Mr. Speaker, I am sure there are areas where we could take advantage of it. I am not sure if some of the industries that are established, such as mining, for example, can do things that would change or help them in the short term. I do not think they are designed to be able to change their business plan that quickly.

The area that I see immediately as one where we can exploit the advantage of a lower Canadian dollar would be tourism, where we could become an increasingly attractive destination for people from other countries who can take advantage of our low dollar, come here and enjoy the experiences that we have in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Minister has really honed in on the area that I was hoping he would. I think this is something that should be encouraged. Mr. Krutko, in his Member's statement, gave us a very real and sobering and personal experience that he has had. I am wondering in the area of tourism, if you will allow me to go this far with my question, Mr. Speaker, where we have perhaps a dual advantage -- good value compared to other currencies and a safe destination. Is this an area that the Minister would consider as a short-term advantage, going out and marketing these NWT advantages? Thank you.

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

Yes, Mr. Speaker. Certainly they are areas that I hope we can continue to support the industry in. I was recently in Vancouver meeting with a lot of the booking agents for Japanese tourism. Again, exactly those messages, that we have a great natural resource here that tourists enjoy, the aurora borealis, plus the remoteness, plus the peacefulness of the North. We are a safe destination. Second, with the Canadian dollar as low as it is, this is a good buy for tourists anywhere.

I will continue to work with the NWT Arctic Tourism Association. As Members know, they received a considerable increase in their marketing money this year. They were going to go to Europe in the fall. They are now looking at some time in February. Anything we can do to support them in doing that and attracting more tourists here, then I am all in favour of. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Final supplementary, Mr. Braden. No supplementary? Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in August, there was a contract let, in which the Department of Transportation requested some 10,000 cubic metres and to access the Inuvik airport quarry.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister, the contract was issued and then later pulled. Can the Minister explain why the contract was pulled?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have that information in front of me right now. In order to answer the question properly, I am going to have to take it as notice again, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. The question has been taken as notice. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, if I understand the question correctly, the policy governing the use of our equipment is for the benefit of the department.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I apologize to the Member. I thought he said gravel trucks, not gravel pits. The material in the gravel pits is normally for the benefit of the Department of Transportation.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to stand a little bit on my second answer and that is again that the material in the pits is for the department's use. I believe the municipalities have the option of establishing their own pit through Public Works and MACA. The general public may have access to those pits, but as a general rule, the Department of Transportation's material in the pits is for Transportation's use. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Transportation, Mr. Steen.