Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The grant we receive from the federal government comes from the Department of Finance. It is not broken down into various categories such as student financial assistance, or education, or other areas. It is impossible at this point in time to break it up. The federal government does not work it that way. We do not have a specific amount we receive in the grant that is earmarked specifically for this particular purpose. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, that Bill 3, An Act to Amend the Financial Administration Act, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker,

I MOVE, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Twin Lakes, that Bill 2, Supplementary Appropriation Act No. 3, 1999-2000, be read for the first time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We have only been here a month or five weeks or whatever it is. I have not had an opportunity to meet with the Minister of Finance. I think it is very important, before we jump into these things, that we be organized and know what it is and how we are proposing to do it. No, I have not had any discussions with the Minister of Finance on the formula.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I have mentioned before, the review of all these options takes some time. I do not believe that we can, in fact, we will not be able to have this in time for the interim appropriations. The results will be available as we do our business plans. Some of the options may also mean changes in legislation and so on, so I could not even commit that we would be able to make all the changes for the next fiscal year, maybe a year down the road yet before we could implement some of the possibilities. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not want to speculate on specifics on what kind of taxes they might be, but we have a number of taxes in the Northwest Territories that range from tobacco to fuel to alcohol and so on. We also have other potential areas in terms of corporate taxes, but Mr. Speaker, I do not want to get into what the potential may be in any of those areas. That would be speculation. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The areas that we have been looking at for potentially increasing new revenues include, of course, our formula financing grant, any other federal transfers, and we have a number of them, taxes, and other non-tax revenues like fees and licenses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to address questions raised by Mr. Roland in the House concerning the business planning and main estimates process. First, I would like to clarify my previous statement regarding the call letters for the 2000 to 2003 business plan. Deputy ministers were briefed on the schedule and process on February 18, 2000. The actual call letters will be sent to all departments on February 24, 2000.

In response to Mr. Roland's question concerning the final direction for the main estimate process, call letters will be sent by mid-March. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I give notice that on Friday, February 25th, 2000, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Inuvik Boot Lake, that the Legislative Assembly fix the date of June 30, 2000 for the tabling of the Public Accounts of the Northwest Territories for the Fiscal Year Ending March 31, 1999.