Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not trying to be offensive. I do not understand the question. I will answer no.

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

Maybe, Mr. Speaker, I will try and go about it a little easier way for the patagonial mind of my friend. Is the Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd, looking at possible revenue generation initiatives with currently held GNWT infrastructure? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

I have made a commitment to the House earlier that once this budget was passed, because we have put an inordinate amount of time into trying to manage our way through the fiscal problems we have, I committed we would look at revenue generation. I will commit again today, we are going to look at revenue generation. We will do it in conjunction with my honourable colleagues and others in this House as I committed when my budget was up before this House. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, do the revenue generating ideas Mr. Todd just mentioned include infrastructure, such as roads or airports? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

What I committed to was to sit down with my colleagues and look at the potential for revenue generation right across the territorial budget. The reframe work, everything is on the table and certainly roads and airports, I would imagine that would be something we would have to give consideration. As I have said, we need to get through this budget to reprocess, balance the budget and then we can take the time to look at new areas that we can generate revenues. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister tell me then, Mr. Speaker, in this revenue generating ideas of infrastructure, roads and airports, if some of those monies generated can go back into that community to support fire services or other community services that are needed for the safety of the public at large.

Mr. Todd.

Being the wise man that my colleague said I was, now I understand what the word means. I will say one thing for him, he is determined. I am not prepared to commit today, one way or the other. What I will commit to is working with the Members to take a look at revenue options this government can do, and then we will determine where these revenues will go.

I am not prepared today to commit if we get x-amount of dollars over here we will dump it over there. The fiscal circumstance of this government changes dramatically. We have not yet come to conclude the budget to re-exercise. Once it is concluded, and we know we can balance the budget, we will then proceed to look at new revenue generation, and where that money is spent. We should in fact be able to generate the revenues that my learned colleague indicates.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister for the Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, over the last few days I have asked a number of questions to the Minister regarding his proposed plan 2000, which would see an additional 2000 homes made available to the people of the north.

Mr. Speaker, after viewing the Minister's comments, I note that he did not give very strong assurance that the project or the initiatives would take place this summer in the east. It is not my intention to hound the Minister, but I will. My question is, will the Minister clearly provide assurances the program will be initiated in the east this construction season this summer? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister responsible for the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, first I should clarify it is not a proposed plan. It is an actual plan we are implementing at this time.

-- Applause

Bravo!

I will give him my assurance we are trying our best to meet the transportation deadlines, which are fast approaching for the eastern Arctic. We will be able to do some of the work this year, but not as much as we would like to. What we will do is make sure the eastern Arctic does not have a net loss for the region of transportation. Whatever materials are not able to make it this year will make it next year, Mr. Speaker.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not so much concerned about the equity of the initiative. I am sure the Minister will honour his commitments to make sure it is done fairly. My main concern is we have some work in the communities this summer for the contractors and the people in the communities. The assurance I was looking for was just to make sure we would indeed have work regarding this initiative this summer. Thank you.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, yes, even without this initiative the Housing Corporation was set to assist in the building of almost 400 units, work will go ahead and whatever extra work that we can do, we will do. I would like to assure the Member that we have officials in the Housing Corporation here and headquarters in the regions working just about around the clock trying to get this moving. We are aware of the

urgency and the need, Mr. Speaker. With that I would like to give him my assurance again.

Thank you. Question period is over. I had to defer some of the questions of Members, identifying certain Members, because the appropriate Ministers were not here for those questions. I would appreciate it if the Government House Leader would ensure while question period is on that the Ministers remain so they can give all the Members the opportunity to ask those questions. Mr. Todd.