Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we will try to get back to the honourable Member with some plan of action within a week. If not, it will be within the next couple of weeks, but we would like to say within a week. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we are developing a strategy on how to follow through with the motion. As you will recall, the motion calls for a number of different things that could be options on how to pursue this. We will look at this particular case. The case has been going on for some time, so we would like to review it as a government and see what has been done and who has been contacted, let us say, within the federal government, who has been handling this on our behalf. So it will take some time, but we will try to get back to the honourable Member within a week on the possible course of action and how to act on this motion. Thank you.

Oral questions. Final supplementary. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, like I said, the motion was just done last week. We have not done that yet. We would like to develop a strategy on how to approach it before we take any action. Thank you.

Oral questions. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question will be to the Premier. Mr. Premier, there are certain acts that are developed through this Legislative Assembly to govern a way that the government governs day to day. While I fully understand that Ministers cannot be expected to know every detail within their department, I would expect that Ministers are in general knowledge of the acts that guide their governments and any department. Do you require the Ministers at all to read the acts that are a part of their department? Should they make themselves aware of those acts or not? Thank you.

The Premier.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are many, many acts and regulations and directives within this government. Surely, Ministers should be familiar with all of them. However, I do not know whether any Ministers have read all the acts that they are responsible for, but certainly they have to be familiar with the acts that they are responsible for. I would say that yes, it would be good if all the Ministers read all the acts in all their portfolios, however, some of the acts are very long and very technical, but there are key parts within each act that the Minister should be familiar with. If not, the deputy ministers or the presidents of their different corporations that we have hired are in place, there are staff in place, policy people in place within each department and agencies that are familiar with these acts, and their responsibility is to carry it out.

The responsibilities of the Ministers are political. We give political directions to our departments and our development corporations, our agencies. The responsibility of the deputy ministers and the president is to be familiar with the actual technical aspects of all the acts and all the regulations that run their respective departments. Yes, certainly the Ministers should be familiar with the acts that they are responsible for. Thank you.

Oral questions. Supplementary. Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have had an opportunity to review the Northwest Territories Development Corporation Act over the past few days . Also, Mr. Speaker, I was checking back in the files and checking on questions that were in the House on tabled documents. Also, Mr. Speaker, there were the ministerial guidelines that were tabled in the previous sessions.

As well, Mr. Speaker, I had asked the written question in this House to the Premier on what guidelines or what programs and policies the Minister of RWED used to direct the purchase of a $17,500 handicraft in his home riding, in his riding. In response, Mr. Premier, I received from the Premier a letter saying that the proper policies and programs were followed, but I looked all over the place and I could not find a policy. I could not find a program that enabled the Minister of RWED to have a slush fund or an amount of money at his fingertips that he can spend in his riding. Do all Ministers have this? Did I miss something out, or did I miss out on something there? Do they have to follow the exact programs and policies of the government? Are there funds available for Ministers to purchase handicrafts in their riding and, if so, is there a cap to it? Is it at all available to any other Ordinary Members? Thank you.

I am sorry, the question is out of order. It is a new question. Oral questions. Mr. Erasmus.

The Premier.

Thank you, yes.

Oral questions. Supplementary. Mr. Erasmus.

Thank you. I would like to thank the Premier for not beating around the bush. How long does he expect his Ministers to take to rectify contraventions of the act? Thank you.

Mr. Antoine.