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

Mr. Speaker, as soon as I receive confirmation one way or the other from Finance Canada, then I will let this House know. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Ms. Lee. Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister identify where the $5 million that he mentioned earlier has gone in regard to the oil and gas sector?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. I assume that you are directing this to the Minister responsible for Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, yes, as I said earlier, I will make available to the Member an outline of the money that has been spent on support of oil and gas. It will be outlined in detail. I do not have that information with me today. I will provide it as soon as it is updated. Thank you.

Merci, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, does the Minister have any plans to develop an oil and gas program to assist companies in that sector, so they can access program dollars for starting up businesses and what not?

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

Mr. Speaker, at this point in time, we do not have programs that are specifically earmarked only for the oil and gas business. I think as it develops, that is something that we will want to be considering. When we have the activity and the commitment from the industry to do increasing amounts of exploration, when we see gas being piped south, then certainly we will need to put a lot more emphasis than we do presently on that very important sector. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the government presently has a loan guarantee program that is specifically identified in the diamond industry. That is what I was looking at. Is the government going to consider specialized programs or specialized treatment for the oil and gas industry, similar to how it is being dealt with in the diamond industry?

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

Mr. Speaker, in considering our support for the diamond industry, we look at the number of jobs the industry could create, particularly on the value-added side. We will do the same sort of analysis and give it the same level of priority as we did with the diamond industry. Of course, as companies, if they come to us looking for loan guarantees, we will look very carefully at employment as being one of the main benefits to our government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. La dernier questions supplementaire, final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in regard to the potential of the oil and gas industry, it far exceeds the diamond industry. I am just wondering why the department is not moving on this endeavour now, knowing the potential of the oil and gas industry far outweighs the diamond industry. I would like to ask the Minister how soon will he be bringing the topic to the House so we can have a chance to look at it and see how it will be distributed in the Northwest Territories?

Merci, Mr. Krutko. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. At this time, our oil and gas development is very much at the exploration stage. There is a lot of seismic work going on, there is some drilling happening, there is the consideration of a pipeline. I think that as soon as we get some confirmation that there is actually going to be a pipeline down the Valley, then we will see a much speeded up emphasis on oil and gas. However, at this time we are responding as quickly a we can.

I do not have companies coming to me now asking for loan guarantees and so on in the oil and gas sector, not very many. I think I have had one or two, and we are responding to those ones. As the industry develops, then yes, we will respond in the same way we did with diamonds. Thank you.

Merci, Mr. Handley. Le temps pour questions orales est finis. The time for question period is over. Questions ecrites. Item 7, written questions,. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to the opening address. Item 10, petitions. Item 11, reports of standing and special committees. Item 12, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Public Accounts, 1999-2000. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Item 13, tabling of documents. Item 14, notices of motion. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Thursday, March 1,, 2001, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Weledeh, that the honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine, be appointed as an alternate member to the Standing Committee on Rules and Procedures. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you. Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for the first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. Item 17, first reading of bills. The honourable Member for Weledeh, Mr. Handley.