Mr. Chairman, to answer the question the Member has asked about forest fires this past summer. Forest fires are an element of a cycle which the government is, at this point, studying in a number of areas. Forest fires are one of a number of environmental consequences of a dry season which occurs over perhaps a ten year cycle. This appears to be what we are facing at this point. At this point, not enough research has been done to say for certain that this is the case.
However, the Department of Renewable Resources usually comes out with a report on the previous summer's firefighting progress. I'm hoping that that report will be completed sometime in the new calendar year. I remain committed, as the Minister of Renewable Resources, to having consultations with each community. Department staff are going to be in each of the communities to discuss the forest fires.
The suggestions that are being made by Members, the public at large, fire crews, and the people in our department who specialize in firefighting are being looked at. We are trying to take a holistic look at forest fire management and how we, as a government, can reduce the amount of dollars that were spent on forest fires this past summer. Based on these meetings, the department will develop options for reducing the costs of managing forest fires and looking at alternatives for creating employment through such options. At this point, I'm not able to say for certain exactly where the funds were spent this past summer. I'm hoping that in the new year, we'll have numbers that are certain as to how and where these funds were spent.
The suggestion of the Members has been made by other parties when they make representation to the department regarding forest fires. I'm hoping that, as a department, we will be able to get to each and very person or group who has concerns about forest fires. I believe we should be consulting, especially with the elders, who have been around before the towns, communities and villages were formed, to give us an indication whether the cycle or point we're in at this present stage is something that has been occurring over the past number of decades. With that, I hope we will be able to get a full idea or a full picture and a very good general idea from the people in the Northwest Territories about how we should be fighting forest fires and how we should be reducing costs in forest fires. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.