Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The department has been carrying on discussions with federal officials and various private interests to explore options and possibilities for ensuring that the mining operations continue at Giant Mine, plus as well to deal with the arsenic issue and the environmental liability. It is still possible to find someone from the private sector to assume some interest and responsibility for carrying on the operations and ensuring that the mine continues to operate. We still have an enormous amount of work to do with the federal government to clarify how the environmental liability, specifically the arsenic problem, should be addressed. It has to be addressed before I think there is definite commitment, if any, by the private sector, to assume some role and some responsibility. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am more concerned about the type of assistance and the initiative that both our government is using and the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs is using to attract a potential buyer and what the hurdles in that may be. Could the Minister tell me if they have a program in place or if they are working on that to assist potential buyers and in what way they may be looking at assistance for buyers? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I know that there are discussions ongoing, as I said, with federal officials, as well as some private sector interests to make a deal. One of the issues that needs to be addressed and clarified is who is going to assume liability for the environmental aspect of Giant Mine, that is, the surface clean-up, as well as the arsenic that is stored underground. We are working with the federal government and the private sector to try to make a deal. We could, perhaps, discuss with my staff what more I could say. It is very insensitive and difficult to speak of it off the cuff. Perhaps I can try to make a more definitive statement later on this week on that. Thank you very much.

Thank you. I would appreciate if the Minister could prepare a detailed statement on this that he could present in the House. I am interested, for example, in the area that should a potential buyer not come forward, then will this government provide assistance to a local group, be it as individuals such as the Canadian Auto Workers who have expressed an interested and, I understand, are looking into the potential of carrying on. But they need assistance, and there may be interest on the business sector here in the North combined with the union people. I am interested in knowing from the Minister what this government is prepared to do to assist those groups in order to look at a potential carrying on of the mine in the event a buyer is not found. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will consider making a more detailed statement to answer the Member's question later on in the week. Thank you.