Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have some concern with a government going into business, especially outside of the Northwest Territories. I was wondering if any other alternatives to this were considered. Was a joint venture with a southern firm considered, or was there any consideration given to hiring a travelling salesperson? Was there any alternative considered to starting up our own operation and, if so, could you outline what the department's ideas were, there?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Although this is Friday, I do think this is a serious matter, and I would like to find out more about the benefit to the NWT with this project. Can the Minister tell us what he expects the net economic benefit to the NWT to be, in terms of dollars and jobs, especially in level II and level III communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a question to the Minister responsible for the NWT Development Corporation. I understand the Development Corporation is establishing a retail outlet at the Lester B. Pearson International Airport in Toronto. I also understand that this outlet will be wholly owned and operated by the Development Corporation and will retail both Dene and Inuit arts and crafts.

Mr. Speaker, it was my understanding that when this corporation was created its primary role was to assist businesses and to create employment in level II and level III communities. Perhaps the Minister can inform this House whether Toronto is classified as a level II or level III community.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was pleased earlier to hear the Minister say that the department is listening to the standing committee on finance when we recommend that the department look at new ways of building things, making projects smaller, more simple, and ensuring standards for construction are reasonable. Only by doing our best to ensure as many projects as possible are set up so local people can work on them will we achieve an important economic goal. Value for money spent does not always mean the most square feet at the cheapest cost, or a fancy building in the end. Sometimes value for money has to include the contribution to the local economy, or as Mr. Todd and his famous friend, Brian Mulroney, are noted for saying, "Jobs, jobs, jobs."

Mr. Chairman, maybe we have to consider in some cases even a system where the whole job may not be tendered but employment initiatives are put in place instead.

Motion To Ensure Maximization Of Value And Local Labour, Carried

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee recommends that the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs work with local authorities and the Department of Public Works to achieve value for money spent; and further, that the department consider new ways to build capital projects that will ensure maximization of local labour and control and support of local general contractors.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There was some concern at the standing committee on finance about this. It was not one where there was a feeling that this was necessarily a major problem right now, but we did feel that it was time the government re-examine the policy. Perhaps there may be some other incentive where we could provide for municipalities to be better fiscally managed and that might help to save the government some money in the long run.

We were not prepared to come forward with a specific recommendation on what that might be, but we would hope the department would keep this motion in mind and re examine the policy as it is right now and just ensure that they are satisfied with how it is working and if not, recommend some changes to us; and if they are satisfied, then they should be prepared to justify the policy to the Members of this House.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In line with what was just discussed when we were talking about this last motion, at the standing committee on finance we had some concern about municipal surpluses and the ability of hamlets to redirect them. We recognize that there is a very important principle here that you have to respect, and that is that if one hamlet is extremely efficient with managing its money, you do not want to penalize it for having been a good fiscal manager, if you would. But we were concerned that there also has to be the recognition that the funds that hamlets and communities are winding up with, for the most part are paid for by the territorial government in the first place.

We did not feel we should come forward with are commendation saying that all surpluses should be returned to the government, but we do feel that there is room to re-examine the policy as it sits right now and see if it makes sense. We were not confident that it was totally adequate for right now.

Motion To Re-evaluate Policy Allowing Municipalities To Retain And Redirect Surpluses, Carried

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I would like to move that the committee recommends that the current policy allowing municipalities to retain and redirect surpluses be re-evaluated in light of the current territorial deficit.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I had not really planned on speaking to this motion, either, until the Minister spoke. As the Minister is aware, I expressed my displeasure that very day that he announced the appointments with the way the process had proceeded. As far as I am concerned, there was no consultation. All I heard was the Minister advising me that he would be appointing two new Members that afternoon. The argument was made that time was of the essence, that there should have been some room for continuity. I would like to point out that appointment was made two days ago, and as early as last week the schedule was out for committee meetings. It was obvious that agencies, boards and commissions would be meeting this week, and for sake of two days I am disappointed that the Minister did not take the opportunity to consult with the committee to determine whether or not there was, in fact, some agreement that this might be necessary.

Especially, I think the Minister had a responsibility to consult with that committee because the Workers' Compensation Board had been noted as being one of the agencies which we had been very interested in having a serious look at, and as soon as possible. If, in fact, the Minister had appeared before the committee and made the point that a quorum was a problem, there may have been some agreement for the Minister to appoint, perhaps, one Member. But to this point in time all I have is what the Minister has said today, that a quorum was a problem. This was not something that was put to us at the committee for us to consider this as being a problem, and if they have been operating this long with four members, did they really need to have six members immediately in order to solve a quorum problem? If there a problem with one of the four, then perhaps that person needs to be replaced, but let us have the arguments made in front of the agencies, boards and commissions committee, especially in the situation where we have said this is one of the groups that we want to have a look at.

I really think that the process here was a slap in the face to the committee operation of the Legislative Assembly. If we are to have any sort of grounds for existence in this Legislature, then I think we have to have our views taken very seriously. Otherwise, what is the point? I do not want to sit on a committee that does not get taken seriously. I am not interested in putting in the time and just wasting it. If I am sitting there with nothing to accomplish, then let us get rid of them. Let us not have the committees. If we are going to have a straight departmental type government, where the government takes all the actions and proposes all the actions without consultation, then let us give it up. Let us go to party politics, and let us have it work that way. If you want to have consultation, then you have to use your committees.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. On the standing committee on finance we found that there seemed to be very little long-range planning being undertaken by the government before they presented their capital plans. So we thought it was very important to encourage the government to work toward that. That is why we suggested that a 10-year plan for the Housing Corporation would lead well toward accomplishing a goal that we can achieve here. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I think much of what needs to be said was already put forward by the chairman of the standing committee on finance, in terms of what we found to be of concern when going through the capital estimates for this department. Basically, we think that the cabinet, not just this department, needs to examine their priorities for capital spending in light of fundamental needs for people living in the communities, all communities. But there was also a real extensive concern among the Members of the committee in terms of the calibre of the housing needs assessment. We were not convinced that this was a reliable document.

Motion To Re-Examine Capital Priorities And Develop 10-Year Plan To Eliminate The Shortage Of Public Housing, Carried

With that in mind, Mr. Chairman, I move that the committee recommends that the cabinet re-examine capital priorities in light of fundamental needs; and further that the corporation develop a 10-year plan to eliminate the shortage of public housing.