Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, with regard to that, talking to manufacturers and other groups, like I stated, there is no one right now at the present time who has certification to deliver or build these units in the Northwest Territories. We have been talking to people in the private sector who are looking at developing proposals and coming forward. Again, Mr. Speaker, the whole idea of mobile units versus stick built, there's almost a 40 percent difference between the price of a stick built and these mobile homes. Those mobile homes do meet national building standards and are also arctic built so that they can stand the arctic climate that we're in. Again, we are working with the private sector in this area and we are considering looking at different proposals and assisting in developing this industry.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Finance. Yesterday I spoke about the high cost of home heating oil and its impact on the high cost of living in the Northwest Territories. Today I'd like to ask him some questions again related to the cost of living here in the Northwest Territories. Is there anything that prohibits the Government of the Northwest Territories from amending its tax legislation to include a tax credit for interest paid on mortgages -- something similar to the benefit that was proposed by the Clark administration in 1979 -- that is specifically targeted at Northwest Territories residents who own homes in the Northwest Territories? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, there are not any problems with our legislation. We can institute a tax credit on interest payments on mortgages. The proviso is how much will it cost us in our own-source revenue. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to having his department and his officials take a serious look at the feasibility of implementing a tax credit for interest paid on mortgages, including a look into what would be the optimal formula that balances the benefit to homeowners against the cost to government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would have my department look at the initiative to see what the pros and cons would be and once I have that information, I'd gladly share it with the Members. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Can the Minister inform me and the other Members of this House when we might expect to hear back from him and his department on their findings? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, for sure by the spring session, and hopefully we could have something before that, but no later than that. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I'm wondering if the Minister can answer this question, and that is whether or not the government is in favour of using tax breaks to assist the Northwest Territories to meet the challenges of the high cost of living here. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Ramsay. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I think the government can demonstrate, on many fronts, that we're interested in keeping the cost of living down through many of our subsidy programs. So this would be another one that we'd look at. I guess the big feature of this would be the fact that as we look at programs, is what the cost would be on the revenues of the government. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Item 7, oral questions. The honourable Member for Great Slave, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, the Minister of Finance just said that he would be interested in looking at the kind of thing that my colleague Mr. Ramsay was talking about: tax breaks, tax situations, and what the cost would be to the government. But here we go, we're looking internally again. We're saying oh, gee, this might hurt us. What about the positive impact it might make for the families and the people out there in the Northwest Territories, in the communities, who are coming up short right now because we're not able to think outside that box? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you, Mr. Braden. The honourable Minister of Finance, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as we would look at any initiative that would come forward that would cost the government in delivery of that initiative, if we forego taxes in this area of an incentive, we'd have to look at the total cost of that, because if it means we have to come and find another $10 million or $15 million from our own-source revenues, we have to balance that off. Yes, there could be some positive aspects. It would get more construction happening and more people into their own homes. We would need to balance both of those off; I agree. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Supplementary, Mr. Braden.

Mr. Speaker, the impacts and the consequence of our housing prices hurts the people of the Northwest Territories in so many ways; in health, in education, and their chances for having stable and steady employment. Is there a willingness, an appreciation, an understanding at the Cabinet level, that housing is an across-the-board responsibility and not just something that lands in the lap of the Housing Minister or the Finance Minister? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Mr. Roland.