Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My question is for the Minister responsible for the Power Corporation. Can the Minister update the House on the status of the franchise agreements between the NWT Power Corporation and the communities across the NWT?

Mr. Speaker, it is my understanding that the total budget for Expo is four million dollars. Is the Minister prepared to put his department and his reputation on the line, that that department will meet those commitments, or if there are significant overruns in Expo, that he will be accountable for it?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to extend our appreciation to Mr. Pollard who is now with us today. I thought maybe he was hiding. Yesterday Mr. Pollard indicated in a return to a question from Mr. Dent that he was going to attempt to supply this House with the revised budget and breakdown of expenditures with respect to Expo '92, and that he would provide a report outlining the expected benefits resulting from the participation at Expo in 1992, and he would also provide an outline of expenses and revenues in the GNWT's participation in Expo in 1986. Would the Minister consider putting a hold on further commitments on Expo '92 in Seville until such time as this House has been provided with the appropriate documentation to determine what the net impact to Northerners is of this expenditure?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to start this afternoon by hoping that this House has a sense of humour. I would like to use my statement today to congratulate Canadian Airlines International on becoming a corporate partner in Expo '92. It is my understanding of the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism's statement to this House on Friday that as part of the sponsorship agreement, Canadian Airlines would provide business class seats to GNWT employees travelling to Seville for the price of an economy class ticket.

I note, Mr. Speaker, that we are using this airline as our exclusive air carrier to travel back and forth to Seville. I am quite sure that this service had little or nothing to do with our agreeing to the corporate sponsorship package. This offer shows Canadian Airlines' deep commitment to the North and its people, and I am quite heartened by their concern for the comfort and extra leg-room for GNWT employees.

I would like to offer the suggestion that Canadian Airlines could continue their generous ways by extending the same offer to other groups in our society who perhaps need this service more, such as elders who have to travel by air...

---Applause

...students who have to travel to attend school, and our sick people who have to travel to the hospitals.

In closing, Mr. Speaker, I would like to quote, for the benefit of Canadian Airlines, a famous Christmas character, Ebenezer Scrooge, who when asked if he would contribute to some well-meaning charity said, "Bah, humbug!"

---Laughter

---Applause

Well, it seems to me that the original request, not that I am going to stand up for the Minister of Finance, is valid in a sense that there has been an increase in the collections that have been transferred from the South to the North. Mr. Gargan's request to reassign this money, I think, at this particular juncture is inappropriate.

Mr. Chairman, the standing committee on finance did agree to recommend that the $735,000 in not previously authorized funding proceed. I would like to caution cabinet and the Minister of Finance that before any further funds are expended, we want a full report provided to the House in April.

Aboriginal Rights And Constitutional Development, Total O And M, Agreed

Mr. Chairman, the standing committee on finance reviewed this bill extensively in its meetings on December 5th, 6th, 8th and 11th. The committee was pleased that the Minister of Finance and his staff were available to answer the many questions of the committee. Responses to our questions, although not always to our liking, were provided in a very efficient manner.

During our meeting on December 11th the committee agreed to recommend this bill to the House for consideration. The committee recognizes that the bulk of this bill was formulated by the previous administration. However the committee did have several concerns. I will speak to the major ones. Members of the committee may have comments on the detail of this bill during the discussions in committee of the whole.

The first concern of this committee was the short amount of time we had to review the bill. The committee received the details of this bill, the evening of December 2, just two days prior to our meeting. The committee recognizes the time constraints that all Members have been under of late, including the Executive Council, but we stress that these bills must be received in ample time to allow for a full and comprehensive review.

Secondly, the committee was concerned about the size of the supplementary appropriations that are coming forward. If this bill is passed, the total supplementary appropriation for the current fiscal year will be over $80 million and we still have three months left at the end of the fiscal year.

Finally, the committee is concerned about the use of special warrants. These expenditures are made without the prior approval of this House. The committee feels that special warrants should only be used in exceptional circumstances. I would like to point out that the former chairman of SCOF, now the Minister of Finance, had similar concerns with special warrants. This is an area we have only touched upon with the Minister of Finance, but one we will be giving close scrutiny to over the next four years.

---Applause

I just want to make some general comments as chairman of the standing committee on finance. I would think the bill is obvious; there is a need for restraint. The cabinet has demonstrated that; other members of the government have demonstrated that; we should demonstrate that.

Mr. Speaker, I, like Mr. Dent, agree that there is a requirement for more open government. I would hope the Government Leader and the other side of the House would not see this motion as a means to void or to interfere in the process of cabinet, but merely to complement and to ensure that the recommendations and the move forward do have the full support of the House. Thank you.