The honourable Minister responsible for the FMBS, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, the question related to services and so on that are in RWED. It's not in my portfolio. I don't know if there is anything that is being considered for transfer in order to build capacity. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this government has been pounding on the federal government's doors for more money to build capacity to deal with development. I would like to ask the Minister responsible for the FMBS, have we received any assurances from the federal government that we will be seeing dollars to assist residents of the NWT and this government to build that capacity?

The honourable Minister responsible for the FMBS, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, no, we haven't received any assurances from the federal government for any additional money other than the funds we currently receive through the Department of Education, Culture and Employment and other programs, but there is no additional money that's been committed by the federal government to us for building capacity. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we have developed a report, we have a non-renewable resource strategy, we've had the infrastructure strategy, we've put a lot of money and resources into all these strategies. I would like to ask the Minister, in those strategies there were certain provisions for dollars not only to help us build infrastructure, but also to help us get the resources to build that capacity. Have we heard anything back regarding those reports we submitted to the federal government to assist this government to build that capacity?

The honourable Minister responsible for the FMBS, Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, while the federal government appears to be sympathetic to our needs to build capacity, we have not received any positive response in the sense of financial contribution to help build capacity for either our government or to us to help aboriginal governments to build their capacity. We have, Mr. Speaker, spent a fair bit of our own money to build this capacity particularly with the maximizing northern employment initiative. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Final supplementary, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, has the Minister thought of any other endeavours or ideas we could put forth? I know during the 13th Assembly, the previous Minister of Finance, Mr. Todd, made reference to look at taxing resources so we can get money out of those resource developments, so that when they do take place we can get some revenue back. So has the Minister looked at alternatives such as taxing the resource development that is taking place in the NWT?

The honourable Minister responsible for the FMBS, Mr. Handley.

Mr. Speaker, I can tell you that over the last three-and-a-half years, I have thought of every possibility for us to be able to generate more revenue to invest back in our people. That includes some of the initiatives that we tried ourselves, whether it's charging the resource industries for a toll on highways, for example. We've looked at that. We have looked at various other ways. A minerals tax, an oil and gas tax, those things have also been considered and are continuing to be considered. We've looked at payroll tax. There are many options, so we have not only looked to the federal government. We've tried everything ourselves to find ways to generate more revenue to build the capacity of our people to be able to take on the jobs and opportunities that come our way. There is a whole host of things we've been looking at and continue to look at. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. The time for question period is over. Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to Opening Address. Item 10, petitions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to present a petition dealing with the matter of affordable rental housing. Mr. Speaker, the petition contains 27 signatures of Yellowknife residents and, Mr. Speaker, the petitioners request that the Government of the Northwest Territories create effective ways for tenants and landlords to resolve disputes over excessive rent increases. Further, that the Government of the Northwest Territories work with developers to enable construction of affordable rental housing units for the NWT. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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 Towards Improved Accountability: GNWT Results Report 2001-2002. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Item 13, tabling of documents. The honourable Member for Thebacha, Mr. Miltenberger.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to table Progress Report March 2003, Doing our Part: The GNWT Response to the Social Agenda. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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

Item 14, notices of motion. Item 15, notices of motion for first reading of bills. Item 16, motions. The honourable Member for North Slave, Mr. Lafferty.