Good morning. Item 2, Ministers' statements. The honourable Member for Mackenzie Delta, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am sure that we are all very grateful for the wonderful summer and fall weather that we enjoyed this year. However, we all knew that the coming of winter was inevitable. The arrival of winter means that many of us will be able to get back onto the land, even for a short period, and renew our spirits. But in order to make sure that we enjoy and survive the winter, there are a number of safety precautions that we should all be taking now.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Safety and Public Services is mailing information packages to the communities which contain five "infograms" on topics of special interest during the winter season. These infograms are safety tips on the following subjects:

- snowmobile safety

- ice road safety

- heat trace cable (to make sure heat trace cable is properly installed to reduce the risk of fires)

- carbon monoxide poisoning (which can result from faulty furnaces, wood stoves and gas-fired appliances) and

- approved sources of heat for clearing frozen propane lines (no tiger torches, please!).

The infograms on snowmobile safety and ice road safety are available in English, French and Inuktitut, and the others are available in English and French.

I would like to remind Members that the Department of Safety and Public Services staff are very happy to answer any questions about these or other safety issues that the general public may have. I would also like to advise Members and residents of the Northwest Territories that the department has an excellent resources centre located on the first floor of the Northway Building, which carries many different educational aids including brochures, booklets and videos on safety hazards. People in the communities can access the resources centre by calling our resources librarian, Ms. Rita Denneron, at 873-7470. Ms. Denneron provides services in English and Slavey, and there are other departmental staff available who can provide assistance in French and Inuktitut.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Safety and Public Services also provides a wide range of inspection and investigation services. My staff and I sincerely hope that we do not have to conduct investigations of fatalities which occur this winter because of a failure to take safety precautions. I urge all Members and their constituents to take the time to keep informed about basic winter safety precautions. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

---Applause

Thank you. Item 2, Ministers' statements. Item 3, Members' statements. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I rise to tell Members about the second annual dreamcatcher aboriginal youth conference held in Edmonton the weekend of November 18 to November 20. Dreamcatchers was started last year by some very dedicated aboriginal students enrolled in Grant McEwan College.

Last year's conference was designed as a forum for the students and faculty of the young and youth care programs to encourage aboriginal students to consider a career in this worthwhile field. Madam Speaker, as usual with great ideas, the concept has snowballed. The response to last year's conference was overwhelmingly positive so that people kept coming up with more and more ideas to incorporate into this year's conference.

The dreamcatchers aboriginal youth conference still encourages young aboriginal students to take up careers in youth and child care. There will be presentations by people in the field of child and youth care who will show students what a rewarding career working for their people could be. But, through the positive feedback that I spoke of earlier, the dreamcatchers conference has become much more than a forum for youth and child care programs at Grant McEwan Community College. It has become a conference for the aboriginal youth of Canada, a conference where they can learn about their own culture and how to incorporate their culture into the Euro-Canadian mainstream without losing sight of their own unique heritage.

Madam Speaker, last year participants, both educators and aboriginal students alike, left the conference feeling recharged, full of new ideas of ways to help people in their own communities. Madam Speaker, I am proud to say that a group of 15 grade 10 students from Deh Gah secondary school in Fort Providence, after starting over $800 in debt, have worked very hard to raise the money to attend this very worthwhile aboriginal youth conference.

However, as usual in the smaller communities, they have come up a little short in their fund-raising. I have sent letters to some of the honourable Ministers across...

Mr. Gargan.

Madam Speaker, I would like to get unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

The honourable Member is seeking unanimous consent to continue. Are there any nays? There are no nays. Please proceed, Mr. Gargan.

Madam Speaker, however, as usual in the smaller communities, they have come up a little short in their fund raising. I have sent letters to some of the honourable Ministers across the way and, as time is of the essence, I urge each one of them to look very seriously at finding a few extra dollars for the youth of my constituency. Mahsi cho.

---Applause

Item 3, Members' statements. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Good morning. Madam Speaker, I have a return to an oral questions asked of the Premier by Mr. Dent on October 19, 1994. It deals with family violence workers' wages and benefits.

Madam Speaker, the Department of Health and Social Services currently provides contributions to a wide range of community groups to provide health and social services to members of the public. These include alcohol and drug treatment centres, alcohol and drug counselling projects, violence shelters and personal care facilities. In addition, contributions are provided to other community groups which provide less direct services to clients. In total, Madam Speaker, over 305 residents are employed using the funding provided under these contribution agreements. Unfortunately, there has not been enough money to pay these workers at the same level as government employees.

In the past, the department has funded these organizations from a variety of discreet program areas. As a result, the workers provide the services in only one program area and often in isolation of their counterparts who work in other disciplines.

The departments of Health and Social Services were combined to achieve some economies and, as we work our way through the restructuring of the organization, the savings will be quite obvious. The same process needs to occur in the integration of contributions to community groups.

One of the critical projects that is currently under way is the development of a community wellness strategy. This strategy aims at finding innovative ways to help residents deal with a variety of personal issues such as child sexual abuse, spousal abuse and neglect. One of the outcomes of this strategic initiative will be greater involvement by community groups in the determination of how government money will be spent to promote healing and recovery. Ideally, Madam Speaker, communities will explore the mandates of many of the groups currently providing services through government funding with a view towards amalgamation at the community level in an attempt to provide services in a more integrated and more effective manner.

It may be necessary at that point, depending on the priorities set by individual communities, to divert money from some of the programs that have been operating unchanged for many years in an attempt to find more effective ways of healing. At the same time, it may be possible to deal with wage inequities for groups such as family violence workers.

This strategy should be complete for tabling at the winter session of this Assembly. By 1995-96, communities will be empowered to examine all of the relevant resources provided by government to their communities and to set priorities that will address their own unique needs. At that point, Madam Speaker, I am confident that a greater emphasis will be placed on community mental health and combating family violence. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this is a reply to a question asked by Mr. Ningark, of the Premier, on October 27, 1994. It deals with social assistance payments for Pelly Bay and Taloyoak.

Madam Speaker, some years ago, at the request of the Kitikmeot Regional Council, the Department of Social Services began limiting the amount of cash that is available to social assistance recipients in the region. Recipients receive $50 in cash each month, and the remainder of their social assistance is paid directly to suppliers on the recipients' behalf.

A request was received this past summer from the community of Pelly Bay, asking that this practice be discontinued. It was arranged for a delegation from the community to meet with one of the department's assistant deputy ministers, along with the director of social assistance. I understand that Mr. Ningark attended the meeting that was held on July 21, 1994. The concern expressed at the meeting was that the limited amount of cash given out was placing hardships on some social assistance recipients.

It was agreed at the meeting that this matter could be addressed by the local Social Assistance Appeal Committee, who have the authority to hear the complaints of any social assistance recipient. It was also agreed that if the appeal committee was not able to resolve the issue, then the department was prepared to re-examine it.

These agreements were outlined in a letter from me to the Speaker of the Kitikmeot Regional Council on September 2, 1994, with copies to the Member, to the mayor of Pelly Bay and to Mr. Ng.

Just recently, I was provided with a copy of a petition signed by members of the Pelly Bay community, addressed on October 7, 1994 to the speaker of the Kitikmeot Regional Council. This petition asks the council to reconsider its position on the issuing of cash in social assistance.

Madam Speaker, this matter has to be resolved. Since the current practice of using vouchers was implemented at the request of the Kitikmeot Regional Council, the ideal way to resolve it would be for the community to come to an agreement with the Kitikmeot Regional Council. Towards this end, I will ask the regional council to give prompt consideration to the petition from the residents of Pelly Bay. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a return to an oral question asked by Mr. Dent on October 31, 1994. Types of leases being used in Yellowknife.

In Yellowknife, the Department of Public Works and Services has implemented a modified gross lease approach to the acquisition of office space. In this approach, the baseline portion remains constant over the entire term of the lease. Municipal taxes are paid on the basis of actual cost. Other operations and maintenance repayments will be adjusted annually, based on the changes in the Canadian consumer price index. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 4, returns to oral questions. Item 5, recognition of visitors in the gallery. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Kitikmeot, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to direct my question to the Minister of Safety and Public Services regarding the statement he just made earlier today. I would like to ask, under snowmobile safety -- the brochure that the department hands out -- whether that would include snowmobile operations on ice, particularly on new ice in early fall. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you. I don't have that information. I'll provide a copy to the honourable Member.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would also like to clarify, Madam Speaker, in his statement it says that the department hopes that they will not have to conduct investigations of fatalities which occur this winter because of a failure to take safety precautions. My understanding is that the coroner's office normally investigates fatalities within the Northwest Territories, so I would like to ask if the Minister could clarify whether both departments are involved. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In certain circumstances both departments are involved. If you have a situation where you have fires, the fire marshal is involved. If you have situations where there are safety issues that are related to electrical, our department is involved in that. It's specific to the profession that is related to the incident that occurs.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Ng.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask then, as far as snowmobile operations, like the unfortunate incident that happened in my constituency a week and a half ago, whether or not his department would be involved in those types of safety incidents.

Thank you. Minister of Safety and Public Services, Mr. Nerysoo.

In those particular incidents, normally that's a matter that is dealt with by the RCMP and the court.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. (Translation) I would like to ask a question of one of the government's Executive Members, but she is not here at the moment so I would like to talk to the Minister who is working in the interim. At this time of year when it's cold, the elders need help with the wood and

fuel. What I would like to ask Mr. Pollard is, are there any plans to help the elders with these kinds of problems this year?

Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, we do have a fuel subsidy program that is available to our elders in the Northwest Territories. That should be in the knowledge of all the social welfare offices across the Northwest Territories. If there is a problem, I will have a directive sent out to them to make sure that they address this issue in the communities they are responsible for. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

(Translation) Thanks for that reply. Another question I would like to ask is a lot of people are not educated and are illiterate, so will these people also be getting help?

Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, regardless of whether the people are able to fill in the forms or not able to fill in the forms, whether they are unilingual or unable to communicate, I will make sure the department knows that they should pay particular attention to these people and assist them with the applications. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yesterday, the Honourable Silas Arngna'naaq, the Minister of Renewable Resources, made a statement in the House regarding a fur pricing program. He stated that this new program will improve upon and replace the fur incentive subsidy. At this time of the year, many people who depend on trapping are looking forward to their fur subsidy to begin their season. I would like to ask the

Minister to explain a little more clearly how this new fur pricing program will be introduced. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The fur pricing program that is being initiated by the Department of Renewable Resources has three main objectives, which are: to establish a guaranteed or minimum price schedule for selected prime wild furs harvested in the Northwest Territories; to increase participation in trapping, whether they are trappers who stopped trapping years ago or young people who would like to earn an income in trapping; and, to increase the proportion of quality prime wild fur in the Northwest Territories.

The incentive program that was run by the Government of the Northwest Territories, I believe, was an effective program. However, I don't think it encouraged new trappers or trappers who had trapped before to get back into trapping. The intent of the program is to try to bring more trappers in the trapping industry.

The way the program will work is there will be a slight increase of payment to harvesters who bring in pelts to Renewable Resources. There will be a first payment and then a second payment which will follow in the following year, in the following fall of the harvesting season. For example, for trappers who trap this winter will receive a first payment when they bring pelts into the department and they will also receive a second payment in the fall of next year, in 1995. Regardless of whether they bring the fur into Renewable Resources or into private vendors, they will receive the second payment, based on the number of furs they are able to sell. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. This program seems to be a good program, but I don't really know how it is going to work. I'm sure the department has trained its people to implement this new program. I would like to ask the Minister, who, in this department, will be involved in this new program and have these people been trained to provide this new service? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. As we speak, the renewable resources officers as well as regional offices, should be distributing information on the new program to all interested harvesters. All members of the staff of the Department of Renewable Resources are aware and understand the program. They have been instructed to deliver the program and to explain to harvesters what the program is about. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary to the same Minister. Regarding the fur incentive subsidy, the trappers would catch the animal, skin the animal, stretch the fur, let it dry and once it is done, bring the fur in. That is when they get graded on what kinds of prices they receive for them. But, to begin the season, this department had a program which gave incentive grants to trappers. I would like to ask the

Minister if that grant is still in place and if it takes into account the conditions we discussed last year where an average of five years was taken for trappers who have been going out every year and that average was given as the fur incentive grant. Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The trapper incentive program which is run by the government will be ending this year. Last year, payments for harvesters were given. And, a payment has been sent to each of the trappers who participated in the program last year. This occurred towards the end of October, 1994. The way the new program will work is, for example white fox, a first payment of approximately $25 dollars will be given to a trapper for a good quality pelt that is brought into Renewable Resources.

As a second payment in the fall, a trapper will receive $13 for a total price of $38. However, the second payment will not go out to the trapper until the following fall; so, in October of 1995 the trapper will receive the extra $13. For every pelt the trapper brings into either a private vendor or Renewable Resources, they will receive the $13. This will be the same for seals, to a maximum of 5,000 pelts, white fox, coloured fox, marten, mink, beaver and muskrat. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Centre, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is for the Minister of Economic Development and Tourism. There are people in this city, since we live quite close to the barrenlands, who have taken small trees which may be several hundred years old and have tried to duplicate the Japanese art of bonsai, the creation of trees of rare beauty. I would like to ask the Minister whether his department has done any feasibility work on such a project as a way of using our renewable resources. These little trees, in some cases, have been around for many, many hundreds of years. Some local people have developed this art and I want to know if his department has taken an interest in this particular line of economic activity.

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Once I was a Japanese suicide pilot...

---Laughter

I understand what the honourable Member is talking about. No, Madam Speaker, we haven't taken any interest in growing little trees, but we would be only too happy to assist those creative entrepreneurs who may be able to scratch a small living out of doing this.

Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Since from time to time I give advice to my constituents on areas that I have some knowledge in, Madam Speaker, and since people may be taking these little trees from an area that doesn't belong to them and transplanting them to make them grow, does the Minister know whether this is a legal or illegal poaching of trees?

(Microphones turned off)

Mr. Lewis, I am having a problem with your question. Any question posed to any Minister should be under the direct responsibility of their ministerial portfolio. You may want to rephrase your question or I will have to rule it out of order. Mr. Lewis.

I will try again. It is a difficult area, Madam Speaker, because economic activity cuts across so many boundaries. I would like to ask the Minister whether he knows of any regulation that prevents the removal of an economic resource from an area where this particular resource is available?

Thank you. Minister of Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Todd.

I am not aware of any regulations as it relates to the pilfering of bonsai trees, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Inuvik, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I have a question for the Minister of Health. Over the past few years, there has been a lot of concern raised about the medevac services in the Northwest Territories. I am under the impression that this issue is under study or was to be studied in some kind of report prepared for this Assembly. Can the Minister advise this House as to what the status is of the review of medevac services in the Northwest Territories?

Acting Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Pollard.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, this issue was looked at and some medevac standards were arrived at. The commitment of the government was that once those standards were arrived at, they would be

discussed with the industry and the industry would have input into a new medevac policy for the Northwest Territories.

The status at the present time is that those guidelines were developed and they are now being discussed with the health boards. The health boards want to have some more input into it. I anticipate that by the end of this year, all that data would have been gathered and put into a report. So early next year, Madam Speaker, the consultation process will begin with the industry itself. I am confident that the Minister of Health will be able to put a report into this House in the winter session. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

It is a major cost concern because a majority of our money in the health care system is being spent on medevacs. I am pleased that the department is proceeding in terms of consultation and involving people who are impacted by the services. What work has been done to involve them in this review?

Thank you. Acting Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, the concerns of the different regions and communities across the Northwest Territories are being channelled through the health boards. It is hoped that in that way we will know what the community and regional concerns are. So that is being done through the health boards, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Koe.

In the meantime, I will have to assume that it is business as usual and that much of the services and disputes as to the jurisdiction and different areas are just continuing as they were last year.

Acting Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, I think, in going through the process and looking at the medevac standards, et cetera, it has made us all more aware of each other's problems, whether we are a board, patient or nurse practitioner trying to load someone onto an aircraft. We have all learned that there are problems out there. That has been instrumental in solving some of the problems, particularly in communication. Yes, we are still working on the same regime that was there before, except that we are more knowledgable about the

problems. We may be compensating for some of those problems in our own way. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Koe.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. In communities that have access to roads, they also provide road medevacs by road vehicles. When we were visiting communities on the Special Committee on Health and Social Services, we saw the condition of some vehicles that were being used for medevac purposes. Is anything going to be done to look at that aspect of provision of medevac services? Are you looking at vehicles and their condition to upgrade them?

Acting Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Pollard.

Madam Speaker, the Member is correct. Across the Northwest Territories the condition of vehicles, the kinds of services that are available -- and I talk about paramedics versus other people who are perhaps not as well trained -- varies across the Northwest Territories. Health boards and communities have raised this issue to the department and the department is looking at the situation, not only in the air, but on the road as well. I might say, Madam Speaker, that in communities that would be serviced by aircraft for medevac, there is still the concern of ambulance services within that community. So the department is looking at it, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake, Mr. Dent.

Mr. Dent, the question appears to be hypothetical, in my view. I would like to ask if you would like to rephrase it? The honourable Member for Yellowknife Frame Lake.

Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. No.

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Could I have the Member repeat his question please, I didn't hear him.

Mr. Dent.

Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, I do recognize that the Yellowknife price index could be different than the Canadian price index. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Dent.

Minister of Public Works and Services, Mr. Morin.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I don't think it is necessary to do that. The Department of Public Works has modified the gross lease approach. People who are leasing office space to us will get paid the base rent and for all the operations and maintenance, the prepayments will be adjusted annually according to the Canadian consumer price index. If there is any change in cost, for example if the price of power or fuel go up higher than that, then those leases will be paid anyway. That is how the leases are drawn up. This is just a holding figure they get paid annually. That's all it is.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for High Arctic, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister of Renewable Resources a question. In my constituency apparently there was a person who was trying to hunt a caribou in a Coast Guard helicopter in our waters. He was with a biologist at the time. I am wondering how many caribou this particular person caught. Does the Minister know anything about this? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am quite aware of what the Member is asking about, but I will look into the matter further and get back to him. I will look into the matter about the people who were in the Coast Guard helicopter hunting caribou, and I will get back to the Member for High Arctic. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Pudluk.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. Supplementary to my question. I'm sure the hunters and trappers in my area can be blamed for mishaps when it comes to caribou hunting when outsiders hunt caribou in our area. Can the Minister of Renewable Resources inform the communities that hunting caribou might be illegal in some areas? Would the Minister inform the hunters and trappers, as well, about the consequences if illegal hunting of caribou occurs in a community? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

(Translation) Thank you, Madam Speaker. With regard to caribou hunting, I will be

informing all communities and the hunters in the communities who will be affected by this. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.

Mahsi, Madam Speaker. (Translation) I have a question for the Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi. On Monday we found out that $15 million is coming to us. That is a lot of money. Native people think that is a lot of money. In Fort Providence last spring, a person said that perhaps a prison could be built there. He said maybe we can work on this. We talked to the mayors and talked about it. We went to the site where they want the prison built. But, up to today, nothing has happened. With all this money, the question is how they can build something that is so big. There isn't enough money. That's why I want to ask him, are they still talking about building a prison in Providence, or is there not enough money for that?

Minister of Justice, Mr. Kakfwi.

I will just ask Members to bear with us, until there is a translator available.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Gargan.

(Translation) Mahsi, Madam Speaker. I want to ask the Minister of Justice, when you build things, power and fuel and everything that is included in the house are very expensive. I've already said this before. When you build a prison that big, maybe you don't need some of these things. They could use wood or they could live the traditional lifestyle of Dene people. Now, Madam Speaker, many of the people who are in the prisons now, it's like they live in glass houses, they don't work. Maybe if they were out working, cutting wood and things like that, maybe they would feel useful. Living in a prison, maybe if they lived the traditional ways they might change their ways. That is why I want to ask him, if they could work at things like that; if you think the white way you lose the traditional Dene lifestyle. That is why I want to say if you build a prison and they live the traditional Dene lifestyle in the prisons, maybe they will change their ways. Thank you.

Thank you.

Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Yellowknife North, Mr. Ballantyne.

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister of Renewable Resources. Madam Speaker, there were reports coming out of Ottawa that the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans is contemplating significant cutbacks. The reports also state that the Minister is looking at the possibility of turning over certain responsibilities to the provinces. Madam Speaker, my question to the Minister, has the Minister looked at the opportunities that this might give us as far as taking over federal programs from the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans?

Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Yes, we are looking at how we might be able to take over some areas that the Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for. At the present time, we have not come to a conclusion about what areas of the department we will be able to work with. My deputy minister will be meeting with the deputy minister of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans within the next three weeks in Ottawa and I believe they will be starting discussions at that time. Thank you, Madam Speaker.