Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In regards to my statement, one of the things I do not see much of anymore is that this infrastructure building that the Premier talks about is all happening in Yellowknife. We do not see anything really happening in our communities. We are finding a lot of positions have been vacated, and monies are moved to the regional centres. The positions are taken out of the regions and the communities.

I would like to ask the Premier, what is he doing to ensure that he reinstates the numbers that were there before he starts compiling all these people in the government in Yellowknife? Will he seriously put something in place so there will be positions in the communities and the regions to help the social and economic problems we find ourselves in? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We had made a commitment to the Legislature that we would not initiate any changes without at least informing the Members. It is not proper for me to suggest that there are going to be whole scale changes made, because then the Members would be very upset and I would be in full retreat by now.

I am going on the assumption that all Members will be interested in looking at the idea of reorganizing regions to compliment the settlement of claims, the emergence of political organizations and aboriginal and regional governments.

We should look at the idea of making sure that the existing resources at the community and regional level are, if they can be, made more efficient and better utilized for services to communities. If there are ways of creating greater autonomy at the community and regional level, then we should do that, respecting the fact that the self-government negotiations are going on.

If the communities and regions wish for an initiative like that, we should be prepared to offer it. I am interested to know if the Legislature would give an indication like that. I believe that was what we had suggested in Fort Providence, but it is not categorical and clear to me.

I would be prepared to hear Members give that direction so that we can begin work like that. It is possible that we can look at making the government, at the headquarters level, more efficient. There are ways of becoming more accountable. We can look at ways we set targets and have instruments that can measure whether or not we have achieved those targets.

I would be prepared to look at initiatives like that. These are ideas that are floating around. We have had very little time to sit down and come up with ideas. and ensure that we have the proper planning to suggest ideas like that. I am looking forward to, sometime after the Session, when Cabinet may make suggestions like that amongst ourselves, when there might be more time to do proper planning. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, one of the things I noted in my opening comment is that we have seen some major cuts in the capital for my riding, and of some half a million dollars in transportation, the access road programs and the projects to assist communities. Yet, Mr. Speaker, we spend millions of dollars in these small communities on social or income support programs.

People do not want welfare. They want workfare. I want to know, why is the government using the formula they are using in highways and traffic, but do not really look at the social and economic needs of communities, ridings, and regions? Realizing that what little money they get really does offset the cost to this government on social payments we make in the communities, especially in the area of income support. In some communities, we are spending $2 million to $3 million.

I would like to know from this government, when will they change the concept that many of these bureaucrats have, that everything is based on a process and not really looking at the human needs? All the communities are asking for is to improve their lives, the social conditions, and to make it better for their children. When will this Premier consider looking at this as one of the options this government takes into account? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I always thought the government tried to operate in the best interests of everyone that they serve. The perception is sometimes that the government does not always do that. That is true. I have always believed that governments fundamentally try to do what is in the best interest of everyone they were elected to serve.

In the instance of the Mackenzie Delta, Fort McPherson specifically, there is one issue that I know the Member has asked for a quick response on, which is in regards to the difficulties of Fort McPherson with their water supply. We have assured the Member we would act quickly on that. I believe we have moved to fast track the capital so that all construction for a new water facility and a water supply system for Fort McPherson has been arranged for this year. That is one specific instance where we have tried, in the last two months, to respond specifically to Mr. Krutko's riding.

In general, on the area of the Mackenzie Delta in regards to economic development, we have been fully supportive of bringing the oil and gas companies back to do exploration and production work. We have recently moved to try to allocate additional dollars to the communities, to this government so that we can assist in getting our communities and regions ready for the oil and gas development that is coming in the next few months and years. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We talk about having a transparent government so people can realize we are accountable and open. Mr. Speaker, I really have a problem when I see new capital projects coming in the budget, especially when a lot of these projects are in the Ministers' ridings. I would like to ask the Premier, when will this practice stop so that people realize the projects should be where they have been distributed through a capital planning project? We see a lot of new capital projects coming forth, and the majority of those projects are in the Ministers' ridings. I would like to ask the Premier, when will you ensure that practice stops? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am not aware that there is a trend towards increasing capital allocations only in the Ministers' ridings. I do not believe that is true and certainly if it appears that way, it is not because there are Ministers in those particular ridings. It is because the government and the departments believe those are the areas where the capital projects are in greatest need and those are the priority areas. I do not accept the allegation the Member is making. Thank you.

Thank you, Premier Kakfwi. Before I go to the next honourable Member for questions, I would like to draw the House's attention to some of the rules governing question period. A question must be brief. It must not contain a preamble that exceeds carefully drawn sentences.

These are your rules. The answer as well should not be lengthy, it must be brief. I would like to remind the Members that when you go into long questions and long preambles, it does take away the opportunity for other Members to ask questions. With that in mind, item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question this afternoon is for the Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen. As I have stated in my Member's statement, Mr. Speaker the St. Patrick's Students Against Drunk Driving organization will be hosting the 11th Annual Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving Conference in Yellowknife in March, 2001.

They are also seeking to establish SADD chapters in Northwest Territories communities. Will the Minister inform this House how the government might support this SADD initiative and ensure that all Members have a better understanding on this positive approach by youth in dealing with the consequences of drinking and driving? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The Minister responsible for Youth, Mr. Allen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I get into the core of my answer, I would just like to mention to the Members that this is part of an example of how my portfolio integrates with the other departments. Specific to the Member's question, yes, in my capacity as Minister responsible for Youth, I received a request from the Yellowknife Students Against Drunk Driving group, requesting a luncheon meeting with the Members here in the Chamber. Mr. Speaker, I met this morning with the Minister Responsible For Transportation to seek support to hold the luncheon in the Great Hall.

That will occur on March 28, 2000, to which I will be sending out an invitation to all the Members here in the House to attend this very important function. From my information, the Yellowknife SADD group has raised a vigorous campaign over the past few years and certainly had a positive impact on reducing student's drinking and driving.

For this, Mr. Speaker, I applaud the SADD group's efforts in taking the lead in establishing SADD chapters across the North. I am pleased to hear that the youth group has also taken the initiative to host the Canadian Youth Against Impaired Driving Conference in Yellowknife in March, 2001. Mr. Speaker, the Yellowknife SADD group wishes to meet with the Members so that they can outline this worthwhile project and seek territorial support and involvement. Again, I encourage all Members in this House to attend this event, to meet with this youth group and offer their support to fight drinking and driving in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Allen. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is in regards to government information on positions and such. I will address it to the not as thin-skinned Minister responsible for Finance. Mr. Speaker, there are a couple of questions about excessive spending and stretch limos and the Premier gets all cranky. It must be because he is too tired. Too tired to be frisky, obviously.

-- Laughter

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister responsible for Finance is in regards to my statement today about the positions and the inability to get a clear sense of what they mean, how accurate they are, and whether or not they are credible. I would like to ask the Minister whether he would commit, at least for my constituency, to have his department look at those and somehow explain to me the dramatic shifts that have taken place, even after reductions. I cannot understand the numbers that they say are there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would first like to compliment the honourable Member on his tie.

-- Laughter

Yes, I will certainly commit to looking at the information he has provided to me. We have to be very careful when we start comparing employment or position numbers from regions to headquarters or even at different periods of time, and so on.

You can get it from a number of sources. If you take the human resources information system, it is at one point in time. If you take it off the main estimates, it covers a whole year. If you go to the regions, then often we have devolved responsibilities. For example, between 1997, when the Member is referring to and now, we have devolved a lot of positions to the communities and to regional organizations.

So it is a complicated question. You cannot just sit down and take a number off a point in time and compare the two. A lot has happened in that period. Mr. Speaker in response to the question, I will definitely have the department do an analysis and provide a full reply on the differences. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my tie gives a little colour to this Assembly and helps to alleviate the "mortician and undertaker look" the Cabinet Members choose to favour.

-- Laughter

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Finance Minister is that these are government numbers. These were the numbers we were given to tell us how the cuts were going to impact our communities. I would hope that the Minister is not saying they are going to have some elaborate shuffle and shell game to show that while they have devolved, the numbers show that there has been a ten percent erosion over and above the reduction cuts. Or that somehow everything is wonderful and do not worry about it, things did not really happen that way. The people in the communities know that that is not the case.

Mr. Speaker, I would like some assurances from the Minister that the review he is going to do is going to be impartial, objective, fair and accurate.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. I hope that will be the last reference to neckties in today's question period. The question is directed to the honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Finance, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will wear a different necktie or shirt next time and change my dress. Mr. Speaker, I will definitely undertake to ensure that it is fair, accurate, open and honest in terms of the information we will provide. I take a great deal of pride with being able to provide information that is straight up. I assure there will be no shell game, and the Member can have full access to the information we use. I will explain very thoroughly how we arrived at what we did. I do not think the intention here is to try to undermine someone's information or anything like that. It is simply to provide good information to the House. I intend to do that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Miltenberger.