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

Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, it is kind of like an opera. There should be music to this. I know that in the pre-implementation exercise that is currently underway, we will identify a phased approach to the division of the territories. In that we will clearly identify the PYs, if that is what we are talking about, the bodies that are necessary to be put in place in certain areas prior to April 1, 1999. I would say, in fairness to everybody, that I do not see this as we are going to turn the lights on and give them the key to the house and everything is going to be in order. The reality is we are less than 20 months

away, there are a variety of players at the table besides ourselves, consensus needs to be reached and that is almost next to impossible these days, with all the parties. So we need to put a blueprint on the table for discussion. That is what we are attempting to do here. Then we will, as they say in politics, knock it around and try to come to some consensus on how we move forward. We need to make sure our employees in Yellowknife, and it is primarily Yellowknife and I understand this is Mr. Ootes' concern, the business community et cetera, are aware of it.

But certainly the intent of my office is to make sure it is done in an orderly way. You cannot load people on 747s and leave and then impose in the land of opportunity, in Mr. Picco's riding of Iqaluit, that hive of political activity and entrepreneurial fervour, we cannot just automatically land all these bodies and all those opportunities on his doorstep to the detriment of the rest of Nunavut. The intent here is to put a comprehensive, well laid out pre-implementation plan in place and again, I am emphasizing because it is important, bring all the players to the table to see if we can reach a consensus, and then move forward. Somebody said to me the other day that well, you know money seems to be the most critical issue. To me, the most critical issue is time, not money. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Ootes.

Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, in an ideal world we would hope that everybody will agree to whatever the blueprint is which will not happen in an orderly and timely way. There are just too many players at the table. It is going to take some negotiations, some give and take on all parties to reach some understanding of how we are going to move on this pre-implementation. My preference, as the Minister responsible for the division of the territories, would be that we move as early as this fall if it was at all possible. But certainly by the spring of 1998, at the latest, so we can get some government in place so that the new Legislative Assemblies can function. I think to delay it any longer would risk a great deal that I know this Assembly and all these Members do not want to risk. Thank you.

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

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Knowing the extent it takes to get some minor legislation through this House, I have no doubt, given the inability sometimes for us to come to a consensus and reach an agreement in an orderly way, that Mr. Ootes may in fact have his way. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. On behalf of Mr. Rabesca, I would like to recognize some visitors from Wha Ti. The Chief, Isadore Zoe and his council. Welcome to the Assembly.

-- Applause

Oral questions. Mr. Steen.

The Minister of Transportation, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we intend to put out a public tender for the Holman Island Terminal Building and as soon as we get the results of the tender documents, we will be able to move forward. The intention here is to try to have this project done in this year as much as possible. However, we have to wait until the tender documents are put forward in the beginning of July before we can really say what could happen. I understand the Member's concern of the communities, and we will try to do everything

we can to make sure that this project is done this year. Thank you.

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

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, by early July we should have an indication about how this project is going to be handled. At that point in time we will inform the community. Between now and then we will work with the communities and look at the possible scenarios of trying to get the materials on site. As you know, Mr. Speaker, Holman Island requires a sea lift of some sort to bring material in and we have to take that into consideration. Thank you.

Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Picco.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe my colleague has asked about the new decadent Legislative Assembly building that may be required for Iqaluit for our new Nunavut Legislative Assembly. That is an infrastructure issue, Mr. Speaker, and I do not really have an update on what NTI or the federal government is doing in relation to that facility.