Thank you, Madam Chair. Could the Minister indicate the number of unresolved issues relating to the amalgamation and resolving individual effected positions? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Kakfwi.

There are a total of 17 positions that have yet to be resolved. Of those, two have possible legal action pending. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. On the issue of signing authorities, have the signing authorities, especially on the economic development side that were previously in place, have those been maintained after transition, like superintendents are allowed $250,000 signing authority on loans and such?

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Kakfwi.

Thank you, Madam Chair. As I understand it, the total amount allowed for lending authority at the regional level stays the same. However, based on the confidence of the department at the headquarters level with confidence of the regional people, that amount varies according to the experience and the confidence level of the regional people. Nothing is changed except the amount of the lending authority varies from region to region. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Fourth question, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Could the Minister clarify that particular situation? He has indicated nothing has changed but if the incumbent at the superintendent level do not have the full confidence or they may have some concerns about capability, then they may not have the full signing authority. Could the Minister indicate, out of the six regions we do have, where there is full signing authority?

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Gamble.

Thank you, Mr. Gamble. Final question, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Could the Minister indicate under the BCC side which regions feel they are not quite ready to handle that authority and would prefer it be maintained in Yellowknife?

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. One moment please.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. The only region that falls under the description the Member outlined is the humble region called the Sahtu. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would like to follow up with some questions on the item on traditional knowledge. The Minister stated there are two individuals in the department working on this. He made reference that he has a consultant. I wonder if the Minister could tell me if it is one person as a consultant and if this is the total program within the department and the total number of people working on it?

Thank you, Mr. Chair. There were two positions of which traditional knowledge is supposed to be one of the responsibilities of each of those positions. There is only one person in the department working on traditional knowledge. The other position is vacant. The intent is to look at the policy of traditional knowledge and see how we, as a department, can integrate traditional knowledge into the day-to-day business operations and the decision making, the mode of operation we have as a department. We also want to get

into advising other departments on how they can start to implement and enhance the government's policy on traditional knowledge. We are looking at ways in which we might be able to assist implementation of the recognition and use of traditional knowledge on a government-wide basis. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Kakfwi. Mr. Ootes.

Thank you, Madam Chair. I wonder if the Minister could tell us who has done the evaluation and scrutinized the work being done to-date on traditional knowledge?

Could you repeat the last portion of your question, Mr. Ootes? Or else the record will be interrupted. Thank you.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Yes, my question is: if we have one individual working on traditional knowledge and a consultant, if this government is going to develop a policy to institute government-wide which effects the scientific community and many individuals positively in many cases, but it is perhaps questionable in other areas, I am wondering if the Minister could tell me who, outside of this hired and paid consultant and this employee of the government, is doing an independent evaluation and scrutinizing the whole development of what is traditional knowledge and how it should be applied?