Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Like I said previously, I've already made it quite clear to all the communities; where do you want the decisions made, at your community or in Yellowknife? The majority of them got back to me and the majority of the ones I've talked to have said that they want to make those decisions. Moving ahead and moving towards April 1, 1999, moving ahead even next year, there's no doubt in my mind that we are not going to have the same level of civil servants that we have today. We have to reduce those numbers, we no longer can afford it. So whether you have community empowerment or if we decide not to have it, you will have fewer civil servants serving the program delivery portion of this government. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'll give him a very blunt answer: No. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Roland.

Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the road that the people in the Delta, Inuvik and Tuk have been asking for has been in the plans for quite some time now. I just want to refer back to the 1990 transportation strategy, the 1993 transportation agenda and the 1994 transportation strategy update that all had in their plans for such a road to be eventually built. This is a long-time, longterm plan to build such a road. The type of road that we're talking about was just a very rough estimate, to the tune of $160 million that it would cost. This was based on similar types of work that was done in that area, in the Delta; the Dempster Highway. The type of material, the type of work that all went into the construction of the Dempster Highway to Inuvik. That was what it was based on.

As for whether it's A, B, C; 1, 2, 3; 1 can't tell you at this time. But if you want the specifics of that, I could get back to the Member at a later time. Thank you.

Thank you. We've only had half an hour of question period, but there is going to be a seal coat fashion show that the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism invited us to see, so we will take a break until the fashion show is over. There will also be refreshments out there, following the fashion show. So we will take a break.

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The House will come back to order. We are still on question period. Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The returns on WCB's investment portfolio are based upon the marketplace; what they invest in, what the market is doing at the time. Sometimes it is up, sometimes it is down and that is why its investment strategy is over a five and 10-year period of time and eventually it balances itself out. I believe I said in the House earlier last week that they have done an outstanding job and have been able to get somewhere around a 21 per cent return of its investment. So the investment component of the WCB is no different than your own personal investments when you invest in the stock market or bonds. They fluctuate up and down based on the market.

Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I understand that, but it doesn't explain, as required by the FAA, why it wasn't reported. So without information on results like this, the Legislative Assembly and the Members can't review the effectiveness of managers and the board. This was pointed out by the Auditor General. Again, my question to the Minister is has he been investigating this, after tabling a report by the Auditor General for Canada, which points out that the investment of the Workers' Compensation Board is not following the principles of the FAA. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Auditor General says lots of things, but that doesn't necessarily mean to say we agree with him. However, I will look into the matter and get back to the Member.

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

Mr. Speaker, the Minister said he would get back to me on the investment plans of the Workers' Compensation Board. Of course, we know there is only one day left. Because the FMBS is under the Standing Committee on Infrastructure, of which I happen to be the chair, will the Minister provide said information on the investment activity of the WCB and why it isn't conforming to the Auditor General's report under the FAA, which is the Financial Administration Act?

Mr. Todd.