Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate the Member's comments about my persuasiveness. I will keep them in mind the next time he is after me for not living up to his expectations on some other matter. I wish that I could say there was some loophole that we could access, but all that we have to appeal to the federal government is the basis that there is a moral responsibility for them to reimburse us for the costs that we have incurred in this area. I would say that given that the expenditures are past history and the federal government is now saying this government managed it is a moot question at this point, I believe we would be seen as doing nothing more than whining if we persisted in pursuing the issue.

I would say that knowing I will have to approach the federal government to re-examine our fiscal relationship with them, it would be better to bite our tongues on this one and pursue this much more important change we need to see in our relationship with the federal government. I agree it is regrettable that we have had to incur these costs without reimbursement, but you have to choose your fights. The fight that I addressed in the budget speech is one that is more important for us to undertake at this point. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.