Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The advantages that the facility has for the whole region is something that could also be looked at. I know Mr. Lafferty, the Member for North Slave, has talked about the need for such a facility. Will the Minister look at a regional basis of support for the Somba Ke facility? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister responsible for the Department of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I have indicated in this House, we have a number of strategies that are nearing completion, like the Continuing Care Strategy and the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Strategy. We definitely will look at what we have available. We have some bricks and mortar out here that are well set up and that are mortgaged by the government, so it only makes good sense to try to see what particular good use we could put this building to as a government. That will be one of the items we will be looking at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I listened intently to the Minister of Finance's budget speech. I have to congratulate him on what was a fairly well-balanced budget. I do have some questions arising from his speech that I would like some more clarification on. I note, for instance, that he talked in his budget speech about delaying plans for a highway trip permit fee. I heard him just today, in an answer to Mr. Lafferty, talk about not instituting the highway trip permit fee at this time. Will the Minister tell the House when he plans to bring forward a trip permit fee if it has only been delayed?

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

Mr. Speaker, yes, the Member is correct. In the budget speech, I said we were not bringing forward the trip permit fee at this time. I have made a commitment to the private sector that I would first give them an opportunity to lobby with the federal government for more return of the money the federal government earns in the North back to be invested in the North.

I am working very closely with the private business and aboriginal leaders coalition to support them in going to Ottawa and getting money. Hopefully if they are successful, we will not ever have to bring back the thought of a trip permit fee or other form of a toll. When would I bring it back? Certainly not before I have exhausted all of the other options and even then, we would have to sit down and talk with the many stakeholders. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister started out by saying that it would depend on the visit planned to Ottawa by the business and aboriginal leaders on March 11th, 12th and 13th. Then he said that there would be other factors that would come into play. Let me be clear. If the answer in Ottawa is no on March 13th, will the Minister be bringing back the legislation?

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

Mr. Speaker, no, I do not think it will be quite that easy. If we find that we are just getting no response at all from Ottawa, then of course we have to look at whether we want to continue to tolerate our less than desirable highway and transportation system, and continue to do as much as we can, realizing that it might take us six, seven or eight years to finish it off. Or do we want to bear some pain through some form of a toll, and would it be the same one we had before or would it be something different?

I think there are a lot of options that we have to look at, but first of all, immediately, I said to the coalition that we will support them and certainly give them a fair opportunity to be heard in Ottawa. Hopefully they can be successful. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I was listening to the questions that Mrs. Groenewegen was posing earlier on the NRRDS strategy and the approach to Ottawa, and how much success we have had that with that approach. What makes the Minister feel more optimism that we are going to see some positive results on the highway strategy approach here on March 12th and 13th?

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

Mr. Speaker, the business people and aboriginal leaders who are going to Ottawa March 11th-13th are looking at infrastructure generally. They are not zeroing in just on transportation. I think they have a good case to be made. For example, the mining companies have worked out numbers to show the amount of revenue the federal government has earned already, just from the two diamond mines. Diavik in particular has worked out that the federal government already will have earned $500 million before that mine ever mines one diamond.

I think that the private sector has some good information to take to Ottawa, so I am optimistic that on top of the message we have already sent, and being consistent with our message, that they can influence some of the federal Ministers to at least consider the North. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Your final supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I do not think any of us would be politicians if we were not optimistic, and I too am hopeful that we will eventually get the eye of the federal government. I do not know that I am as optimistic as the Minister. Given the large public outcry against the bill when it was last presented, will the Minister commit to making sure that he does not come forward with a similar bill within the next 12 months?

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

Mr. Speaker, as well as being optimistic to be a politician, you also have to be sensitive to what people are saying, and I will tell you that I am very sensitive to the message that people have sent us with regard to the trip permit fee. I am not going to just bring it back and try to shove it through, if that is what the Member is suggesting might happen. I am not going to do that. I think we have to sit down with all the stakeholders and look at what the options are. Thank you.

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

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

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Supplementary, Mr. Nitah.