Thank you. Oral questions supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this is a very serious matter, because it reflects on the cost of living for several of our smaller communities, the GNWT usually enters into long-term agreements to purchase fuel, so for example, most of the fuel in the smaller communities off-road would have been purchased in March or April and then delivered in September. So, they have already purchased that fuel, it is already in place. Maybe the Minister would explain, why would those fuel prices in off-road communities increase when it has been already purchased and paid for? Mr Speaker.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I would say again that there have been no decisions to increase fuel prices and again I would say the price formula that our Petroleum Products Division uses is a floating formula which as I said, if the world oil prices increases, then the price of fuel has to increase also. So there has been no decision to increase fuel prices, if there was one it would affect all communities that we service.

Thank you, oral questions supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister said that it would affect all communities that we service and therefore my question would be, to give us an idea or an indication of how it worked in the past. When was the last general price increase for the cost of fuel for the consumer in the Northwest Territories under the POL arrangement?

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I do not know the exact date of when it was, but I am informed by the Department that it has been since 1992 that we have raised fuel prices, and that is for the 45 or so communities that the POL services, and does not include the communities such as Yellowknife which is serviced by the private sector.

Thank you. Oral questions, final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker the 45 communities that the Minister speaks about, in most cases, those 45 communities already have their fuel purchased and paid for, delivered and in the community. My question would be, then, after we have increased those prices, the revenue, the net revenue gained, the net profit from said saving of said fuel, where will that money go, will it go into helping Mr. Todd and the rest of the Government and us fight the deficit? Is it going to the consolidated revenue fund? Where will this revenue go? Will we kick it back, as a subsidy to our "in-need" people? Where will this money go? The extra revenue?

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, the petroleum products revolving fund is revenue neutral. That is, it operates on a break even basis. At this point of time, it is in a deficit situation and the deficit this year will be over $1 million. If I can recall correctly the cumulative debt is over $3 million, so we do need to take care of that problem. If we raise fuel prices, I would say, is a possibility which FMB will have to think about seriously, the money would go toward the cost of fuel.

Thank you. Oral question, Mr. Barnabas.

The Minister responsible for Public Works and Services. The Premier.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. I talked to my Ministers responsible for Transportation, Public Works and Services, as well as the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community affairs and they will be meeting fairly shortly to discuss this issue. They will be pleased also to talk to the MLA for Grise Fiord on this whole issue. We should be able to have some answers very shortly on whether or not there is any type of subsidy available. The last I have seen on this issue, Mr. Speaker, was that the barge or ship did not make it into Grise Fiord and we will have to consider what is essential to allow that community to get through the winter. Those Ministers will be meeting fairly shortly to discuss that whole issue. Thank you.

Thank you, just to remind the Members again that if a Minister or Member is not in the House, that they don't refer to him not being in the House. Oral question, you have supplementary, Mr. Barnabas. Mr. Barnabas, no. Oral questions, Mr. Roland

The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, there are residency requirements for people that want to get into social housing, I cannot recall right now what they are, but in some communities housing associations require any where from six months to a year depending on what the housing association has decided.

Thank you. Oral questions supplementary, Mr. Roland.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, the one that I was talking about is a requirement for people that are moving from one community to another. That is, in some communities you have to wait six months and up to a year in some places before you will be considered to be put on the waiting list for social housing.