Mr. Speaker, I hope to have that kind of discussion on an ongoing basis. I can't predict exactly how fast resource revenue sharing arrangements will be negotiated, or devolution completed and so on. But, Mr. Speaker, I intend in the meantime that we continue to have a lot of open dialogue. We have opportunities; we have the Circle of Northern Leaders meeting coming up in April. I meet regularly with the regional aboriginal leadership. We have the Association of Communities who we meet with at least once a year, probably twice a year on average, or more. We meet with the communities, Mr. Speaker. I hope that we, as a Legislative Assembly, look at another NWT Day in Ottawa to involve people in that.

---Applause

So, Mr. Speaker, there will be a lot of opportunity for us to involve the people in the North. We have proposals that are put forward connecting Canada from coast to coast to coast, Corridors II. So, Mr. Speaker, there's going to be ongoing discussion and I'll be sure that we do involve all of our constituents to the extent possible as we move ahead with this. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Premier. Final supplementary, Mr. Yakeleya.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I heard once in a negotiation meeting that in order to get to the Promised Land you have to negotiate your way through the wilderness. So I'm hoping that Mr. Premier could negotiate us out of the wilderness to the Promised Land the North has always been looking forward to. So I want to ask the Premier, the Northern Strategy was much celebrated and a success of the Northwest Territories. I want to ask the Premier what's the status of the Northern Strategy. Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Yakeleya. Mr. Premier.

Mr. Speaker, the Northern Strategy was an agreement, a document that we were working on with the previous federal government. Mr. Speaker, we're now working with a new government. I've had the initial meeting with the Prime Minister and with the Minister of DIAND, and I expect that they are going to want to put their own vision on how they will work with us on development of the Northwest Territories. So, Mr. Speaker, I think we are going to look at a new arrangement yet to be determined by the Prime Minister and his Cabinet. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Oral questions. Written questions. Mr. Yakeleya, Member for Sahtu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Health and Social.

1. When will the communities/schools be eligible for funding to take the "Drop the Pop" challenge?
2. How much will each community/school be eligible for participation funding?
3. When will the "Drop the Pop" campaign be communicated to our communities/schools?
4. Will the communities receive recognition for participation in the campaign?

Thank you.

Mahsi, Mr. Yakeleya. Written questions. Returns to written questions. Petitions. Reports of committees on the review of bills. Tabling of documents. Mr. Roland.

As well, Mr. Speaker, pursuant to section 32.1(2) of the Financial Administration Act, I wish to table the following document entitled Inter-activity Transfers exceeding $250,000 for the period April 1, 2005, to December 31, 2005.

As well, Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled GNWT 2004 Public Service Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I have two documents to table. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled Transportation of Dangerous Good Act 2005 Annual Report.

Mr. Speaker, I also wish to table the following document entitled 2004-2005 Community Initiatives Program Annual Report. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Braden.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table correspondence from the executive director of the YWCA to the Honourable Michael Miltenberger dated December 27th of last year, and previous correspondence concerning the issue of pay and benefits for non-government organizations delivering government programs, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Braden. Tabling of documents. Notices of motion. Notices of motion for first reading of bills. First reading of bills. Second reading of bills. Consideration in Committee of the Whole of bills and other matters: Bill 16, Bill 19, Committee Report 8-15(4). Colleagues, before I place you into Committee of the Whole, by the authority given the Speaker by Rule 11, I hereby appoint Mr. Hawkins to act as deputy chair of Committee of the Whole for the remainder of the sitting.

Further, by authority given the Speaker, by Motion 9-15(4), Committee of the Whole may sit beyond the hour of adjournment until it is prepared to report, with Mr. Pokiak in the chair.

Good morning. Mr. Menicoche.

Mr. Chair, the committee would like to consider the Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2005-2006, as well as the Tobacco Control Act. Thank you.

Thank you. Does committee agree?

At this time, we will take a short break for lunch. Thank you.

----SHORT RECESS

Good afternoon. I will call the Committee of the Whole back to order here. We are going to deal with Bill 19. At the present time, Members we will stand down consideration of the preamble, clauses and schedule...I'm sorry. Does committee have any opening comments with regard to Bill 19?

I am pleased to introduce Bill 19, Supplementary Appropriation Act, No. 3, 2005-2006. This bill requests authority for additional appropriations of $31.994 million for operations expenditures and $1.189 million for capital investment expenditures in the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

The request for operations expenditures, net of offsetting revenues, exceeds the supplementary reserve reported in the 2006-2007 Main Estimates by $5 million. However, the GNWT will still remain within the guidelines set by the fiscal responsibility policy for the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

Major items included in this request for operations expenditures are:

1. $15 million for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to provide contribution funding to communities pursuant to the community capacity building initiative. These contributions are funded by the federal government's Northern Strategy trust fund.
2. $4.3 million for increased costs resulting from the rise in fuel prices in the NWT since 2003;
3. $3.9 million for the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to provide contribution funding to communities for eligible infrastructure projects under the Gas Tax Agreement with the federal government.

That concludes my opening remarks. I would be pleased to answer any questions Members may have.