Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Once again, Mr. Speaker, the initiative of putting PYs into Nunavut in anticipation of the impeding division of the Northwest Territories was a decision made by the last government. I know there probably are incremental costs in that decision. However, the decision was made and our anticipation with the federal government was that any type of a transfer would be covered by the federal government. As we all know, we are told that $150 million has been identified by the federal government for any costs associated with creating Nunavut. As a result of that, we all should start taking a look at exactly what "incremental costs' for division means. I take the Member's question very seriously. Indeed, it is a cost that we inevitably have to start looking at very seriously to see what it really means. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you. To which Minister, Mr. O'Brien?

The Minister of Transportation.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the whole direction that the Department of Transportation has taken to the initiative that was started by the last government in creating an Eastern component of this department is looking at the establishment of the assistant deputy minister and his staff. As well, in the planning documents they have, looking at different scenarios of what kinds of positions should be established in the East.

Yes, I take the honourable Members question and he had indicated that the department will be reviewing these planning documents to see if we can accommodate the type of question that the honourable Member has been asking with regard to looking at the distribution of some of these positions in the planning documents. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Given my statement today regarding the correlation between unemployment and a wage economy, could the Minister answer my question. Is there any curriculum taught in our schools that teaches the necessary facts regarding mobility and a wage economy?

The Minister of Education, Employment and Culture, Mr. Dent.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Would the Minister consider incorporating some aspects of traditional aboriginal ways of survival into the curriculum, whereby children are taught how to sustain their lifestyle in comparing their traditional ways of migration to today's need to migrate in the wage economy?

Mr. Dent.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Ningark.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is directed to the Minister responsible for the Housing Corporation. In order for us to strategize that we need housing, in order for us to convince our counterpart, the federal government, in this case, we must update our housing needs study survey. My question to the honourable Minister is when was the last housing needs survey done within the jurisdiction of the NWT. Thank you.

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

Mr. Speaker, I don't have the exact date, but it was in the late 1980s. The next housing needs survey is scheduled for next year.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. Mr. Speaker, I would have thought that, because we need to strategize in order to convince the federal government, the housing needs study should have been done about a year ago. My supplementary question is why wasn't the housing needs study done within the last couple of years when we know that there is a serious shortage of housing within the Territories. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, I stand corrected. The last housing needs survey across the Territories was in 1992. Since then, there has been numerous correspondence and meetings between previous housing Ministers of the NWT and the federal government. 1, myself, have spoken to the federal minister of CMHC and I've written several letters. We are keeping the pressure on the federal government for additional housing. We make the argument that our core need of about 3,500 in the NWT houses in the NWT is not acceptable. The problem is that they are in the same financial situation as most other governments: they have limited funding. However, we are keeping the pressure on and the efforts by MLAs, including the Member raising these issues, is appreciated and it does help to raise the profile. Thank you.