Agreed.

Thank you, Mr Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the Budget Address on page 15, Mr. Todd indicates the fiscal position and then gives notes to the fiscal position of this government. I understand that in 1994-1995 the $1.2 million and the actuals was the fiscal position at that time of budgetary revenues. For 1998-1999 we are actually looking at about a $60 million decrease. However, it would seem from the notes in the Budget Address that, indeed, Mr. Todd is hoping to receive extra revenue from the sale of assets of this government. I am wondering, has he identified the assets that are for sale and are those, indeed, en-factored into his fiscal position?

I surely would, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, if you remember, when we undertook to sell off the staff housing it was a two-year exercise. We are anticipating there will be a revenue with the remaining sales of the staff housing out there. There may be some, I made provision within the budget for that. There also may be some assets this government over and above that, will sell that are coming into review by Cabinet. So that is what the provision is for there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the recoveries included in the pie graph on page 21 of the Budget

Address, on bullet 3, indicate the sale of government assets. I would assume that indeed when we last looked at the staff housing sales, he had almost reached the saturation point on the sales. So I am wondering if he has identified other items of this government for sale, for example, buildings, office complexes, warehouses? Is that, indeed, what he is talking about during the recoveries?

No, Mr. Chairman. The reality is it was a two year exercise to sell the staff housing. There is still a considerable amount of housing that has to be sold. I am optimistic that most of it will be going and there is no massive sell off of other government assets besides this government's policy to get out of staff housing. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, then is there any program or proposal being put forward by this government to look at selling off warehouses, office buildings, et cetera? Thank you.

The government is, as my honourable colleague knows, looking at possible options, particularly for Yellowknife because of the surplus office facilities that are here. There is no major evaluation of the sell off of government assets across the territories. No.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, Mr. Chairman, I am indeed aware of some talk of the sell off of some assets. I wonder when Mr. Todd will be presenting those to the public or when they will be brought up here in the Legislative Assembly, mentioning what assets in buildings, and so on, will be available for sale and put into the consolidated revenue fund of this government? Thank you.

As I said, Mr. Chairman, there is no strategy or policy with respect to the massive sell off of territorial-wide assets that belong to the government. There is some consideration being given within the Yellowknife constituency because of the overabundance of office facilities that the Minister of Public Works and others are looking at, at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, no, I did not say at any time there would be a massive sell off of any assets. What I did ask, in my previous question, I was wondering when Mr. Todd would make available the items, the assets that you are contemplating selling off so that, indeed, we would have a chance to look at them, that the people of the Northwest Territories would have a chance to see what assets we are speaking about. So, that was my question.

Well as I said, Mr. Chairman, I believe the Department of Public Works is currently looking at the office facilities in Yellowknife. I would imagine when that comes forward it would be available to the Members. I could

check with the Minister of Public Works when he expects that document to be finalized, so the Members could have access to it. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a question to the Minister of Finance regarding staff housing. When the government started selling staff housing, there were about 562 units to be sold, if I remember correctly. Can the Minister tell me how many houses have been sold to this date? Thank you.