Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think the Minister, by saying he's not sure if he has that ability, does have that ability by being head of that corporation. Would the Minister take that point and go forward and ask the Nunavut Minister to work together to ensure that the Workers' Compensation Board stays in its present location, or continues to stay in the downtown of the community? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My understanding of the role of the Ministers for the Workers' Compensation Board, both in the NWT and Nunavut, is that their role is limited to the appointment, or removal, of directors. We cannot provide direction to the Workers' Compensation Board about where they might operate their programs.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Public Works and Services, and I get back to my Member's statement from earlier today. I'm wondering how the Government of the Northwest Territories says they support environmentally friendly green buildings, but they don't have any way of evaluating that in the RFP process. I'd like to ask the Minister what his plans are to address this shortcoming in the RFP process. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in respect to the building, and buildings, we lease, what we have done is, for buildings that we're involved with for being constructed in the Northwest Territories, is implement the better building practices into the design. A lot of the work would be done up front, and in the review process of the design, and trying to incorporate, at that stage, some more efficient methods of construction. As for seeking office space within the Northwest Territories, again, there is not one criterion that would give points to a potential contractor out there, as to the energy efficiency of his building. At this time, and we'd have to review that to see if we would incorporate that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given the fact that the government recently came out strong on the energy issues and conservation efforts, I'm wondering if the Minister can stand up today and give me some guarantee that, in the evaluation process, green buildings or energy-efficient buildings will be compared in the evaluation process and given some weight. Today, they're not, and I'd like some assurance from the Minister that they will be given that process. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that's something we can't take into consideration. As we've mentioned here a number of times, the work that's ongoing around the energy initiatives that Cabinet has undertaken, is to look at our practices when it comes to securing office space, or any space, for that matter. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to ask the Minister, when an RFP goes out, and there is obviously an older building putting in a submission on the RFP and a brand-new building, an energy-efficient building, does the Minister believe that it's a fair evaluation, when, today, it's like comparing apples and oranges? In my assumption, it isn't a fair process. I'd like to see it changed immediately. If it's not fair today, maybe it can be fair tomorrow. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the evaluation process we use to date, again, is something that we've had in place for some time, in the initial building of infrastructure in the Northwest Territories as we try to put in our better building practices at the start of a construction project. Of course, that does go back to the sponsoring department, to see if, in fact, they would support the higher cost that's requested up front. As you go to the more energy-efficient facilities, there is going to be a higher cost. I've had a number of meetings now with proponents out there, who have shown their building is, in fact, greener than most, I guess is a term that we would use. We would have to look at that again and the overall initiatives that we are undertaking right now, as a government, around the energy initiatives. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Final supplementary, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. On the RFP, there's a section for northern preference. I know there were two RFPs recently awarded that went to companies that own real estate here in Yellowknife, but, certainly, aren't located in the Northwest Territories. Head offices aren't here in the Northwest Territories. I'm wondering if the Minister can explain to me what northern preference might mean in the RFP process, and why local businesspeople, who are building office space here in Yellowknife, are being turned down. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in all of our contracts and practices, we do look at northern businesses as being able to provide a service to us. A number of things that come into the picture, though, is, because you're considered northern does not guarantee that you would get a contract with the government. There are a number of other weightings, as the Member had listed earlier, that also come into consideration. That would be price and availability, as well as we have to look at whether, if someone is offering up a service, it meets the requirements that are being asked by a specific department. So the fact that a company would qualify as northern would give them some points when a criteria is rated, but those points, also, are totalled up. They may receive more points under northern preference or criteria than they would under another proponent, but, ultimately, it's the total points that come into play here, and if they don't score as high, then they don't get the contract. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, my questions are for the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, and they're with regard to lack of funding for day care programs. Mr. Speaker, as I stated earlier, in my statement, this is not new. There have been many, many closings of day care centres in all regions of the Territories, and the common theme coming out of that is lack of funding, and lack of subsidy, and really

unreasonable requirements as they exist under the program right now. The Minister has, so far, refused to take, really, any action on that to improve the program. I'd like to know, from the Minister, what he is planning on doing to help facilities like Fort Smith deal with their financial and resource problems. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have heard from many operators of day cares across the North, that they are struggling and would dearly love to see more money, and I know that that's an issue that is on the minds of a lot of people. We have a program in place, right now, and we don't have a big pot of money sitting around available to dip into to add to that. We had counted on the federal government to help us top up the program, and we were hoping to be able to spend some of that money this fall, but we have not been successful. In terms of new initiatives and where we work, we're willing to work with our partners. I work very closely with the Standing Committee on Social Programs, which the Member chairs, and I can note that there haven't been any of the reports that have come from that committee that have made this issue a higher priority than some of the other issues that we are spending money on.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Ms. Lee.