Thank you. Oral questions. Mr. Miltenberger.

The Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I understand my performance yesterday was not quite up to par, so if it was not, I apologize to my colleagues. I will try to improve that as we proceed on this important initiative. The economic strategy, we are hopeful that we will have a first draft by the end of September in relationship to some of the work that is being done, both by Bailey and Associates and some of the subcontractors.

In parallel with that, we are working with, and I did not get a chance yesterday to speak to, we are working with Ottawa because a key component to this thing is to convince Ottawa that the strategy that we have to give us a renewed fiscal relationship with them. We need to convince the powers to be, specifically Mr. Martin and Ms. Stewart, that this is an important initiative particularly at this time for the Western Territory. So we are also working with Mr. Robinson, who helped us in the formula financing arrangements as well as a couple of others. So we are hoping to have at least a first draft around the end of September.

I will be making a speech on this issue next week sometime. We are hoping at that time then to get broad consultation with not only the House, and other parties who I have been talking to over the summer and hopefully conclude a strategy for this government to proceed and to move forward with. I am hoping that we will have the opportunity to at least have an initial discussion with Mr. Martin, who I will be meeting with on the 21st and 22nd of October prior to him coming to Yellowknife to sign off on the formula finance arrangements. Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I tried to say, and did not say it well obviously yesterday, this is an integrated approach that requires sort of an overall coordination by myself. It is not a singular initiative on my part. Mr. Kakfwi, Mr. Antoine, Mr. Dent and, of course, the Premier are co-partners in this process. The western governance issue, I believe, the Premier will speak to next week in a detailed form, so I would not want to pre-empt anything the Premier has to say.

What I will say is the Finance Minister is an intricate part of certainly our overall strategy to enter into the non-renewable resource tax window that is essential, particularly to the Western Territory if my projections are correct that your revenue base in the coming years will end up somewhat flat. We are going to have to find new sources of revenue. In the world I live in, you cannot not move forward on a strategy that will provide us, hopefully with a window for revenues related to non-renewable resources without some resolution to western governance because of claims issues, self governance issues et cetera.

As I said yesterday, it is going to require an integrated approach and as I just said, I believe the Premier will speak next week to this thing in more detail. I would prefer if my honourable colleague would wait until that time so that he will understand what the government's position is through the eyes of the Premier.

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

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As politicians, you certainly want to get some short-term objectives that can be translated back to your constituents at large. I think Mr. Kakfwi and others will be able to speak to that, I believe later on next week, particularly as it relates to an EDA agreement, et cetera. That is some short-term important gains that we can make on negotiations.

The way I envision the economic strategy, it is a long-term strategy that lets us enter into a new relationship with the federal government that brings about less dependence on transfer payments and gives us an opportunity to benefit from the non-renewable resource growth that is currently taking place in this country. So, for me it is a strategy for not just today, but for tomorrow and future generations. That is why I keep emphasizing it is a new fiscal relationship that we have to develop. That is going to take some time. We need to develop the substantiation for it, the arguments for it and that is what the consultants are doing right now. We need to put in place a political strategy that ensures that we are on the agenda, on the national agenda, which is a difficult one to be with Mr. Martin and Ms. Stewart. We need to have them join us in this important road that we want to go down.

So this is not just a simple re-assessment of the programs that Mr. Kakfwi does or I do or others do, this is the larger issue that relates to new relationship that makes you less dependant and rewards you for the development of new resources out there so you can continue to deliver the programs and services that your constituents have come to expect. To create economic opportunity, new jobs, et cetera. That is the intention of this strategy, as well as a re-examination of what we are currently doing. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Todd.

As I said in my earlier response to the question, this is a collaborated effort by all Ministers. It has just been coordinated through my department because of the fiscal relationship and how it all ties in at the end of the day to the way in which we get our grants from the federal government. It is important to just remind everybody certainly four percent of the dollars we get come from the federal government at the present time. I do not think that will change significantly with the division of two territories.

It is important just to remind everybody of that and what the intention here is, is to move forward in an aggressive way to coordinate future growth hence the reason why Mr. Antoine is being given dollars and the mandate to move forward on a roads to resources project that has been talked about for years, but it has been done in conjunction with the overall strategy of what we are trying to accomplish with the federal government.

At the same time, we need to be able to back up our arguments. Mr. Dent has been talking to me for weeks regarding the need to improve our success rate for example on employment and training. If dollars were put there, there would be a significant change in the way in which northern people are hired, et cetera. It is a collaborated effort. It is not just a simple re-examination of what we do and I am optimistic that if we are going to look beyond the next election and beyond tomorrow that we can develop a new fiscal relationship with federal government. There is certainly a desire in the power of two key federal ministers Mr. Martin and Ms. Stewart.

I am optimistic that this relationship can enfold, but it can happen without us being able to substantiate why it should happen, and that is what this is all about. I hope at the end of the day, my colleagues along this table will see that.

Oral questions. Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Minister responsible for FMBS and it relates to the P3 projects. Can the Minister tell me what is the delay in the Arviat project? We have been waiting for some time now to hear about an RFP for the health centre. Thank you.

The Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board, Mr. Todd.

Mr. Speaker, I apologize to my colleague. I genuinely want to get these projects settled a lot sooner than what we have, however, there have been some complications. My understanding is the RFP will be out next week in the Arviat health centre, but I want to say the date because it is important that I clarify it. While this government is moving forward in this important initiative, which my colleague has talked to many times in this House, it does require the sign-off of the Interim Commissioner.

I am seeking clarity from Mr. Anawak on his participation in this important Public Policy Initiative that we are moving forward on. I apologize for it being late tender call. It will be out next week. I am optimistic we can seek result to this thing as quickly as we can and move forward in getting this new health care facility in Arviat on the ground in 1999. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. O'Brien.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the Interim Commissioner has a signing authority for approximately $400,000. If we are talking about a $4 million health centre, how will this be accomplished? Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think that we did in a meeting in Rankin Inlet of the division meeting we had in Rankin with Ms. Stewart, indicate to her in support the Interim Commissioner's Office requests for additional fiscal authority. In effect, Mr. Anawak, I have to be a little cautious speaking on his behalf, up until that point only had the equivalent spending authority of the assistant deputy minister at federal level. It came quite clear, I think at least to me and to others, that if he is going to be able to move forward on initiatives to get the operations of government up and running, that he required greater fiscal authority and that arrangement was being worked out as we speak. I hope at the end of the day when the government in conjunction with the Interim Commissioner selects an appropriate proponent for this project, will be able to sign off and get it done. Thank you.