I'm trying to get this figured out. Last year, a number of times, I approached the Minister about Trout Lake. This lake has seven different species of fish that you can catch just about any time of the year. Everybody here is welcome to come fish with me next summer.

---Laughter

The community has its own lodge and they've been trying to get it going. There doesn't seem to be any support at all from the department. What I wanted to see was the department going in there and working with the community. I brought this up last spring. I wanted the department to go in and help them organize so this winter they could go out to the trade shows and see if they could solicit people to go fishing.

The fishermen who go out plan way ahead of time. Once they've made up their mind now, one month before fishing season starts is not going to do it. So, this year, more or less, is shot again. What I wanted to see happen with the department and the community never did materialize. I wanted to see at least one thing happen in each of the communities with regard to tourism with the department. That is not happening and I'm very disappointed. I would like to ask the Minister if he could talk to his people responsible in my constituency to see what they can do about this situation in Trout Lake. Thank you.

Mr. Todd.

I will have to look into that situation. I thought it was dealt with. I apologize if it hasn't been. I want to assure the honourable Member that it will be. I will give him a full report by early next week.

One thing I do want to point out though, is this new regional authority that I keep coming back to will ensure -- in my opinion, anyway and the opinion of the department -- significant community input that simply wasn't there before. Just by design, it has to. I'm told by Mr. Bailey that Mr. Borelli, who is from Liard, I believe, did recently go on a marketing sales trip and has come back with a significant amount of sales because of that trip. I don't know whether that would have happened under the old system, it might have. But, under the new system, it definitely happens. That's what I'm trying to say.

On the larger issue, I think it's important for the industry now to make sure the superintendent knows they are there. The superintendent has to do likewise. On the issue of Trout Lake, I was there myself and there is no question it is a beautiful part of the country. There's an enterprising group of young people there. They're even growing potatoes. I'm disappointed if nothing has happened. I'll talk to Mr. Bailey today and see if we can get a plan in place to assist those people there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Todd. Is this item concluded? Tourism and parks, total O and M, $8.008 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Before we go onto the next item, I would like to get a feel from the committee on whether they would like to have a short break now?

Agreed.

---Agreed

Okay, we'll have a 15 minute break and we'll come back to business development after the break.

---SHORT RECESS

Business Development

Agreed.

---Agreed

Economic Development Agreement

Agreed.

---Agreed

Finance And Administration

Agreed.

---Agreed

Mr. Chairman, the Standing Committee on Finance is looking at this one. I did make a comment about the Piruqsaijit Development Corporation. I believe Mr. Ng has a statement on that. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Regarding that secondment under grants and contributions, the Minister, when

he appeared before the Standing Committee on Finance, advised us that the secondment would be finished off in one year after the refinancing of a significant amount of assets was completed with the development corporations. In the justification that was provided to the committee recently, the indication there was that it would continue on for two more years. I would like to get that clarified before we proceed, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

The request from Piruqsaijit was for a two year secondment. In recognition of the Standing Committee on Finance's concerns at the time, I believe I said that I would go back to the Piruqsaijit group and the consortium of the presidents and seek their support for consideration of a one year secondment. I haven't had any response from them to date, but it is certainly my intent to talk to them and see if it is possible. If it is not possible, what provisions they can make to provide some of the fiscal cost of this position? I am not evading the issue, I just haven't had the opportunity to talk to them because I have been in House most of the time. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. In our SCOF report, Members of the committee recognize the value of having a government employee being trained by working with the private business interest and that type of thing. But, we are concerned whether there are currently policies in place for that, and if it is an ongoing practice of the government in this type of situation. I would like to ask the Minister what his department's position is on that. Thank you.

We don't have a specific policy that relates to secondments, to be quite frank. However, we were asked to develop one as a department. I recognize the Standing Committee on Finance's concerns about this particular secondment, which has been ongoing for some time. I will do the best that I can with my abilities to meet their resolution. Hopefully, after discussing with the presidents of the proxy group, we will come to a satisfactory conclusion that the Standing Committee on Finance will support.

On my understanding, secondments have been going for a long time. Different groups, over the years, have applied for secondment. The Premier knows about the new policy more than I do, but we have no problem with secondments provided the fiscal cost of these secondments are paid by the particular group that seconds the position. In this case, it is a little different and I have already said that. We are trying to follow the approach that the Premier outlined to us earlier.