Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Just for clarification from the Minister, is it necessary that some of the arrangements were so that the term loans become flexible of waiving interest and deferring principal payments? When it's noticed that the business is in trouble, do they try to then look at these different alternatives for the BCC, as opposed to these letters from the lawyers to call in their loans? Thank you.

Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Yes, Mr. Speaker, to the Member's question, it is true. We try to do everything that we can to make sure we continue to support the business. Our goal is not to put people out of business, our goal is

not to push these things into the legal process. I think it's important to remember though that the onus is on the client to ensure that there is an ongoing dialogue with our department. If the dialogue breaks down, then we really have no choice but to try to get the money back. These are public tax dollars. But I would say we leave almost no stone unturned before we move to legal recourse. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for those answers. I am sure we, as a government, are indeed looking out for our small businesses. The next question is when someone is utilizing our credit facilities, like the BCC or the NWT Development Corporation, they are, of course, not thinking that they will get into trouble or find themselves in situations where they are unable to pay any loans. I'm just wondering if there's any type of counselling available or advice given to the clients beforehand that if you are in trouble, these are the steps that are going to take place and this is what we'll be looking for as a solution to any problems that we have. Thank you.

Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development, Mr. Bell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We look at these on a case-by-case basis, and there is individual case management. I think that that's something important to remember. We recognize that the BCC is a lender of last resort. As such, it takes on loans of higher risk; loans that typically banks are not interested in. In some of our smallest communities where banks won't go, it is the only lender. We acknowledge that there's additional risk, but we don't go into these loans and don't go into working with clients assuming or thinking that the businesses won't work out or that they'll fail. We go in and expect to see the best efforts of all parties, and we make every effort to work with the clients and counsel them where necessary.

I know that our economic development officers in the communities do have discussions and lay out options for recovery plans. Sometimes businesses do go sideways through no fault of the loan applicant or the proprietor. Things can happen. At that point, when we sit down to talk about recovery plans, we lay out all the options for clients and we look at wind-up scenarios. Sometimes they include things like bankruptcy, but I think the point is that we don't get into these loans assuming that they won't work. We wouldn't lend money if we thought the business was going to fail. We know and acknowledge that there is risk and do try to work with the clients, but I think that you'll find that the BCC does a very good job in working in the communities to make sure people recognize all the options before them. We're not trying to push them into any of these options. I think what's best for the client is important and we'll work with them on that basis. Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my question is for the Minister of Finance regarding his statement to the House this afternoon. I don't know if Santa Claus is at the North Pole or in Ottawa in terms of the goodies and the good news that he has given to the Northwest Territories in the response from the federal Member of Parliament. In terms of the Minister's statement, I believe that the budget will contribute positively to the overall situation in the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Minister if he could explain in plain language his belief on how this budget will contribute to the Northwest Territories.

Minister of Finance.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess first and foremost would be how the federal budget has impacted us positively and we can pass that on to our constituents. Number one, most critical is that I will not have to come back in the June session with a negative $10 million supp which would mean cuts to programs.

---Applause

Mr. Speaker, that's the most critical and most important this year.

Going forward on the rest of the federal initiative, the money that they have identified for immunization will help our Department of Health and Social Services ensure that they have this money and that they will be able to deal with, for example, the scenario of immunization of meningitis that occurred here not too long ago.

In other areas, they've shortened the municipal infrastructure deal that they had in place. They had that deal over a 10-year period. It is now a five-year period, which means that all jurisdictions can draw down that money sooner rather than later. So that will have a positive spin-off effect to our communities. There is one catch on that, however. It is still matched dollars that we're going to have to match, so there are some limitations there, but in fact there are some of those positive spin-off effects that can happen for us.

Mr. Speaker, any work that happens in the Northwest Territories can benefit our contractors, whether those dollars are flowing through our departments or through the federal government departments. New dollars in the Northwest Territories mean work for our contracts. That can have a positive spin-off as well.

One of the critical areas that we've talked about and heard about in this House is the Mackenzie Valley development that's occurring around the pipeline, and the fact that the federal government is paying attention to that area and starting to highlight it in the budget. It's a small amount to start with. We're not sure how exactly it will flow, but as long as it's starting to flow, we can continue to work on that and try to improve on it. Thank you.

---Applause

Just recognizing the clock, the time has expired for oral questions, but I will allow Mr. Yakeleya his supplementary. Mr. Yakeleya.

Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. I will also recognize the clock, and I have one final question for the Minister of Finance. I appreciate that, in light of the good news of the budget from the federal government and the recent discussions that Senator Nick Sibbeston had on naming of the Northwest Territories, the resources that the federal government takes out of the Northwest Territories I really think we should call ourselves Robin Hood, because the federal government keeps robbing us. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask a question with regard to sharing of the dollars in the Northwest Territories and what type of necessary steps you will take. There are lots of interested groups that are also going to look at these dollars that the federal Finance Minister announced yesterday. So I would like to ask what steps have you looked at in terms of sharing resources with other governments. Thank you.

Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First and foremost is the result of the exercise of not rebasing and that is $50 million. The biggest thing is keeping ourselves in a healthy state. So that's why we've identified this to go towards the deficit. We're not going to dig the hole that we're in any deeper.

---Applause

That will have positive spin-off effects going forward.

The other side of that is if we don't get the parties to the table to deal with royalty revenue sharing and get some real action happening around that table; as well, if the negotiations with federal Finance on the tax effort side do not work out as we're hoping we'll have them work out, as a government we're going to have to look at all options, all alternative revenue sources that are out there and look at how we, as residents of the Northwest Territories, can gain and benefit from the resources that are being extracted from the regions in the Northwest Territories. We're going to have to look at all options.

Right now, we're working with what we have and trying to come forward in small steps. This budget we're dealing with now is a stepping stone going forward. If we can do it right, come up with a balanced budget and have the federal government look at our arguments in a favourable way, we can definitely set up our future in a more positive way. Instead of having our children looking at debt, they can look at some sort of heritage going forward that would continue to be a positive benefit from the development in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

---Applause

Item 7, written questions. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have a written question to the Honourable Brendan Bell, Minister responsible for WCB.

Please provide the following for the years 2002-2003 and 2003-2004, at the earliest opportunity:

• • WCB revenues, specifically the categories of assessments, average assessment rates, and investment revenues.
• • WCB expenses, specifically the categories of total number of claims, number of accepted claims, cost of claims, and administration with a separate categorization of salary included in the administration budget.
• • WCB profit and loss statements for the same period.

Thank you.

Item 7, written questions. Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Earlier, one of our honourable Members pointed out a failing grade on the report card level, and I would like to take the opportunity for the Minister of Justice to redeem his report card implied level with this written question.

Would the Minister table in this House, in a timely manner, this government's position on a sex offender registry, and, further, note any work done to date in support of a national sex offender registry.

And finally, if the Minister would note this government's observations of any potential shortcomings that a future national sex offender registry has in comparison to the Ontario sex offender registry.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 7, written questions. Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, I have a written question for the Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs.

In the Miramar Con Mine lease agreements, is there a specified reclamation standard which the leaseholder must achieve?

With these leases does the Minister have the ability to set or alter the standards of reclamation which the company must meet?

If these specified reclamation standards are not achieved by the leaseholder, what remedies are available to the Minister to have the necessary work carried out?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Item 7, written questions. Item 8, returns to written questions. Mr. Premier.

Item 8, returns to written questions. Item 9, replies to opening address. Item 10, replies to budget address. Item 11, petitions. Item 12, reports of standing and special committees. Item 13, reports of committees on the review of bills. Item 14, tabling of documents. Ms. Lee.