Madam Speaker, there is indication that the federal government is giving serious consideration to dealing with the Metis question, at least in the southern part of the territories, with regard to the issue of land resources. That is, I think they are looking seriously at setting up a process whereby the Metis could negotiate a land claim for themselves and look at a question of self-government, probably in that context, if policies are changed accordingly.

So the impact of that, I would say, is not earth-shattering for the north. The Metis were included, since 1973, with the Dene on the negotiation of the Dene-Metis comprehensive claim, and, until the collapse of the comprehensive Dene claim, the Metis were involved in a process to acquire land resources together with the treaty Dene of the Mackenzie Valley. In the Gwich'in claim and the Sahtu claim, the Metis are included, and in this part of the territories where the Metis may be excluded, specifically the Treaty 8 area, those leaders are suggesting that they want to set up programs and services just for treaty people to gain lands through the process for treaty people only. The Metis are left out. The federal government has always thought that they will give the lead to Treaty 8 first to see how they are going to proceed to gain land resources before averting attention to the Metis question. I think that more than two years has passed. The are prepared now to, as it appears, give serious thought to letting the Metis proceed to acquire land and resources without it being overly contingent on whether or not the treaty people are going to make progress or take initiative to acquire land resources as well. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, in the original Dene-Metis comprehensive claim, and as well, in the Gwich'in and Sahtu claim, there have been no discussions or negotiations regarding programs and services. I am not certain that the federal government has ruled out that area of negotiations. The Metis may like to check out the prospects at the negotiating table about negotiating programs and services with the federal government. But as to whether or not there are things like core funding and other capital plan projects made available here in the north for Metis, some of the southern programs for treaty people are not available for treaty people here in the north, and it is very difficult to give any categorical response to that question except it is largely between the federal government and the Metis, and we will see if substantial progress is made in setting up a negotiating process, and there is defining of a scope of what is negotiable and there is some workable timetable set up to accommodate it. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, some of that is a question of what is constitutionally the responsibility of the federal government, and I am not certain that we are going to be angrily or strongly demanding that the federal government accept this responsibility at this time. We have left it dormant for some time, hoping that, through constitutional talks and claims negotiations, some of these questions will be answered. It is my view that the Metis are first and foremost an aboriginal people, just as aboriginal as the treaty First Nations of this country, just as aboriginal as the Inuvialuit and the Inuit of this country, and, unfortunately, they are treated differently and they are accorded different types of treatment in the eyes of the federal government. It has been long the fight of Metis leaders across this country to try to get a definable, acceptable type of respect and recognition that they think they deserve. I think the process and commitment for the federal government to negotiate with them is a substantial start to address those. I think those will be self-defining as progress is made on this question. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I have a written question I would like to direct to the Minister of Justice. Could the Minister please table in the House the following:

A list of:

1)all sole-source contracts entered into by the Department of Justice in the last two years; and

2)all equipment provided to sole-source contractors by the department in the same time period and its ultimate destination;

and can the Minister provide this information when the House reconvenes after the Easter break?

The committee will now come to order. What is the wish of the committee? Mr. Ng.

Did I hear you also mention Committee Report 2-12(5)?

Does the committee agree?

We shall first deal with the Department of Public Works and Services after the short 15 minute break.