the capital infrastructure on the short-term to avoid that heavy administration expense of interest payments and debt, and once we get it viable, to transfer it over to an independent group. That is my understanding, in a nutshell.

Originally there was a need to create some economic activity that would create jobs. There was a recognition that these jobs would have to be subsidized, whether it was in front-end capital expenditure or in short-term job expenditure. In other words, "x" amount of dollars for "x" amount of jobs. The overall goal is if we are successful in making the operation viable, we would be able to transfer that back to a Development Corporation in a community or some individual entrepreneurs. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

In an ideal world, we would like to get away from subsidies. I think it was recognized and is currently recognized by the federal government. What choice do we have? Do we destine people to be recipients of social assistance or do we find them ways and means in which to make people become productive citizens? It costs some dollars on the front-end, as I indicated earlier, in perhaps subsidizing some of the operations and maintenance costs and the capital costs. I think it was recognized that some of these enterprises may not be viable. Part of our policy is we are prepared to subsidize wages to a certain level because it is better than having people on social assistance. As I said, in a perfect world, you would like to think we can move forward and make these operations viable. But a perfect world is when we all die and go to heaven. Thank you.

Item 5, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Zoe.

(Microphone turned off)

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Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

When it was originally put in place, it had a $10 million budget. Like all other governments across the country, we are under fiscal restraint. I have recognized that and the Finance Minister has my cooperation in trying to find ways and means in which to keep our fiscal position in reasonable order. Therefore, we have had to reduce the amount of money that we have been accustomed to accessing. This past year we had $6 million in investment revenue in 1993-94. In 1994-95 it goes down to $5 million. At the present time, our accessibility of investment capital is very limited because of the reduction in the overall capital requirements of the corporation. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Zoe.

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.