Mr. Chairman, there is a school of thought that says the same thing as the Member: everything is well the way it is so we shouldn't change anything. It is true that some communities have other priorities at this time. For instance, the Dogrib are focused very much on their claim, self-government negotiations; and business interests also seem to be occupying a great deal of their time.

We have economic development positions that are answerable right now, not to the communities, not to the Dogrib, but to this government. The Dogrib seem content to leave it the way it is. We have renewable resource officer positions in the Dogrib communities; again, they are not directly answerable to the Dogrib. Some communities have decided they want to do something about that, and we have done work with them. The Dogrib feel that is okay for now and that is their business. This initiative is community-driven and we are not going around beating our drum trying to get the Dogrib or anybody else to say...They have to show that we are needed and that this initiative has to be shown to be highly in demand, otherwise we're a flop.

The government has shown a tremendous initiative here; I believe very, very strongly in it and so does this government. As communities are prepared to move...It is not a big deal, it is not any great initiative to request that Lac La Martre should take over the economic development officer position; they have recently expressed interest in doing that. There is no great magic trick to it, you just ask if you can take that over by coming to an arrangement with the government, you do the same with renewable officer positions and we are in business.

These people can, on a day-to-day basis, answer directly to the Dogrib authority, whatever it is in those communities, if that is what the expressed wish is; but if they don't want to do it at this time, that is fine. I just tell them that this government stands ready to do business, and we are doing it. The Member is saying I don't think you are doing any work. I disagree with him categorically. We wouldn't be here today if the Member had won the day in the Legislature three years ago; not at all.