Minister of Renewable Resources, Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I believe the question would be better answered by the Department of Public Works and Services.

With regard to Renewable Resources, we have indicated to the department which is the appropriate department to hand out the contract, that our requirements for firefighting should be able to meet the needs of the fire situations that we have in the Northwest Territories. To my understanding, we have not given a clear indication as to what type of aircraft will be required in terms of firefighting. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to ask the Minister this: is it the responsibility of the department that addresses fire suppression to determine what type of aircraft they require to address fire suppression? Is it not his department's mandate? Thank you.

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, it is the responsibility of the Department of Renewable Resources. However, we gave a minimum standard that is required for firefighting in the Northwest Territories that we would be willing to accept. This was relayed to the Department of Public Works. We showed that DC-4s, which are at the present time being proposed to be used for the summer, will be sufficient and will be able to carry out the firefighting in the Northwest Territories this coming summer. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I guess the Minister has now answered the first question I had posed to him.

Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday I tabled a document in this House; an evaluation of the appropriateness of the current fire suppression methodology, study 8. The department has expended an excessive amount of money to get this study, I think to the tune of just about $225,000. In this study, section 8 is on DC-4s versus DC-8s. There is a list of disadvantages of using DC-4s over DC-6s. Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask why the Minister has allowed his department not to adhere to the study recommendations that his department commissioned last year. Thank you.

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The study that was conducted by a firm which was contracted to consult with various contractors in the Northwest Territories as well as the people in the Northwest Territories was exactly that, a consultant who would make recommendations to the government, of which the government has the option to take, to use as they so please. This is the way that I, as the Minister of Renewable Resources, took the recommendations. I took them as recommendations, have taken a look at the requirements of firefighting management in Fort Smith. I was advised that it would be acceptable to use DC-4s. Thank you.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mrs. Marie-Jewell.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. So the Minister is basically indicating that the recommendations from this consulting firm may be used whenever he determines they should be used, as he has indicated, as the Minister. I would like to ask, after spending just about $225,000 commissioning this report -- and this report basically indicates that the extra cost for using DC-4s would be $500,000 more -- why is he expending public funds on a report which recommended against using DC-4s? Thank you.

Mr. Arngna'naaq.

Item 6, oral questions. Mr. Patterson.