Originally, the people negotiating the Nunavut claim were demanding that the federal government cost-share this program with them and there was an impasse for some time. The Government of the Northwest Territories ventured into the claims negotiations and said can't remember exactly what they said, but it was to the effect that we will be the good guys. We recognize the validity and the benefits of such a program. We will cost share it with the beneficiaries of the Nunavut claim. So the federal government is no longer involved in it. This is just a program that this government agreed to cost share with the people of Nunavut through their claim. They agreed to put $3 million a year for five years, $15 million, and we would match it.

Now there is a Nunavut harvesters' assistance fund set up. There is a board of trustees and they will be taking the interest money and setting up programs and deciding how this money will be used to assist hunters and trappers in the Nunavut Territory. Because we did it for the East, we said we should also do it for the West. On a per capita basis, we calculated how much we will provide to Nunavut, we calculated it on the same basis for the West and it came to $18 million. In the West, because there are regional claims and individual communities that want to access it, there is no way to plan how much is available. This program has been available for two or three years now and it is only recently that we have started to have communities interested and willing to provide matching dollars to access this fund. That is how the two creatures are coming about. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Henry. That was two questions. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On the first comment, I don't know what the Member finds embarrassing about it. The program within Nunavut has been very well received and it is perceived as the first major commitment this government has made in any substantial way in recent years towards supporting those people who make a livelihood from harvesting. There have been substantial contributions to the business sector and huge encouragement to oil, gas and mining by this government. Yet, for the number of people who are engaged in hunting and trapping across this territory, this government has not made what many perceive as a fair contribution to supporting that traditional economy, if you want to call it that.

I don't see anyone being embarrassed about it at all. In fact, the biggest embarrassment for the federal government was refusing to take credit for supporting something as substantial as that. Maybe there is some other ailment that is embarrassing, but I am not sure what it is. Perhaps it is our perceived lack of good financial planning in how to make that $18 million available in an annual allocated sum totalling up to $18 million. We have no way to give marching orders to communities to come in and access this money in a measured fashion.

The way the book value of the bison was done, I am not totally privy to. I understand, generally, that there is a market for bison down south. There are ranchers who raise bison for the purpose of selling the meat. Calves, cows and bulls all have different market value. The age of the bulls, cows and calves give variation to the market value of the beasts.

If the Member wants, whoever did the calculation can be asked to produce the method of calculation if the Member is interested. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Henry.

Mr. Kakfwi.

Madam Chair, the $900,000 doesn't come out of anywhere, since it is just a figure we are using to show the auditors and to please our bookkeeping practices. There is no exchange of money. We are simply giving away a herd of bison that we own to offset our operational costs, which we don't want to get into anymore. The community of Resolution has spent some money to get into the ranching business. They have a very viable proposal. They have spent a considerable amount of money to get into the business and we have agreed to give them ownership of the bison. For our purposes, we have to show how we dispose of these assets. The $900,000 has to be shown as being paid, as Lew Voytilla explained earlier.

Mr. Henry.

Thank you. Mr. Kakfwi.

I am sorry, Madam Chair. I didn't answer the Member's question. This $900,000 is not part of the western harvesters' assistance program. If the Member would look further up on the first warrant, that is listed. The Deninu K'ue First Nations has accessed $200,000 under the harvesters' assistance program. That is Fort Resolution. That is a three-year program, roughly $200,000 per year for three years. The $900,000 is simply a figure that has nothing to do with the harvesters' assistance program. It is just to say that we wanted to get out of the bison business and we have. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Would anyone like to respond to that comment? Any further questions under this item? Mr. Steen.

Madam Chair, I have a question. I can't understand something. The Ernie MacDonald Land Corporation doesn't seem to be an aboriginal group, but they quality for the harvesters' assistance program as well. Just how well-known this program is...I am not aware of any of my communities --and I presume I am in the western NWT -- having applied for or receiving these funds. I have two questions. Is this program available in my communities? What is the Ernie MacDonald Land Corporation and why do they quality for this harvesters' assistance program?

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. The government had sent out letters to different regions and communities. I believe they announced a few years ago that such funding was available. The Inuvialuit communities are aware of this funding and the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation may, in fact, be helping to get hunters' and trappers' associations or the Inuvialuit equivalent to find a way to access this money.

The Ernie MacDonald Land Corporation is a corporation in Norman Wells that represents the beneficiaries of the Sahtu claim in Norman Wells. There isn't a great number of them. That is why you see the figure of $32,000. Thank you.

Conservation Education And Resources Development

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Any further questions to this item? I will just repeat that then. Renewable Resources, operations and maintenance, conservation education and resource development, special warrants, $455,000.

Not previously authorized, $3.2285 million.

Page 15, forest management, not previously authorized, $47,000.