Mr. Speaker, short answer for that is no. It was not part of our consideration.

Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Arlooktoo.

Mr. Speaker, we are starting immediately. The application process has been going on for quite some time. We have a backlog of people who would like to own their own homes and who could use the assistance. All over the territories we have started the process and the actual shipping and building of houses will start in the next four to six months.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Premier. On Monday, February 4, according to the unedited Hansard, I asked the Minister in charge of privatization: "what policy or direction this government was following on privatization?" From the unedited Hansard, Mr. Kakfwi said "there is a Cabinet direction given on privatization." From the same Hansard after I had asked for a copy of this Cabinet direction, the Speaker said, "I would like to remind Members regarding questions it says that a question must not seek information about matters which are secret, such as decisions or proceedings of Cabinet." Mr. Speaker, my question for the Premier is how does this house, the Ordinary Members, the general public, know if Cabinet direction is being followed if the direction or policy is not written down and made public? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Cabinet decision papers and decisions made in Cabinet are not for public consumption. They are not to be discussed in this House. They are confidential and that is how they are handled. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do know a little bit about the rules. I read the rule book as it were. I know the directions and discussions of the Cabinet are secret. My question is different. My question is if there is a policy on privatization and the only policy that is on our book that is public is from 1985, in various times over the past few weeks, myself, Mr. Ootes, and some other Members brought this up. We do not really know if we are following that policy because they say it is redundant and then they quote from it. I am asking how do I know what privatization scheme we are following, if we are following correctly, if I cannot see a policy or if I can see something written down? If it says for example, Mr. Speaker, we are selling off 15 glasses at $2.00 a glass, then that becomes public knowledge and we can check if we are selling those glasses at $2.00 a glass. My question is will the Premier be coming up with a policy within Cabinet, so privatization schemes with this government, which affects every resident of the Northwest Territories, is public so we can look at it and see if it is being followed?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. There is a policy on the books, I believe it is back in 1985. The policy in general is being followed and part of that policy says in Cabinet direction, the Cabinet can have direction and initiative, and that is what we have done. We made it very clear to the privatization initiative of our government what direction we have taken. It is my job as Premier to make sure the Ministers follow the direction. I am doing that. What else can I say to the Member? Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Picco.

Mr. Speaker, I do not want to get into a debate. It would be very difficult for me to know if the direction is being followed if I do not know what the direction is and I cannot see it. I referred back to the 1985 policy. I tabled it in the House so we could discuss that policy. The policy does not outline in broad strokes what you would do for privatization. Will the Minister tell us what is up for grabs for privatization? What different areas, other than the two that we are aware of at the present time, POL and property management, are under the privatization, so we can see where this idea is coming from?

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would hope the Member would not be thinking this House or the Members of this Legislative Assembly are scheming. We have government initiatives and government direction. It has been through this House and it has had the support of the Members of this Legislative Assembly and the privatization initiatives of this government. Any Cabinet decision that is made is transformed into policies and the policies themselves are for the public. With that, Mr. Speaker, I hope it answers the Member's question. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am not seeing boogey-men, I am not trying to create a crisis. I do not see conspiracies. All I am asking for is to see the policy. The Premier just told me they follow the policy and when the policies of this government are being followed, they are made public. When is he going to show me this privatization policy for 1997, not the one from 1985 that they were not talking about until I tabled it in the House, and then he said we are looking at it but they really are not because it is a new direction. We still do not know. When is he going to table this new policy and bring that forward for the people of the Northwest Territories to see? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member himself has tabled the policy on privatization that is on the books of this government right now. He has seen it. We have made a commitment to this Legislative Assembly that we will be looking at revising existing policies that are on the books as well as rights. We will be doing that. As soon as we finish that work, I am sure the Member will look forward to seeing it. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Krutko.

The Minister of the NWT Housing Corporation, Mr. Arlooktoo.