Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is to the Premier of the Northwest Territories and has to do with my Member's statement today regarding increasing the speed limit on the portion of highway between the Alberta border and Rae-Edzo.

Mr. Speaker, I would refer to the Hansard of May 26, 1998. It was in a response, by the then Minister of Transportation, our present Premier, Mr. Antoine, and it was in response to questions I had asked about increasing the speed limit. The Minister of the day said, and I quote "The department's view has been that we should wait until the whole system is complete between Edzo and Yellowknife before we revisit that again, increasing the speed limit." I also note, in yesterday's Hansard, on a question to Mr. Steen, where I asked where these changes would be implemented. Mr. Steen noted, and I quote "the department is considering all aspects of the motion, including the effect of increasing the speed limit on the highway."

Mr. Speaker, I would remind the Premier that not only was there support for this initiative, we in this House passed legislation to that effect. My question to the Premier and it is not cynical, Mr. Speaker, my question to the Premier is, I want the Premier to tell me, and the people of the Northwest Territories, who is running this show? Is it the Legislature or the Department of Transportation? Thank you, Mr. Speaker

Mr. Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Government of the Northwest Territories takes the direction of the Legislative Assembly very seriously

--Applause

and in regard to the bureaucracy, they are there to give us the best advice that they could give us. Based on the advice, we will determine what to do, but the ultimate decision rests with the Cabinet. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Henry.

Thank you Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when that legislation was introduced in the past, it was very clear that the increasing of the speed limit was on the portion of the highway between the border and Rae-Edzo. Mr. Speaker, it was worded in such a way to give the Minister of Transportation the prerogative to increase it as he saw fit, but it was clear that it was a request to have that speed limit increased between the border and Fort Rae. My question to the Minister is, will he direct the Minister of Transportation, sorry, Mr. Speaker, to the Premier, will he direct his Minister of Transportation and the Deputy Minister of Transportation, to bring back a plan to implement a speed increase to 100 kilometres per hour on the portion of the highway between the border and Fort Rae? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I prefer to work with the other Ministers in the Cabinet and not necessarily direct them to do certain things, as well as the direction of the Legislative Assembly. It is the prerogative of the Minister to work with his department. You have to realize that we are a new Cabinet, and this legislation was passed last fall in November or December, so I think the advice of the bureaucracy is that we should try to wait until things thaw out so that the road condition stabilizes as well as taking into consideration the safety factor.

However, I could commit that I will work with my Minister of Transportation and look at the new speed limit to those sections of the highway that have been reviewed by the department, the Highway 1 and Highway 3, Alberta border to the Rae-Edzo area. I will make a commitment that we will review it and make a commitment to come forward within three weeks to you, to the rest of the Legislative Assembly, with a decision that will come along with looking at this section of the highway. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

The Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister had indicated that the Arctic Trading Company had its funding reduced. Presumably that has resulted in some repercussions to the company. What kind of changes have been made to reflect the reduced funding? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I can appreciate that there is no business plan done yet, however, I imagine that people are still selling goods from these subsidiaries, as they are supposed to be doing. If your budget has been cut in half, or in one quarter, or one tenth or whatever, you usually reduce. So what I want to know is, how has the Arctic Trading Company reduced or downsized or whatever you want to call it in order to react to the reduction in its funding? Thank you.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to thank the Minister for the reassurances that he is not going to be cutting money to the subsidiaries. However, I did not say one word or ask any questions or make any comments about the subsidiaries or the money going to the subsidiaries. The Minister has cut the funding to the Arctic Trading Company. How have they reduced their costs? Have they shut down some stores? Have they laid off all of their employees? That is all I want to know.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Oral questions. Mr. Morin.