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

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question of the ratification process is that the whole process of community consultation and revising the rolling draft, and once it is finalized to the point where we feel we could offer it to the public in the western NWT, then there will be a ratification process. That process has now been talked about in the form of a vote of some sort, and we still have not really come out with a mechanism on how that is going to happen. There are different examples of ratification processes that have been in the north. The different claiming groups, the different formulas on how they have ratified their own claims. The Inuvialuit have their own process. The Gwich'in, the Sahtu, and the Dogribs also have gone through their own process. Those are used as examples of how we will determine the percentages at the end of the ratification process. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions, Mr. Miltenberger.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Let me try to put it in context. The Nunavut leadership meetings that are taking place in February in Cambridge Bay and its predecessors, in which Nunavut Caucus, NIC and NTI have been the principal partners in the discussions, each of these organizations have funded themselves. The territorial government, per se, has not funded the total conference. NTI funded its expenditures, et cetera. But it is fair to say that there was some financial assistance sought from the MSB and from the Nunavut Caucus to assist in that, although, in my understanding it was not a significant amount of dollars. I want that to be said in that context. I would be very comfortable in saying that I believe there would be support within Cabinet and the FMB and with this ministry, to assist the western constitution process with similar support, as I have laid out, that is currently provided to the Nunavut Leaders' Summit. Yes. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Roland.

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

First of all, let me say that the days off that were negotiated under the collective arrangement, I think it would be fair to say was a resounding success. Any employees that I have talked to were very appreciative of the fact that arrangement was made and I think through the joint efforts of the UNW and ourselves, I think we were able to make arrangements so that peoples pay cheques would continue. It is my understanding, and again, I qualify this by saying I stand to be corrected, it is my understanding that continuous employees are people who are working shift work or working things like correctional facilities, et cetera, and that their pay continues on, so therefore, they do not get the five days but they get the same amount. I have to get this right and my colleague did warn me that this question was coming. Mr. Speaker, I have to take the question as notice. This is the second one that I have taken as notice and I am disappointed in myself. I apologize to my colleague for not having the answer today, I will take the question as notice, because I know it is an important one and report back to him tomorrow. Thank you.

Thank you. The question is taken as notice. Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is to the Minister responsible for FMBS, Mr. Todd. It is regarding the sale of staff housing. I believe the sale of staff housing was to contribute to the income of the government this present fiscal year and next fiscal year. Can the Minister update us on where the sale of staff housing is at as regards to this fiscal year that we are presently in? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

It gives me pleasure to say that the sale of staff housing is, believe it or not, a resounding success. I would like to publicly commend the real estate agents that are out there working hard to sell the houses on behalf of this government. Perhaps I should have done that months ago, and we would not be in this position we are in today. But, the sale of staff housing is going very, very well right now. There will be, obviously, some people that are disappointed, because they have chosen not to, for a variety of reasons, purchase their homes. There are a variety of community based and regional based organizations purchasing these units where the employees choose not to. I am pleased to say that to the credit of all of these organizations that are purchasing them are either community owned or regionally owned by northerners. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I realize that the NWT Housing Corporation has got a down payment assistance program where the government will offer, or give to candidates for purchase of homes, their down payment. Has there been any use made of this program for the sale of staff housing? Has anyone made use of the down payment assistance program to purchase staff housing? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker. Well of course, Mr. Speaker, I think that the deal that we have given to our employees is an excellent one, and I would hope that we would not give them any other incentive, when you consider that with some of them are getting them for 25 to 45 cents on the dollar. I have said on many occasions, both in the House and out of the House, it is inconceivable to me how some people have not purchased them. It is a unique opportunity that no other government in Canada has given its employees, and I think it would be safe to say that the incentive that we have given them through the reduction in the appraised value, and the fact that we are asking them to make an offer on it, and we are prepared to purchase it back if they want to leave, that is about all the incentive they need and I do not believe that there is any further incentive through a down payment assistance program, although I will double check with my colleague, Mr. Arlooktoo.

In my discussions with some of the Inuit owned development corporations, none of which I am associated with, I mean I say for public record because there are those who are accusing me of that, are actually actively giving those mortgages through the conventional banks and through some of the people that were assisting us, for example in the rural fund. So I am very, very pleased with the fact that, from Clyde River to Tuktoyaktuk, we are going to see locally owned, both individuals and groups owning these units and providing cost effective, affordable housing to our employees. And at the same time, meeting the targets that we set of 27 million in revenues to meet our deficit elimination strategy. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Oral questions. Oral questions. Mr. Henry.

No, thank you.

Mr. Steen. Oral questions.