Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well I am sure my honourable colleague knows what the affirmative action policy is, I think it would be fair to say, a politically sensitive issue. We did, as I said in the previous sitting, we did have a paper in place and we did provide to some people and to our deputies. It would be fair to say that I was not comfortable with the paper. It did not really meet the standards that I wanted to set, as the Minister responsible. I sent it back to the department and asked them to refine it. You know, you cannot look at affirmative action in isolation as my colleague says and a northern employment strategy, to me they are intricately linked.

I am hopeful that next week, and I apologize for not tabling this, because I was asked this question by Mr. Henry and Mr. Ootes in the previous session. I am optimistic that I might be able to table that, hopefully next week. I am hopeful of that. I believe that is when it will happen. I am looking forward to a healthy debate and seeking advice on how we can move forward.

But any Northern Employment Strategy is going to require substantive dollars, and that is one of the things we are going to have to discuss. Either re-allocation of existing, or if there were a ways and means in which for us to generate large sums of money, through the sales of assets or whatever, maybe we would be able to assign it there, but as I say, it is my intent to be able to table it as quickly as possible. I am hoping to table it in conjunction with at least a framework for the Northern Employment strategy, and I look forward at the House to being in the issue, so we can see where everybody sits and what resources are required to move forward on it. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Yes, thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my understanding from my conversation with my colleague, Mr. Dent, that he is moving quickly to try and get the Northern Employment Strategy in place and I cannot speak on his behalf, but in my discussion with him now, he indicated that it is his desire to have a document tabled during this Session. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

I believe it was a desire. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my understanding, that, talking to Mr. Dent that the Labour Force Development Strategy will be ready for tabling during this Session. I do not want to be misconstrued on the affirmative action and the labour force job strategy. We are not trying to avoid the debate, we are just trying to get it along as far as we can so we can move onward to try to find the resources and get into the implementation stage of creating employment opportunities for aboriginal and non-aboriginal people.

I hope I am clear. I will table the Affirmative Action Paper which, I am sure will come under scrutiny. Mr. Dent will make a commitment and is desirous of bringing forward the other strategies, hopefully in time for a full debate, in this House, so we can move onward with a job implementation strategy. I mean, it is a particular issue that is close to my heart and soul. We need to provide job opportunities to a variety of our constituents out there. We are trying to move as quickly as we can to put this in place, so that we can seek your input into the development of an implementation plan that will actually get people to work. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Supplementary. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There are natural, integrated linkages when we are looking at affirmative action and job strategy. It is my understanding, I have not see the final document, but there will be some linkages there. I agree with my colleague that this has perhaps taken longer than it should have. I apologize for that. It is certainly no fault of anybody. I think we are just trying to move forward on it.

But I want to emphasize again, when it does come forward, remember it has to come forward in the context of where are we going to find the additional resources to do it. I think that is something we should all give deep thought. I look forward to both informal and formal discussions with the Members on this issue. Hopefully we can bring forward an implementation plan after it has been debated in the June Session, so we can get on with delivering jobs, employment and training opportunities this summer. I think it would be fair to say that. Thank you.

Oral question. Mr. Ootes.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Excellent question, Mr. Speaker. Actually in the NIC report -- again if my memory serves me correct and it is getting better every day -- they indicated that if there was no agreement reached by the three parties to January 31, 1997, that it should be left up to the federal minister to arbitrarily make a decision on the core framework for a new government. Our position on that one was to oppose it, to say that we have to reach a consensus. We have reached a consensus so far in the history of this country politically and it would be our intent to genuinely accomplish that very quickly. We have indicated in communications, both the Premier and the Deputy Premier and others, just recently to Mr. Irwin and Mr. Kusagak, I believe, that there has to be a timely response to the report and move forward to try and reach, as my colleague says, some consensus on the issue.

We do recognize that there does need to be some dispute mechanism should we be unable to reach consensus. The actual dispute mechanism and our raising that question, frankly, has not been resolved at this time. But I do recognize what my colleague is saying. I think it is an important mechanism. I think we may need, as you say, an outsider to arbitrate should there be, hopefully only one or two, issues where consensus cannot be reached.