Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, first we have to find out the rationale, as I indicated, on why there would have been some change in the delivery of this program. If we feel that they are not valid then at that point, we will have to address the situation and try to remedy the problem. So I think there are assurances there for community involvement and I respect that if it is a decision made that is totally unacceptable to the communities then the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board would be compelled to try to justify that decision and try to make any changes, even reinstatement of the program if it was felt that it was required and one of the priorities of the communities, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you. Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can make the commitment to the honourable Member that once I have the information I will sit down with them and discuss it with them and I can make the commitment that I will speak to the Inuvik Regional Health and Social Services Board and have them arrange for consultations or discussions with the community leaders on these program changes, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you. The Member for Baffin Central, Mr. Enuaraq. (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Good morning, colleagues. My question will be directed to the Honourable Mr. Todd. In regards to government staff housing sales, what is the status on the sale of government staff housing to date? Thank you. (Translation ends)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I think a general comment will be that we are very pleased with the status of the sale of staff housing. As a matter of fact, it partially enabled us to move forward on that Employment Strategy Initiative that I announced earlier this week. It would also be fair to say that there are still some minor glitches out there in some of the communities and we are working closely with each individual situation in an effort to once and for all get out of what we call staff-owned housing, although I do want to assure my colleagues that the government policy is still to continue with the leasing of housing units. But certainly from an ownership perspective, it has gone very well and I would like to publicly thank our employees and those developers who have purchased the units, aiding us with our deficit elimination strategy. Thank you.

(Translation) Thank you. Do you have a supplementary to your question, Mr. Enuaraq? (Translation ends)

(Translation) Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for the clarification on the staff housing. In addition, in Clyde River Apitak Development Corporation wanted to buy some staff houses to rent them. Has that been settled yet? Thank you. (Translation ends)

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know this issue and certainly everybody knows my position in this House. I am a strong advocate of aboriginal constituency being involved in the private sector and this is an opportunity for that particular development group which is homegrown in Clyde River to own the properties. The actual status of whether they have actually got them now or do not, I do not have that information in my hands but certainly the desire of the government is that given they are locally homegrown that they would purchase the units and we would assist them in doing that. At the same time we need to ensure that we protect our tenants, that the rents are affordable at the end of the day and we are attempting to do that at the same time. Thank you.

Qujannamiik. Thank you. Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Well, as they say in the music business, Mr. Speaker, it takes two to tango. Certainly, I think I indicated yesterday that myself as the Finance Minister and my department feel that this could be, as my colleague indicated, a long drawn out, costly, protracted exercise if it gets too far along and, at the end of the day, where are we? However, at the same time I also said that given my understanding the previous governments were close to an arrangement and for whatever reason, it did not happen. At the time, it is my understanding that it was fiscally affordable. But if there is an expectation out there that we simply cannot afford it then you end up doing the kinds of things that we are doing. I would suggest to my colleague, I publicly said yesterday, that we are prepared to move forward. Really it is up to the other parties to come to the table if they are interested but they have to come to the table with a clear understanding of affordability.

You said earlier that if it ends up where there is a huge fiscal cost attached to this for a variety of reasons, let me assure you, it will mean less jobs, not more jobs, it will mean less services, not more services because our fiscal condition of this government, even though we have contained the spending, is still strained to the limit and there is no big pot of gold at the end of the rainbow as we move towards 1999. We think we are being fiscally responsible, the other parties have to be the same. So the short of it is, yes but we have to wait for the other parties to see if they are interested.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Well they have got their scribe in the House who is, I am sure, making copious notes as it relates to my response to your question and I am on video. I mean the bottom line is we are prepared to make the overture but I want to stress again, as it relates to affordability. I mean if they do not come to the table with affordability, what do you want me to do, lay off another 1,000 people? I do not think that is an acceptable issue right out there. Do you want me to reduce more services? I do not think that is acceptable out there. So what I am saying is, we are ready to come to the table. If the other parties are with an open mind about affordability, I am sure we can come to a reasonable conclusion. And it if comes with an open mind, with affordability in mind, we can come to a quick resolution. Thank you.

Thank you. Second supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I want to be very clear, specifically my comments relate to pay equity, they do not relate to the other issue. I would suggest to you that I can draft a letter saying to the UNW President, Ms. Jackie Simpson, "are you prepared to come to the table?" I understand it will be entering into new negotiations fairly soon, probably late August or the fall, and I would hope that would be one part of the negotiations. Now I cannot preempt any discussions on that but I will certainly discuss the matter with my deputy, Mr. Voytilla and I am prepared to take some initiative here but it has to be conditional. Again, I emphasize to everybody, we spent 18 months of pure agony and not only in this House but the public at large. If it is affordable and it is equitable, I am prepared to come to the table. If it is unrealistic and it is pie in the sky, I am simply not. Thank you.

Thank you. Second supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.