Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question today is for the Premier. I would like to ask him a question about the concern many of the civil servants have all over the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the previous government, after they engaged in major job cuts, introduced what is known as a no lay-off policy within the civil service. My question today to the Premier is whether or not he plans to introduce a new policy, or will the no lay-off policy remain in effect? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The no lay-off policy was a policy that was set out by the previous government. It was intended to stay in effect until the end of the last government. We have indicated in discussions with our senior managers that there are no plans, at this time, to make changes to the size and the structure of our civil service. In some ways, the policy is considered to still be in effect, although it is not a policy of this government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Could the Premier confirm whether or not the voluntary separation agreement packages that were practiced by employees who were having to be laid off in the last government would be available for any employees laid off during this government? Could the Premier indicate, if there are any layoffs or any need for cuts which we currently are unaware of, would the employees have the ability to exercise such an option? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Since there is no lay-off policy in place, there is no need to consider whether or not this would be something that would be available to staff who would be considered for lay-offs, since there is no intent to lay-off staff at this time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. The Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Premier and Minister responsible for Economic Development.

In my Member's statement, I made reference to the positive news that is coming out of the Beaufort Delta. There is a real interest being shown by the oil and gas industry to return to the Beaufort Delta to start developing the oil and gas potential we have.

Mr. Speaker, one of the strongest economic indicators we have is that it has been almost 20 years since the Beaufort oil and gas development really took place. With the good news we are hearing, it is critical this government takes the same initiative it did with the diamond industry, and put block dollars in place for training and secondary industries, to ensure this government get as much potential out of that development as we can.

With that Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister to ensure we get the best economic benefit out of these developments. This government should seriously consider improving the oil and gas development at the department secretariat by putting new human resources and dollars into the oil and gas sector so we can be on the same footing as the diamond industry. Will the Premier consider looking at that?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Premier Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is true that, until recently, there was no substantive interest in oil and gas development in the Northwest Territories. The industry has returned very quickly. There has been substantive interest shown in the Liard area in the last two years and, more recently, in the Beaufort Delta as well as the Sahtu.

In recent years, we have put some resources towards ensuring the interest in diamonds could be enhanced through work we want to do, to make sure there were substantive benefits returning to us through our limited means. We have done that. We need to try to be able to sustain that.

It is also true the returns in oil and gas development would be more substantive for the Territories, due to the nature and size of the oil and gas industry and its impact on our economy.

We also have signalled the aboriginal leaders and communities that we will work in tandem with them. It is not for us to go out unilaterally, advocating oil and gas development in the Sahtu, for instance, on Gwich'in lands or Inuvialuit lands. Where there is interest, and the industry is prepared for the aboriginal groups, we are prepared to work in partnership with them. We are prepared to look at ways in which we could allocate more resources to oil and gas development.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I believe one of the greatest potentials we have in the North is our people. The Beaufort Delta has some very productive people working in the oil and gas industry, judging from previous experience. I would like to ask the Minister what has he done to improve the economic well-being of the people in the Mackenzie Delta? Has he given any consideration of looking at programs such as training initiatives, grants to small businesses, and also ensuring we develop infrastructure in the region to take on the developments when they happen?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In our recent discussions with aboriginal leaders, we know that, while they are interested in promoting development in their regions, they are also not positioned very well to make maximum use of the opportunities that could become available.

For instance, the chiefs have signaled they are prepared to support the pipeline proposal down the Mackenzie Valley. However, they have conditions. They want to manage the project. They want to find the business partners of their choosing to work with. They would like to have substantive ownership of that pipeline and to reap substantive benefits from the development and management of that pipeline. This means there needs to be substantive resources available to the aboriginal leadership in the next year or two, not five or ten years from now.

We have made suggestions to the aboriginal leaders as recently as yesterday. We are prepared to work with them to develop a strategy on how all of us, as aboriginal northern governments, can position ourselves where we can access the necessary dollars and resources to pave the way for orderly development, for development that is going to benefit aboriginal communities, aboriginal leaders, aboriginal corporations, as well as the businesses of the North and the Government of the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to know if this government will consider putting the human resources and the resources towards developing a regional office, say in Inuvik, so we have people from the Government of the Northwest Territories where the developments are taking place. I would like to ask the Premier, will he consider looking at establishing an oil and gas secretariat or office which will take people out of the Yellowknife office and put them in the regions where the developments are taking place?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Premier, Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This government is committed to working with the Members of the Legislature to set priorities. We have agreed we will try to meet to define the priorities that all Members are willing to support some time in March. Based on that, the government will start to plan where the budget priorities will be when we present it in June. We have indicated to the aboriginal leaders at our meetings yesterday that we are prepared to do that with them as well.

Most importantly, we have indicated this government is not in a position to prepare adequately for the recognition, the negotiation and the implementation of self government agreements and institutions without additional resources being made available. We believe aboriginal governments are not in a position to negotiate the implementation and the recognition of aboriginal governments without some injection of dollars, without some sense they will have dollars coming to them so they can set up their institutions and their governments.

Aboriginal people, aboriginal governments, this government and Northern people in general need a new source of additional revenues, so we can prepare our government, our people and our communities for the developments we are indicating we want to initiate.

The Member is highlighting some of the priorities that the communities and regions are indicating. Some communities need airports, roads, and training dollars for their people. They need additional money for education. Even impacted communities like Rae, where there has been a large number of jobs created through their deals with BHP Incorporated, they also recognize the social impact is there. They need additional resources to deal with the social impact of development that is currently being felt.

We understand we need to prepare and we need to get resources for our people and our governments. This has been the message we are sending, assuring the aboriginal leaders that we met with yesterday. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe it is essential we try to be prepared for development. We need to have people trained and in place, so we do not get caught training people and finding out the project has already been concluded.

I think it is essential this government and this Minister, who is responsible for the oil and gas development, look at the economics these developments create. The people in my riding have been waiting over 20 years to get a job in the oil and gas industry. The opportunities are coming. They want to get those jobs. They do not want to be on welfare or income support.

We either can pay the piper by putting people to work, getting them jobs so they pay taxes to this government or continue to keep people on income support. The people I represent ....

. Mr. Krutko, this is your final supplementary. Could you get to the question, please?

I am trying to lead into the question, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Krutko, if you could just go directly to the question. This is your third supplementary.