Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Fire suppression is a big concern to the Standing Committee on Finance. Looking at the current year's expenditures of $25 million over the budgeted amount, it is quite a large amount. Perhaps it is what it cost to fight the fires because of the type of season we had. However, we have to find more efficient and effective ways of dealing with fire suppression in the north. By fire suppression, I take it that it includes firefighting, equipment and all the resources required to fight fires, including aircraft.

We have been told that the chairman of the Financial Management Board has asked the Minister responsible to develop a plan. That is what we're waiting for. What we are suggesting to the Minister in this report is that the department has to address a number of issues. We listed some of them in our report. We are aware that it is a problem.

We are aware that the government is developing a plan to address this problem and we are suggesting to them that included in looking at the problem and developing a plan, it is important to look at methods used to fight fires, the effectiveness of how they make decisions, the type of resources that are consumed and the involvement of the communities in planning and decision-making. These are the points we have raised, as well as the concern about how much of the expenditure stays in the north. We are all concerned about that.

Just to finish off, Mr. Chairman, the committee is very concerned about this and it is in the hands of the government to deal with it. Thank you.