Thank you, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The funding for the Novel housing is funding that's above and beyond what the Housing Corporation would be eligible for through the regular CMHC programs. So this has no impact on the other money. We will still continue to apply through the regular programs.

Madam Chair, I might say that the federal government have indicated that they're going to be tabling, or unveiling, a new national housing strategy by next April. So it's hard to tell what the long-term impact is going to be on us, but I expect we'll get this money, plus we'll get our share of the other housing programs. So it should not affect us in any negative way.

The Minister of Housing and Minister of Finance are meeting soon with the Minister responsible for the CMHC, and, over the next couple of months, a lot of this will become much clearer.

With regard to the Bear River hydro, the work, up to now, has been largely pre-feasibility engineering and environment, just looking at the impacts, trying to get an assessment of the cost, the potential, and so on, and some general consultation with the community. The discussions with Imperial have been fairly general, but also we have made our case that this is important to us for economic reasons, as well as cost of living reasons. The Bear River hydro, of course, would not go anywhere without a large customer. The pipeline is a large customer. So as soon as we know that the Mackenzie Producers Group is going into public hearings, then we'll be turning up the heat, and certainly at that point getting into more detailed discussions. But right now, it's very general, very conceptual. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Next on the list, I have Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Madam Chair. There are four things I'd like to reflect on. In a sense, it's to project to February 1, 2006, Madam Chair, which I think is the date agreed upon to resume this session, and the expectation that on opening day in February, we're going to have another sessional statement, and that the Premier will be able to address, among other things, these four areas, being the fiscal situation that we find ourselves in, the very dynamic, rapidly changing and, regrettably, more and more volatile and uncertain fiscal situation that we have. Madam Chair, that not only changed this week with the use of a major shortfall in corporate income tax revenue and the impact that's it's going to have -- a $10 million impact, approximately, on programming this year and in subsequent years -- but also, Madam Chair, on the big process that we had all engaged in to look at our overall formula financing agreement, which has now been probably, very likely, delayed by several months. I think the reality is, maybe, more or less a year. These are major pieces of our fiscal planning and, certainly, the framework, and I am really hoping the Premier will be able to talk about that next February.

A third area, Madam Chair, would be -- as we've just been talking about this today -- the future of the Mackenzie Valley pipeline, and just how that is going to come together. We're facing some significant deadlines in the next couple of weeks. But even after that, if those are resolved in the project's favour, and I certainly hope they are, no doubt there will be more news and more things to come over the next few weeks, between now and February 1st.

The other, I think, sort of major item that the Premier, I hope, will be able to address in February, will be the ongoing impact of the major spike in fuel and energy costs. We've undertaken some steps to see what we can do to assist consumers, and communities, and constituents, over the next few weeks. But there will be, also, a significant fiscal impact on our government, because of the extra, the unbudgeted costs that we're going to incur this winter, along with everybody else who has a furnace to run, lights to keep going, and utilities to operate.

Madam Chair, although we know that that's coming, it was not addressed in the supplementary bill that we've just concluded. I understand the process well enough now that if we can't predict something, that it's not within our rules to put something on the books. But this is going to be in the millions. We have that fiscal situation to grapple with, along with everything else, this current fiscal year. So we're running close to the bone. I remain very confident of our ability to keep going and to keep running a good ship, but we're running out of free board here, largely from things that are out of our control, and we need to keep a very steady hand at the teller. That's all. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Handley, if you'd like to respond to any of those comments.

Madam Chair, all of those are important issues, and I can assure Members that they will be responded to either in the Finance Minister's budget address, or in a sessional statement. Thank you.

Thank you. Any other general comments? Mr. Pokiak. Or did you have something further? I'm sorry; just one minute. Mr. Pokiak, you have the floor.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just one quick comment, as the Premier indicated in his sessional statement when he talked about the increase in the prices of oil and natural gas, he goes on to say that the government has a number of programs and measures in place. I think the bottom line in that regard is, he did mention that people in public housing won't see any increase. But my concern is with regard to a lot of the people in the communities that own their own homes. In the interim, who do we help these people that have to take care of their own fuel costs, energy costs? He goes on further to say that in the short term, the request is that we reduce energy consumption in the units. But again, Mr. Speaker, we have long, cold winters, and a lot of homeowners don't have woodstoves in their homes to fall back on, and the price of fuel is high in the small communities. So I just want to ask the Premier, are there

any plans in place for the homeowners that have to take on these extra costs? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Madam Chair. We do have a number of programs to help people with the cost of energy. As the Member has mentioned, people in public housing, people on income support, their fuel costs are covered, so they won't feel the burden; we will. We also have a seniors' fuel subsidy that people can apply for. We have the Territorial Power Subsidy Program that is becoming a concern to us. It's well over $8 million right now, and heading toward $10 million a year.

Madam Chair, we've done a lot of work on conservation, and conservation measures, working with the Arctic Energy Alliance on the methodology for doing audits, and so on. The only direct subsidy -- if that's what the Member is referring to right now -- would be through the federal program that was recently announced. Again, it's $250 and there are eligibility criteria. But if any constituents in the territory want information on that, we would be happy to point them in the right direction. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Thank you, Mr. Pokiak. Next, I have Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. In the short time that I've been here -- it's been almost a year now -- I've probably learned a lot of things about how things work here. In all the conversations I've had with the Premier on the pipeline, he's very optimistic that this pipeline is going to go ahead, and I share that optimism with him because I believe this pipeline will go ahead. By the time we come together again in February, we will know, for sure, if something is happening.

Just a couple of questions for the Premier. As far as the resource revenue sharing talk is going, I would like to know what are the next steps, or what are his immediate plans for these talks, and when are they going to happen again? Will the announcement from Ottawa affect these talks in any particular way? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Handley.

Madam Chair, first of all on resource revenue sharing, the latest proposal we have put to the federal government is that we would accept the $30 million net fiscal benefit, on the condition that they would put in a percentage of resource revenues as being part of the package. We would then sign an agreement-in-principle, and get on with negotiating a final agreement. So that's our offer. Give us net fiscal benefit, plus a percentage.

I think the Member is referring to the article that appeared in the National Post today, saying that it is rumoured the federal government was taking a 20 percent equity position in the pipeline. I might say, Madam Chair, that the federal government has, since then, denied it, categorically has said no, we've never made such a proposal. But in the event it does happen that way, and if the federal government strikes a deal where they take an equity position, and that equity position is not based on buying a share in cash but, rather, on forgiven royalties, then, yes, it would have a big impact on us, and we would insist that in that event, that that royalty holiday be taken into consideration. In fact, that the equity position be treated as being in lieu of royalties. We don't want to go through the Norman Wells argument all over again. So, Madam Chair, if we end up there, then, yes, we would make a strong case for that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I thank the Premier for that response. As I said before, I share his optimism that this project will go ahead. It's a project that everybody has been working hard towards, and a lot of Members on this side of the House firmly believe that we should be entitled to what's rightfully ours. It's too bad we have to go to Ottawa and try to argue with them over what, I believe, belongs to us. I would encourage the Premier to continue his fight. If there's anything I or anybody on this side of the House can do, we will be glad to. I will end with that, Madam Chair, and I'll look forward to February and what happens between now and then. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. I didn't hear any question there, just a comment. General comments on the sessional statement. Seeing none further, does the committee agree that consideration of Minister's Statement 24-15(4) is concluded?

Agreed. Thank you. The next thing on our agenda is the Report on the Review of the NWT Information and Privacy Commissioner's 2003-2004 Annual Report. Mr. Menicoche.

Access And Privacy Directory

Thank you, Madam Chair. With regard to the Information and Privacy Commissioner's report, the Commissioner recommends that the GNWT prepare an updated access and privacy directory to be revised annually, as required under section 70 of the act. This is the second year that the Commissioner has noted the need for an updated directory of contacts. This year, the Commissioner recommends that the directory should be made available at no, or minimal, cost to the public; it should be available for public review at government offices throughout the territory; and it should be easily available online, possibly from a link on the Legislative Assembly's web page. It is the committee's understanding that the government is in the process of addressing this recommendation.

Easily accessible front-line staff, available to assist the public with access to information requests, do much to ensure the transparency of government. An accessible and up-to-date directory, including contact information for department ATIPP coordinators, will facilitate public accessibility. Given the inevitability of staff turnover and recent and pending changes to the act, the committee is of the opinion that the directory should be regularly reviewed and updated.

The motion is in order. To the motion.

Question is being called. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

---Carried

Mr. Menicoche.

Annual Review Of ATIPP Regulations