Thank you, Ms. Lee. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Minister responsible for Transportation, Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, good morning. Mr. Speaker, I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Krutko on October 29, 2001, regarding the reinstatement of deferred capital projects on the Dempster Highway.

The Member for Mackenzie Delta asked me a question about two cancelled contracts on the Dempster Highway.

The two cancelled contracts were culvert replacements, kilometre 0 to kilometre 20, estimated at $500,000, and the embankment widening, kilometre 127 to kilometre 130, estimated at $450,000. The contracts were elements of the Dempster Highway Project, which was approved in this year's main estimates with a total project budget of $5 million.

The foundation gravel component of the culvert replacement for work was recently tendered and has been awarded to Tetlit'zheh Trucking of Fort McPherson at $490,000. This contract is in progress for completion this fiscal year.

The embankment widening work has been rescheduled for completion during the summer of 2002. Proceeding with the later contract will be subject to the main estimates budget approvals. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize Mr. Mike Vaydik, executive director of the NWT Chamber of Mines, and Denise Burlingame, senior public affairs officer for BHP Mines. Thank you.

-- Applause

Item 5, recognition of visitors in the Gallery. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Ootes.

I would also like to recognize Mr. Vaydik and Ms. Burlingame. They are constituents of mine, Mr. Speaker.

-- Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ootes. Item 5, Recognition of visitors in the Gallery. I would like to welcome you to the gallery, including members of our media. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Certainly we want to work with all of the MLAs in any plans that we have for any revenues we have. In fact, to me there is a very clear process already in place. It is called the business planning process. We have been going through that. I have been very open and upfront with Members in telling them about any revenues that we anticipate or that we have. We have all spent a lot of time on that process in the last little while and we will continue to use that process.

As well, Mr. Speaker, if there are unusual situations, we are open to alternatives. I think the Premier has, in fact, said to some of the Members or the chairs that we would be willing to look at alternatives if they want. We are open. This is consensus government. Thank you.

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

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

Again, let me repeat myself. Certainly we will. In fact, there is a process. It is the business planning process. We are in the middle of that right now. I have been very open, as I said, to all Members and to the Standing Committee on Governance and Economic Development saying, "Here is the revenue we have. Here is what we anticipate. Here are the expenditures we anticipate." I am open. I look forward to recommendations from the committees. Thank you.

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

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

Mr. Speaker, all of our revenues and all of our expenditures have to be looked at in the longer term. We cannot run to the store every time we have a few nickels in our pocket and spend them. If we do that, then we are going to get ourselves in a lot of trouble.

Mr. Speaker, whenever we have new revenues, we have to look at our long-term picture. As I have said to Members before, when we are facing the possibility of an economic recession in Canada, when we are facing the possibility of losing money on our grant, then we have to look long term.

At today's expenditures, we are looking at hitting our borrowing limit some time in late 2004-2005. I have to look at that. I have to look at all of the revenues we get. If we spend the revenues right now, we are going to reach our borrowing limit a lot faster. I am prepared to sit down and go through the fiscal framework with Members any time, review it, get your input. In fact, I would appreciate, any time you want, to do that and get your advice on that. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Nitah.

Thank you, Mr. Nitah. The Chair is not quite sure. You are asking the question to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, but it seemed like an RWED question. However, you did direct it to Aboriginal Affairs. Mr. Antoine, you may answer it if you choose.