I call the committee to order. For consideration in the committee of the whole, we have Bill 8, Appropriation Act, 1998-99; Committee Report 2-13(5); Committee Report 3-13(5); Committee Report 4-13(5); Committee Report 5-13(5); Tabled Document 15-13(5) and Tabled Document 19-13(5), P3 guidelines. Mr. Ootes, could you give me some direction on how the committee wishes to proceed?

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I move that we consider Tabled Document 15-13(5); followed by Bill 8, Appropriations Act and Committee Report 2-13(5), and when we are considering Bill 8, Appropriations Act that we continue with the Executive offices followed by Financial Management Board Secretariat and Aboriginal Affairs. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Does the committee agree? Mr. Todd.

Mr. Todd, it is my understanding that the committee would open the floor for comments on Budget Address, and then if there are none, we would revert back into Bill 8, Executive offices. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Todd, for your comments, but I believe I have a majority consensus that this is the way we will proceed. After a 15-minute break, we will proceed in that manner. Thank you.

--Break

I would like to call the committee back to order. We have before us for consideration Tabled Document 15-13(5) which is the Budget Address for 1998-99. Are there any more general comments on this particular item? Mr. Krutko.

My question is in regard to the private partners arrangement that has been tabled in the budget. There has to be some way of monitoring exactly how it is going to play out in regard to having some regulated in such a way we know exactly who is receiving these arrangements and also how the benefits are going to flow directly to the communities, especially in regard to the construction of the school in Fort McPherson where the big push there was to ensure that we have as many jobs generated from such a facility being built and ensuring the monies stay within the geographical region in regard to purchasing of materials, the generation of jobs and looking at a way of training the individuals in the smaller communities where we have high unemployment in the area of taking on apprentice programs when these opportunities come along and going for their journeyman tickets. I would like to ask the Minister in regard to the proposal, is there going to be criteria put there to ensure the communities will benefit to the maximum on any of these projects that take place within the ridings and the communities that these opportunities will happen? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Before I ask the Minister to respond, I would just like to remind Members that we have Tabled Document 19-13(5) which is the P3 guidelines. This particular type of question may also be posed at that time, but as it is mentioned in the Budget Address, I will put forward the question to the Minister? Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the whole construction industry I think one area we should concentrate our efforts on in regard to the possibility of looking toward 1,000 new houses and the whole area of the manufacturer industries that we have the potential of in a lot of our smaller communities. I am talking about the riding I represent where we do have timber resources that could be used to make a lot of these products locally and also generate a local industry, especially where we have high unemployment. In regard to the manufacturer businesses that do presently exist in Yellowknife and Hay River that are making door frames, windows, siding for buildings; I think that has to be looked at in context of these new opportunities, not only the P3 but also the whole housing industry has to look at the possibility of bringing down the cost of importing a lot of these goods and manufacturing them locally.

In regard to that area and the spin-offs that will come from that sector, I would like to ask the Minister exactly how does he see that fitting into the overall picture of these new initiatives?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the expenditure of the P3 initiative and also the other initiatives we have such as the housing proposal, will there be a limit on the expenditures of this government in regard to so much percent of the overall budget will be spent in that particular envelope at any one time or will there be a limit on how much we can spend in that particular area because, as you know the social envelope is still sky rocketing as to exceeding the 60 percent level of the overall budget? Is there going to be a cap on the costs of this program and the cost of the other programs in the budgets so we know there will be an actual percentage or amount allocated at any one time to this particular initiative that we do not exceed that amount?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Do you wish to respond, Mr. Todd?

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In regard to the way this program is going to be delivered, what kind of assurances can the communities have that there is going to be some portion of these monies allocated to any particular community or riding? Is there going to be a way that we know for a fact that not one region or one riding is going to be left out in the cold with nothing in that particular riding? Is there some means of ensuring that will be done so it will be of some comfort? In a lot of communities they have not seen any major infrastructure projects for a number of years which has had an effect on all our communities and I think there has to be some assurance made to, not only to ourselves in the House, but to the public out there that the communities will receive some way of knowing that there will be some percentage of these monies allocated to each of our ridings and communities we represent.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Your time is up Mr. Krutko. I recognize Mr. Picco.