Mr. Chairman. There were a number of questions that were asked by Members yesterday and I would like to make a presentation.

Thank you. Keeping in mind, you will be responding to Mr. Erasmus after the presentation is given. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do not have all the information that was requested yesterday, but the department has done the best they can in the short time available. I would like to hand out a number of documents that were asked for. The first is some preliminary information on 1996-97 entitled, Public Works and Services, 1996-97 Construction Operation and Maintenance Contracts over $5,000. The second is entitled, Yellowknife Office Space Inventory of Major Leases. It shows the lease cost for 12 major leases in Yellowknife, broken down, into base rents and utilities. The third document is titled, Yellowknife Office Space Planned Space to be Vacated by Year 2002. This document provides information on where and when leases will be dropped and when buildings will be sold over the next few years to reduce our inventory by 88,000 square feet by the year 2002. Members asked questions yesterday about our options paper submitted to Cabinet on July 31, 1997. Some Members felt Cabinet was being asked to approve the extension of existing leases as well as other components of the plan. In fact, the document did not request approval for extension of existing leases. I was asked to provide copies of the option paper so Members could see for themselves. I regret I cannot provide a copy of the document as it is a Cabinet paper. However, I can quote directly from the paper to help Members understand which approvals were requested.

Here are some words from the interdepartmental section of the paper. The spreadsheet attached shows the potential distribution of departments in the residual GNWT leases and is supplied for illustration purposes. Following approval by Cabinet, it will be necessary to work with each deputy minister to fine tune their space requirement and satisfy their individual needs within the overall plan.

In addition, in the recommendation section, I will quote from the item related to long-term leases. The wording of the recommendation asks Cabinet to approve the consolidation of departments into existing long-term leases and exercise options to extend further favourable leases up to division. However, in the document, was there any indication of which leases were considered to be favourable? I have attached one of the spreadsheets from the Options Paper, which is titled: Appendix B. It was an option that was approved and shows how departments could hypothetically be accommodated in a variety of existing and new leases that would be entered into, through the competitive process. This document was for illustrative purposes, and the final plan, which was approved in January, 1998, includes some changes because further consultation with deputy ministers resulted in some increases to the amount of space that was needed. With that, I would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I would like to respond to Mr. Erasmus. The response to Mr. Erasmus and his question about vehicle replacement is, in various communities, we do replace vehicles and only in the areas where we still provide the services. These are only Public Works vehicles. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Erasmus, do you have further questions or comments before I recognize Mr. Steen? Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. My question was in the area of vehicle replacement. Is there vehicle replacement in the communities where DPW no longer provides vehicles?

Thank you, Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the vehicle replacement is only in areas where Public Works and Services are still providing services. Thank you.

Thank you. Assets management. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is the department able to ascertain whether the unit cost is higher now that there are fewer vehicles to purchase since in most of the larger communities, DPW no longer provides vehicles as I understand it?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

I am told we have not noticed any increase in the costs of the vehicle replacement even though we only do the regional centres where we are still providing the service. Thank you.

Thank you. Operations and maintenance, total operations and maintenance. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Does this only include the actual purchase of vehicles or maintenance as well?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, in the operations and maintenance of asset management, there is provision for maintenance of these vehicles. In the asset management, capital, there are purchases of new vehicles as well. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. For the areas where the vehicles are no longer provided through DPW, have those communities indicated they have not received enough money for vehicle maintenance through the user-pay system?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am told we are assuming the funding is adequate, since this department has not received any feedback one way or the other on that. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Erasmus.

That is fine for now. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. On the asset management list, I have Mr. Steen.

Mr. Steen, would you please indicate the page number for the witnesses? Thank you.