Mr. Speaker, it was the federal government that made it a condition, as part of the tentative approval for the BHP proposal, to go ahead so that the protected areas strategy may be developed between the federal government and this government by the year 1998. It is my view that the federal government feels comfortable to allow this government to take the lead in developing this strategy. They are comfortable with allowing us, as northern people, northern stakeholders, aboriginal organizations, to go ahead and draft a protected areas strategy for the consideration of this government and the federal government, and have the analysis to accept. It is my view that, should we fall short in what they think a protected areas strategy should be, they would not hesitate to enhance and go beyond what we recommend. It is my belief that we have to go to the furthest extent possible in drafting a protected area strategy, and I believe the federal government is acting in good faith. They do want to enhance their international image, they do want to show the people of Canada that in the Northwest Territories, which is one-third the land mass of Canada, there will be a protected area strategy in place in two years time, and that they prepared to move decisively for it. Since they are still the owners of the land, they are still the managers, and they are still the ones that hold the legislative power to implement a protected areas strategy. Thank you.

Point of order.

Mr. Speaker, I have been requested by members of the public to raise an issue, and I sent a note to the honourable Member, Mr. Krutko, early in the morning, making my request and it is this that and I agree in part with the point raised. When the honourable Member is wearing a Dene jacket, it is intended to show respect for the place and the occasion of the activity that is taking place. It is totally contrary to that intent when he wears a Mickey Mouse tie with that attire. People are watching us on television, and wonder why this point has not been raised. I have taken time, as I have said, to pass the concern to the Member by note earlier this morning. I ask, Mr. Speaker, whether or not, we share the concern, that there is no need to wear a tie, as I know with traditional garments like this.

It has been raised that some people, including myself, find it offensive to wear a tie like that which does not lend itself to the dignity that a jacket like that brings. It also offends some people about the fact that an honourable Member of this House would wear a Mickey Mouse tie. What kind of a statement does that bring to the dignity of this legislature? So, I rise to make that point. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do have to agree with the colleague who raised the point in regards to wearing just the traditional jacket without a tie. I was told that I had to wear a tie. I do agree that when we are using traditional dress that we should not wear a tie, but that is what it says in the document. I also have a lot of Mickey Mouse fans out there, and that is why I do wear my Mickey Mouse tie, especially for the younger people out there, who like to look for Mickey once in awhile on TV. With that I do have to concur with the Member's concern, that I do not believe that I should have to wear a tie with my coat, but I guess you have to rule on that.

Mr. Speaker, I raised two points, the first of which is the one that I agreed with. I was asked by a member of the public. There were two points. One, that the wearing of a tie that has Mickey Mouse on it offends the dignity of the Dene jacket that is worn. The second point raised was that the wearing of a Mickey Mouse tie offends the dignity of the House in which the Member is sitting. I think I specifically said, if I did not, I should have, that I find it offensive only in the first instance, and that is what I wanted to raise. That I find it undignified for the Member to be wearing a Mickey Mouse tie with a Dene jacket, which I think he should show more respect for. That is the one I raised, leaving lots of room for other Members of the Legislature to speak to the second point if they wish. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, what I have tried to say specifically is that I find it offensive for the Member to be wearing a Mickey Mouse tie while he is wearing a Dene jacket. I find that offensive, yes.

My question was to the Minister of MACA, in regards to the whole question about the effects regarding to my region, especially with the cuts that we have been seeing, especially with the programs that are being delivered on behalf of the government by those communities such as the water, the sewer, the subsidies that seem to have been cut are affecting all my communities. I was wondering if, in regards to capital dollars that have been moved around without the consent of those communities, what is the Minister doing to revise this issue, and is she willing to relook at it and possibly,

reallocate some of those funds back into the municipal budgets?