Yes, Mr. Speaker. In an effort to alleviate people's fear as it relates to the discussions with respect to money, we have worked very hard the last three or four months to convince the federal government that we need all parties to the table when we are talking money. I was pleased to announce in the budget and to reassure everybody yesterday, as I will today, that, in fact we have accomplished that. That we will have all parties to the table, including, if you like, western representation through a selection process from a variety of groups that are working on the constitution in the western Arctic.

That is the first thing. I think it is important to say that again, there will be broad based representation at the financial table. At the same time, if there is any progression on this issue prior to that group meeting, I will be only too happy to share on a timely and on going basis that information with my colleagues through the Division Committee, through the Government Operations Committee and in this House. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions, supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. One of the reasons for getting rid of staff housing is that sometimes they are left empty, and I am sure we do not want to be paying for empty buildings that are built in preparation for governments which may or may not be put into some of the smaller communities. Can we get a commitment that every effort will be made to try and get the federal government to pay for the O and M, and not have our government pay for it and then try to be re-imbursed? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think it is important to point that, as I said, my inclination, my instincts are to say that any additional infrastructure that are built prior to April 1st, 1999, and specifically designed for the Nunavut government, which will be funded through a cooperative approach between the federal government and NTI. My inclination is to say, and I can have it corrected, is that the operation and maintenance cost would be the responsibility of the federal government. Whether they would pay it directly, or this government would reach some agreement to be re-imbursed, I do not know at this time. But I want to assure my colleague that I am very much aware of the concern as it relates to the money, I am very much aware of the concern as it relates to not taking away from services in the west, and I am very much aware of the concern that we must have a balance as we move forward on the fiscal side and I will continue to do that to the best of my ability and keep everybody up to date as to the discussions as they progress. Thank you.

Oral questions, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister of Finance. I had asked the Minister of Finance yesterday this question, along with a lot of other ones and I do not believe I got an answer to it, so I will try again. On pages 9 and 10 of the Minister's budget address, I noted at the top of page 10 in particular, a comment that, "existing GNWT headquarters staff should have hiring priority on Nunavut positions for which they are qualified." My question to the Minister is directly, should the word "should", have been "must"? In other words, should it have read existing GNWT headquarters staff must have hiring priority on Nunavut positions for which they are qualified? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We used the word "should", I believe, not "must".

Thank you. Oral questions, supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister is correct, that is what is here, "the staff should". My question is, is it not the government's position that existing headquarters staff must have hiring priority on Nunavut positions for which they are qualified? Is that not this government's position? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

The government's position is that, people who are outside of Nunavut, who may have Nunavut related jobs should be given first priority in the recruitment of jobs that will be required outside of the Nunavut geography where people currently reside.

Thank you. Oral questions, supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Mr. Speaker, I am rather confused by Mr. Todd's answer. Is it not this government's position that GNWT headquarters staff must have hiring priority for Nunavut positions for which they are qualified? Yes or no. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Well, I am really reluctant to say yes or no because when I say yes or no both Mr. Picco and Mr. O'Brien in the House accuse me of only short answers, so I think what I would like to say to Mr. Henry is, I understand why he is asking the questions, but we are but one signatory to the Nunavut arrangement, there are two other signatories, the federal government and NTI. We are trying to imply and, to the best of our ability demonstrate in a carefully crafted way, what our position is in relationship to our staff who do not reside within the geography of Nunavut. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was confused by Mr. Todd's response to Mr. Steen on the $1 million allocated in the budget referred to on page 8 of Mr. Todd's budget address for the western constitutional development process. Mr. Speaker, this one million dollars did not come up in the business plan of infrastructure. I would like to know from the Minister where this money came from.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Nothing confusing about it, Mr. Speaker, it came forward to the FMB as a supplementary appropriation. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, is coming through the supplementary appropriation now a way of scurrying around the Standing Committee on Infrastructure and other standing committees of this government?

Mr. Todd.