Thank you, Mr. Chairman. As we have made Members quite aware, there are two initiatives ongoing right now with regard to ERS at smaller airports in Canada. The first one is a working group studying the requirement for ERS at smaller airports and that working group is meeting, I believe as we speak, in Ottawa. The second initiative is undertaken by the federal Minister of Transport who has commissioned a risk management and assessment expert who is conducting an independent review of ERS requirements at all Canadian airports. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, does the Government of the Northwest Territories have any representatives at this meeting in Ottawa concerning the ERS issue? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Yes, the department has representatives on both the working groups. MACA has a representative on the working group through their EMO office and the fire marshal's office and will be meeting with the federal transport Minister's emergency response service, Dr. Gross, who is a US consultant on this. We will be meeting with him next week and we have representatives going down to speak with him.

Thank you. The honourable Member for Iqaluit, Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand the position of the Government of the Northwest Territories on the ERS issue is that if the federal government regulates that ERS is needed in Iqaluit, Inuvik or Norman Wells because of their small airport study, the territorial government because, they do not have the money to put that service back in, for example in Iqaluit, it would cost, I think, $400,000 last year, the territorial government then would not be able to afford it. They would move that the federal government would pick up the cost. Could the government tell us at this time what their position is at this meeting? If Iqaluit, as an example, at the end of this meeting was found that they should have ERS at the airport, what is the position of the government? Thank you.

Mr. Minister.

Thank you. The approach we are taking is that first of all we would like to determine if there is a need for ERS at the airports in the Northwest Territories that might be determined to require them again. Once we determine the need, we will then start looking at how and try to determine how we are going to pay for them. This is the first approach and second approach. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Picco.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the

reason why ERS had been pulled out of Norman Wells, Iqaluit, Inuvik and Rankin Inlet, I believe, was because it did not fall under federal regulations. When the department did the Avery-Cooper Report last year, which was quite a detailed report on the ERS, that was the main motivating factor at that time. They had fallen outside the regulations. If the regulations call for Iqaluit and other airports to be put back into the ERS, then is the Minister indicating that, indeed, they would follow that regulation because they would have to. That money would have to be found somewhere within the budget or within the fiscal framework of this government. If that is the case, because there is no new money, would they be going to the federal government to ask for additional funds to cover off those costs? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Picco. Mr. Minister.

Thank you. Once we know if the requirement is there for ERS in these communities, which the honourable Member mentioned is, was in the neighbourhood of $400,000, if we do not have it in our budget then we will have to figure out a way to put it in. It would be good if it came from the federal government, which is the first step, but if it does not then we will have to find a way of getting it from within the system or finding a different way to do it. Maybe we have to approach carriers as well. This is some ways down the line. First of all, we would like to determine the need. It is going to take a few months before that happens. Once that is done, we will take the next step.

Thank you. Mr. Picco.

Will the Minister be providing Members of this House some information and overview on what is transpiring right now in the meetings in Ottawa and what has been discussed? If there are any decisions to be made, will the Minister commit at this time to update the House and the Members to those discussions? Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Minister.

Yes, Mr. Chairman, I will update the House, and if it is not sitting I will update the Members on the outcome of these meetings. Thank you.

Thank you. Airports. Anybody else who has not spoken yet? Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, before my time ran out the Minister had mentioned that there were lots that were going to be developed for use at the airport. Can the Minister tell me how many lots they are looking at developing and to what degree will they be serviced? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, at the present time the plans show that we are estimating that approximately four times as many lots as existing in the area are slated for the phase development. Thank you.

Thank you. Mr. Henry.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The second part of that is, to what degree will they be serviced? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you. Mr. Antoine.