Mr. Speaker, I do not have all of the details of all of the meetings that were held with everyone with regard to this document. I can assure you that over a period of time, there was consultation with everyone who is a stakeholder in this process. That includes the employees, certainly. It includes our managers, it includes the unions, and it also included opportunity for the public to have input into the proposed changes.

That consultation has gone on for several months. I realize that the document may not be perfect in everyone's mind, but it certainly is a good document and better than having the confusion that we have had in the past. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, it was a year ago to the day almost that there was any last consultation, as far as I understand, with the Union of Northern Workers or the NWTTA. What the NWTTA and the UNW looked at was a ten-page document that had nothing in it to relate to ethics counsellors and appeal systems. It was ten pages. What was put on the table in this House was 28 pages.

I would like to ask the Minister, what steps is he going to take to allow the UNW and the NWTTA to have meaningful input in this document that affects every one of their employees? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the door is never closed for people to have input into this document. If the Union of Northern Workers or the Northwest Territories Teachers Association or anyone else wants to meet with me, meet with the people who work on this in our departments, to give me written comments on it, then I am open to that. Consultation will be an ongoing process. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the question that begs for me is, how could the government give the two employee unions a ten-page document that is substantially and significantly different than the 28-page one tabled in this House and call that good faith bargaining and dealing with the union? That is my question. What steps will there be, formally, to try to address this issue with the unions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. There were two questions there, Mr. Handley, you can answer whichever one you choose. Mr. Handley.

Well, Mr. Speaker, I was not clear on what the question really was. Is the Member suggesting the union is concerned because this document is 28 pages and the other one is ten pages? I expect that is probably not the question.

I expect that the unions or other people may have some concerns with particular provisions in here. If they have some, then as I have said, I would appreciate hearing what they are. I am certainly open to listening to what they have to say. If they can convince me, then we can consider changes.

As I said, I am open to making this into the best code of conduct possible for our employees. Thank you.

Merci, Monsieur Handley. La dernier question supplementaire, Mr. Miltenberger, final supplementary.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the key to this would have been if he would have been open before he tabled the final document, if he would have in fact taken the time to consult before he brought in draconically changed document.

My question to the Minister is will he sit down and contact the unions and address their concern, which I know they do have on this substantially changed document? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Minister responsible for the Financial Management Board Secretariat, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not know if we made draconian changes, maybe some people may view it that way. I think it is a good document. Certainly I am ready and open to discuss any concerns that the unions may have. I will, as the Member recommends, pick up the phone and call the heads of both of those unions and meet with them as soon as I have time to meet with them to discuss any concerns they have.

They have not brought any concerns to me yet. I realize that this was just tabled yesterday, so we have not had much time. Thank you.

Thank you, Minister Handley. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife South, Mr. Bell.

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

Mr. Speaker, that document on the Business Incentive Policy is still out for discussion. It is out in the form of a discussion paper. We are waiting for various interested parties to get back to us. A number of them have been in touch with me and told me they will be including the Manufacturers Association. I am waiting for their suggestions on what changes they would like to see.

In terms of its application to the private sector, that one becomes more difficult because it is very difficult for us to be able to tell the private sector which manufactured products they should be purchasing and where they should buy them. It is a more difficult one. If there is a way around that, then I would like to hear the suggestions from the manufacturers. Thank you.

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

Yes, Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Clearly we cannot force private companies to use certain manufacturers or certain contractors, but we could provide northern manufacturers with employment subsidies, tax credits, low tax rates, things that other jurisdictions do. Will the Minister look at this?

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

Mr. Speaker, yes, we will look at that. In fact, the discussion paper that is out there now for consultation does contemplate the possibility of decreased corporate taxes and so on to assist northern manufacturers. I also want to and encourage people to give me creative ideas on how we could provide other incentives for northern manufacturing. I agree with the Member on the importance of diversification and manufactured products being a big piece of that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In the current Business Incentive Policy in the current Manufacturing Directive, there is a committee that looks at northern manufacturers and decides which products are approved. The directive suggests that only manufacturers will be used when they are present. I am wondering if this directive is currently being adhered to?

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