The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding, first of all let me clarify, we are predicting. I should have been a little more concise. We are optimistic that we will be able to balance the budget and come in with a small surplus which I said in my speech earlier last week that I intend to put directly toward the accumulated deficit so there is no net gain to the territories. Because we want to ensure on April 1, 1999, not only have we balanced our budget, we want to make sure that the accumulative deficit is at the lowest it can be.

My understanding is the Christmas holidays that we compassionately have put together with our union colleagues was very successful by the employees, and I do not think there would be any desire by the government to change that kind of success. Thank you.

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

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The last time I was called Toddy was in 1952 when I was in the primary school. That is actually called Donny days after our illustrious Premier. But there is no desire to make any change to the Donny days over Christmas.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Mr. Speaker, I will have to reserve my question.

Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.

Thank you. My understanding of the Aurora Fund, Mr. Speaker, is it runs on a very tight budget. That is why most of the stuff is contracted out rather than permanent employees. What I was trying to say today earlier I do not have the marketing strategy with me today and I would again suggest to my honourable colleague that he put his name forward for the full briefing on the Aurora Fund and we would be able to tell him at that time.

I can tell you this, that there is a significant amount of interest in this fund. There is no question about that and I think there is a reasonable amount of knowledge of it. I do not know at the community level, but I will speak to our fund manager, Mr. Bailey, tomorrow and just get a better understanding of what steps he is taking to ensure that all parties across the territories are given equal access to apply for this money which is now in place, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

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

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. That is an excellent, excellent suggestion by my honourable colleague from Fort Smith, and I will undertake to speak to Mr. Bailey this afternoon, and provided he can give me the details that are required, I would be only too happy to stand in this House with the television on full blaze and advise the people of the territories of how this fund is funded and how this fund is marketed, which I will undertake tomorrow if I am asked the same question. Thank you.

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

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My honourable colleague is correct. I guess I was not as knowledgeable as I should have been with respect to the Aurora Fund's marketing strategy and for that I apologize. I will undertake to give Mr. Picco full credit for his persistence in requesting what the Aurora Fund and how the Aurora Fund is marketed. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for Health and Social Services. Mr. Speaker, the Minister recently stated that as a result of the major changes to services in the Keewatin regarding medical services, that the residents would not be at risk as a result of these major changes. My question to the Minister. Is the Minister aware that there is a major backlog of patient referrals now in the Keewatin?

The Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, no I am not aware of a major backlog of any medical referrals in the Keewatin. Thank you.