Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the majority of our regional directors in place at the present time have several years of experience in. Mr. Speaker, if we're going to end the regional function, does that mean on a particular date, that regional director will not be employed with this government? Does that mean that we're going to pay them $50,000, $60,000, $70,000? According to the workforce adjustment policy -- which is public knowledge -that means in some cases some of these regional directors will be sitting around with full pay for up to 60 weeks.

Mr. Speaker, in my mind, the responsibility of this government is to use these people with the qualification that they have, without having them sitting around with 60 weeks of pay. My question to the Minister is, what happens to these individuals.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As my honourable colleague, Mr. Todd, the Minister of Finance, said today, those people who will have to be laid off from this government will be dealt with fairly. There are compensation packages in place for them, and there are compensation packages in place for anybody who is laid off from this government. So they will be dealt with fairly and they will be compensated accordingly. Thank you

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Public Works and Services. I would like to thank the Minister and his officials for the presentation that he made yesterday on the business incentive policy and also for the information that was provided at that session. The Minister and his staff estimate that this policy costs the Government of the Northwest Territories $30 million a year. In light of the statements that have been made by the Premier and the Minister of Finance, from the opening of this House, that the budget would not be balanced on the people who could least afford it and that it would be fair across the board to all people and segments of the Northwest Territories; my question to the Minister is would he consider for a one-year period to eliminate the BIP. At least it would be some consolation to the 295 people who have lost their jobs that indeed the statements made by the Premier and the Minister of Finance that there were no sacred cows were sincere that we would put as much effort as possible into balancing these books. Would he consider putting this BIP on hold for at least a year? Thank you.

Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, as I indicated to Members at the briefing yesterday evening, the responsibility for the policy will be transferred to the Department of Economic Development and Tourism in the coming weeks. However, with this particular question, it is true that the department has estimated that the cost of the policy is between $20 million and $30 million. What the government is doing right now is analysing what benefits we get for that amount of money. Each year, there are contracts valued in the order of $400 million, in total; I believe it's even a bit more than that. But the business incentive policy is a policy of the Cabinet. The comments made by the Member are noted and I will pass them on to Cabinet for information, but at this time there are no plans to put in a one-year delay or suspension of the policy.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In light of the fact that the Minister of Finance is proposing a $40 million deficit in the next fiscal year, would that not give some incentive to the Minister to potentially not have a sacred cow and potentially help this situation, rather than this government paying out interest charges? We're going to have to face this nightmare some time. Rather than paying out interest charges, it could go to programs for handicapped or programs in the schools. So would the Minister at least consider that for a year, in light of the deficit? Thank you.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I heard those same interesting comments yesterday evening during the briefing, and I will pass them on to Cabinet for their information. The other thing that I will do as soon as it's available, is to pass on to the House the analysis of the benefits that we receive with that $20 million or $30 million, whether they be keeping northern companies standing up or keeping people off welfare, etcetera.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister also had officials convey to us that they do not know the benefits that the program offers. Would that not be a reasonable reason to put something on hold, not to spend $30 million where you do not know clearly what you're getting back for it?

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, we do have some idea of what some of those benefits are. At this point in time, we are trying to quantify them. Some of them include the fact that because of the business incentive policy and other procurement policies, major companies are basically here in Yellowknife and other northern communities, and that's one of the benefits. I will pass on the information, the comments and the ideas of the Member to Cabinet

The other point I made yesterday evening is that the business incentive policy has been under review for quite some time now, and the review is coming to a conclusion. The comments made by the Member and other Members were noted, and will be part of the results of that review.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. At this time, I would like to recognize some grade 10 students in the gallery from Sir John Franklin School. Their teacher is Kevin Corbett.

--- Applause

Welcome to the Assembly. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe it's March 28th that we will be meeting with the aboriginal summit of the Western Arctic. I have raised the issue with the aboriginal chiefs who I met with on an individual basis already. We made it very clear to Mr. Irwin, the Minister of DIAND, that we will be expecting them to relinquish control of northern resources when we come knocking and present them with a paper. But the first thing we have to do is get our aboriginal partners onside. I believe we have a very good working relationship with them. We will be speaking to them about it and proceeding as soon as we finish signing the protocol agreements with the aboriginal groups. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have not had any in-depth conversation with Mr. Irwin on northern control of northern resources, but so far we've touched on the subject very shortly in our conversations when we were talking about other issues. I am encouraged by his remarks to us. I was very discouraged when I heard that the regional director from DIAND says that there isn't a hope to get control of northern resources in the hands of northern people within the next 25 years. Mr. Irwin was quite surprised to hear that remark, as well, so I believe we're basically thinking along the same lines that northerners should be in control of northern resources. Every Minister I've met with and talked to about it so far has said that we need the tools as northerners to become more self-sufficient. One of the priorities of this government and one of our main interests is to go out and get those tools so that we can continue to be more self-sufficient. I'm encouraged so far with the elected leaders I've had conversations with in the North and in the South. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.