Thank you. Mr. Koe. Mr. Koe, do you have any general questions to ask?

Just a quick question again. I recall several years ago, the Minister had indicated some concern with our expenditures on parks and the ability to provide cost-benefit analysis of what's the cost-benefit of having a park and having one visitor or 100 visitors go through. I was wondering if the Minister or the department has done anything in trying to provide that kind of analysis on the costs of developing these parks.

Mr. Minister.

I believe we presented to the Standing Committee on Finance, not the last time around but the time before, our first cut at how we would do a cost-benefit analysis. We admitted then that it wasn't a perfect document, that we would hope in the coming months we would be able to streamline it. There was a fairly aggressive effort on the part of the deputy minister and the staff, recognizing the direction given by the Standing Committee on Finance, so that we have to be able to justify these expenditures in parks and the development of parks. So there is some work under way, Mr. Chairman, and we are hoping to refine it as we move forward in the coming months so that it's more defendable. Thank you.

Qujannamiik. Operations and maintenance, total O and M, $3.85 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Corporate And Technical Services

Thank you. Page 14-16, corporate and technical services, operations and maintenance, total O and M, $12.036 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. Mr. Koe.

I like the use of words here in the narrative about six lines down, "This Division administers programs which promote co-operation and harmonization both inter and intradepartmentally." Can the Minister give us some rationale for this harmonization concept?

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Thank you. We have bonding. Basically, there is a requirement for cooperative efforts on the part of Economic Development and Tourism and Renewable Resources as it relates to forestry, as it relates to fur, as it relates to fish, et cetera. There is also a requirement particularly with the increase in the mining industry of some coordination between ED&T and EM&PR. So that's really what we mean there by harmonizing the relationship. It's more coordination and trying to get all of us on the same wavelength

with respect to some of the major initiatives that are taking place. Thank you.

Thank you. Page 14-16, corporate and technical services, operations and maintenance, $12.036 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Economic Development Agreement

Thank you. Page 14-17, economic development agreement. Operations and maintenance, total O and M, $8.443 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Finance And Administration

Thank you. Finance and administration, page 14-18. Operations and maintenance, total O and M, $1.428 million.

Agreed.

---Agreed

Thank you. The next page, 14-19, is deferred. Page 14-20, details of grants and contributions. Grants, $420,000. Mr. Todd.

What about the tourism development and marketing for $2.989 million? Do we have consensus in the room that this has been delayed?

Thank you. I believe there was a motion. Mr. Todd.

I wonder if I can get clarification on this budget. If I'm unable to provide the information prior to the end of March that the honourable Members have voted on, what do they suggest I do?

Thank you. This section is deferred. We'll move on. Who wants to speak to this? This is the initial motion on recommendation 7 made by the Standing Committee on Legislation. I will read it into the record so that the honourable Minister will know where we stand: "The committee recommends that the tourism development and marketing activity in the estimates of the Department of Economic Development and Tourism not be considered until the Minister has tabled an evaluation of the effectiveness of grants to tourism zone associations, and until this evaluation has been debated in the House." This is where we stand.