Mr. Chairman, I do not want to challenge the idea of the extension, but I hope that it is not a practice in future that when you raised on a point of order, you introduce a motion of extension. It would have been different if the Minister had been answering the question, and then it returned to the Member. It is the Minister that should have answered the question. I just wanted to remind Members we had agreed to extend, but on a procedural point, it is not normal that you do those things.

I agree with you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We do not have a program at this point such a program as the Member is describing, although we assist, through our Renewable Resource Officers in the communities, to give environmental courses in the schools.

I believe that the back to the land program is more or less the responsibility of the education. I know in some cases, they have back to the land programs, or the local education authority gives out some assistance. Mr. Chairman, the department, at this point, is reviewing all the PYs to see how we best could assist our northern people in terms of renewable resource harvesting. They are doing that now, but it is going to take awhile to set it up.

Thank you. Further general comments? Mr. Gargan.

Yes, just one last comment, I would like to give the other Members a chance before 6:00 p.m. With regard to your burn, you going to be carrying out prescribed burns in certain areas, and one of the areas is the Mills Lake area. It is a marshland area, I guess, if you want to call it that.

Mr. Minister, you do have the Little Rat Lake, and the Hook Lake bison, in the Jean Marie areas where they are going to be doing some burning. What exactly is involved here, and what do you expect to get as a result of burning all that grass? Is it going to be the same type of grass that is going to come out? I guess I am asking if this grass is good for the bison? I know that they are in the Mills Lake area, but they are not in the flat areas of Flat Lake, they are more in the bushes. I am just trying to rationalize why you want to burn the grass if they are not eating it?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

The purpose of prescribed burns is to promote a better habitat for wildlife. Especially in the Fort Providence area, we were trying to promote a better habitat for bison. I will not direct the department to do prescribed burns without the community involvement, and I would like the communities to assist us in terms of the locations as well. In fact, next Wednesday the department will be meeting with people from Fort Providence to deal with that. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Gargan.

Thank you. Is this only a plan right now, or has the committee been consulted about the intention of the department?

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. They have been informed.

Thank you. General comments. Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Mr. Chairman. I just want to reiterate Mr. Todd's comments about utilizing the resources that we have. This government should emphasize, and work towards, coordinating approaches and developments in these areas, by both the Department of Renewable Resources and the Department of Economic Development.

Traditionally our people used to harvest wildlife and use every part of the animal, fish, or bird that they harvested. I think, in this day and age, that we should go back to some of those methods, and use the advents of commercialization, and utilize all of these parts and pieces.

I wish to make several other comments. I know that there has been considerable work done on the new Wildlife Act, I wish that the work would proceed, but I caution again, that we have to take into account provisions of new land claims, and the agreements that were negotiated, when trying to create new acts.

I also note that in this budget, there are no specific dollars allocated for developments within the Gwich'in land claim, and I would like to know how you are going to cover any developments occurring from that land and settlement agreement?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

In terms of aboriginal land claims, that is normally the responsibility of the federal government. Currently, I am told that the Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs Department, or Secretariat, is negotiating with the federal government for the implementation of the aboriginal claim, so that we will be able to participate when the negotiations and the resources are concluded, from the federal government to our government. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

So, once these negotiations are complete, and if there are specific instances where monies are required from this government, I assume that transfers will be made to cover those?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, our budget will still continue. The federal money will be supplementary to the implementation of land claims. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

In looking at the details of this budget, you do not give many details in this book, that was tabled. I do not see any areas where coverage, under the Workers' Compensation Board, are provided for hunters and trappers. What is the status of the coverage through W.C.B. for hunters and trappers?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Since the guidelines for the Workers' Compensation Board have not been developed by the appropriate Minister, we have asked to come back with the supplementary funding for the Workers' Compensation Board, whenever the policies, or the guidelines, have been created.

Thank you. Mr. Koe.