Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Public Works and Services, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe that the Member requested some specific information from me as a Minister in regard to this particular agreement between the department and the community, and I do not have that information off hand, so I am going to have to take the Member's question as notice and get back to him with the exact information.

Thank you Mr. Minister. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will try this question again, and I will try not to be as specific. The question is for the Minister responsible for RWED. When this government loans money to people or companies from one of its lending agencies, we do not require publication of the amount, type of project, or expected repayment terms. This is common in other jurisdictions with public money. Can the Minister tell us why we would not want to publish this information?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, if the Member is referring to all the loans that we make to individuals and to businesses, is he suggesting that we print a list of how much people borrowed and under what conditions and so on? I think that could be very detrimental to the company in terms of their ability to carry on their business, where everybody knows all of their circumstances. We have as a practice not printed lists of everybody who has a loan with us. It is information that is considered to be confidential. As long as they are making their repayments, it remains between the entity that made the loan and the borrower. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not talking about the release of confidential information that could jeopardize the competitive advantage of a business, Mr. Speaker. The federal Department of Western Economic Diversification used to make such a press release at any time money was loaned. After all, this is public funds, Mr. Speaker. I do not understand. Could the Minister restate why he figures any information of any sort would jeopardize the competitive advantage of a business?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I am not familiar with the list that the Member refers to from Western Economic Diversification, but certainly in terms of any amounts of money that we are making as grants or amounts of money that we are putting into a particular initiative, we make those available. If it comes to specific information to a specific company, then we do not make that available. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I know they do not make it available but I am wondering why they would not. Clearly they could ask for written consent from a client before releasing this information. We do not have to spring this on anybody, but if I go to a chartered bank I think am expecting a different standard than if I go to the government for public money. Would the Minister not agree?

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, as a government, we do not make loans. We give grants and contributions. We lend money through the Business Credit Corporation. The Business Credit Corporation is a lender of last resort. The businesses have to go to the banks first and show us that they are not able to get the money through a conventional lending agency. So they come to the Business Credit Corporation very much as they would to a bank, except this is a last resort. We operate the Business Credit Corporation very much on the kind of guidelines that a bank would make. This is money that is loaned to companies. It is not money that we do not except them to pay back, but it is money we expect they will pay back with interest and we operate very much like a bank.

In terms of changing it and suddenly making or giving notice to borrowers that their name is going to be published and the amount they have borrowed will be published even though they make regular payments, I could take that under advisement and refer back to the department. As a practice, we have not done that up to now. We consider it to be a confidential matter between the business and the Business Credit Corporation and there is not, in our view, anything to be gained by making lists like that public unless, of course, there are some other extenuating circumstances. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Bell. Before that, I am a bit uncomfortable with the line of questioning that is going because I did caution the honourable Member about referring to a matter that was before the committee of the whole. It does relate very closely to a recommendation that is in this report that is before the committee. So I will allow the final supplementary, Mr. Bell, but be cautious of how you ask it.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I hear what the Minister is saying, but I see the big difference between the BCC and a chartered bank is that these are public funds. If we are looking to what end and for what reason would we publish this information, Mr. Speaker, it is clear to me for transparency and accountability. So I am still at a loss as to why we would not. Cursory information, amount, type of project, expected repayment term. Nothing that is going to compromise a business. Mr. Speaker, when he suggested that he would take it under advisement, I would appreciate it if he would and if he could just restate that he in fact intends to do that.

Thank you, Mr. Bell. The honourable Minister, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I say, the Business Credit Corporation Act is pretty specific that we do not release this kind of confidential information. At the same time, there is a clause in the Act that does say unless the business enterprise consents. Looking at that clause, I am willing to take this under advisement and have a look at it. If businesses consent to it, then I would like to talk to the department of it and see the merits of it. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. The time allocated for question period has expired. Item 7, written questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. A written question to the Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs. What funds have been offered to the Hamlet of Fort McPherson to help offset the high cost of the water system? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table the following document entitled A Human Resources Development Proposal Related to Non-Renewable Resources in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to table three documents this afternoon all regarding hotel tax. Mr. Speaker, the first document I would like to table is a letter from the Northwest Territories Hotel Association that I received on August 7, 2000, which outlines some of the hardships that will be experienced by the hotel operators all over the North, especially in Hay River and Fort Smith.