Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just a few comments on the presentation we heard from the acting Minister yesterday. It was a package expressing all the good works that have been done by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, and very strategic use of numbers and percentages, while trying to present a picture of what is going on in the north.

It always amazes me how the use of statistics and percentages always enhances the picture in terms of what is going on and the advantages and benefits to northerners. We are all aware that many of our industries are very small, and an extra dollar given here or there can increase percentages significantly. My concern is in terms of some of these percentages that are being used in the presentation, I have real trouble in trying to figure out what that means in real terms.

How many real dollars were given, and to what persons? It never seems to come up, the statistics as to who is receiving the dollars, where are they, and what are they doing with it. It is nice to say, a 20 percent or a 40 percent increase here and there, but in terms of realistic numbers, dollars and cents, and to whom these dollars and cents are going, and what they are being used for, it would be nice to find out what is happening in our communities with our smaller businesses.

A couple other comments in terms of renewable resource development. There has been a lot of activity being done by the department in this area. My concern is how much is being done in cooperation with other departments. Again, it always seems like one department tends to work in isolation of another, and I know that there has been some coordination. but I can never get a handle on what Economic Development is doing, what Renewable Resources is doing, or what are the federal departments that are involved doing in terms of, say, fisheries?

So these are just some general comments on the statements made yesterday. I am just trying to find the percentages here, but I have other comments I will make under the various activities, my general impression of the statement, and now I will let someone else speak. Merci.