Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for the question. The special advisory to Cabinet has currently been filled by direct appointment. Richard Bargery, who was the former principal secretary, and also assisted former Premier Antoine on dealing with aboriginal issues on devolution and revenue sharing initiatives, is the person who has been appointed to continue this important work. He is working with Minister Antoine.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Under Ministers' offices, are there any grants or contributions specifically under the Premier's office that are under consideration in this amount?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are no grants under the Premier's offices.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am not a Member of governance and economic development, so I was not at their meetings. But I notice on the Department of the Executive information that was supplied from the Financial Management Board, under the 2000-20001 interim appropriation detail, there is a column showing grants and contributions. There is $25,000 shown opposite the title of Premier's office. The other grant and contribution that is shown is for the women's advisory, for a total of $215,000 in grants and contributions.

If the $25,000 should not be under the Premier's office, could I find out where that $25,000 should be shown? For what purpose is that money there?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. That was an amount set up to meet commitments at the Beaufort Delta political accord, and has been reassigned to regional operations. It is no longer the Premier's office.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Since this is shown as a grant and contribution, to whom would this grant be typically given?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. This amount was very specific. It was to meet the commitments we made upon signing the Beaufort Delta political accord. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I expect we will enter into political accords with other regional governments. Is there an expectation that similar amounts will be required as contributions as we conclude agreements with regional governments?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Previous governments have seen it in the public interest to seek political accords. Once we sign them, we honour them. If other regions and other groups wish to seek accords with us, we are always open to discussing those. It usually implies some financial commitment that we have to meet. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, we have heard from the Premier that he will at some time consider shuffles in responsibility. Does he intend to, in the course of the next six or twelve months, attempt to arrange things so another Minister will be responsible for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development? If so, will he at that time ensure the executive assistant position, which now has been justified as being needed so he can fulfill that responsibility, also disappears?

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. All of the Ministers are very busy and happy with their portfolios. The arrangement with the Minister of Finance, Mr. Handley, and the Minister of Justice and Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Antoine, will assist me as the Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development in doing the work required in that portfolio.

It is one that all three of us are very happy with. We also, as you can see, brought in Mr. Ootes to do something specific with us this week by representing us in Israel, where this government was asked to speak on the issue of diamonds in Canada. That is the very first time we have been asked to do that.

I have asked the Deputy Premier, Mrs. Groenewegen, to represent me as Premier at the recent prospectors and developers conference in Toronto. We are very much working together as a team. We have offered to have as many Ministers that are interested in working with this portfolio to be a part of it. There has been no lack of interest. We have done tremendous work together.

Once we see a need to reassign portfolios, we will look at it. I cannot make a commitment that it will happen in the next year or so, but that is our prerogative. It will be done in full consultation with my Cabinet colleagues. If we feel there is a need to do it, we shall consider it.

I believe that if the Premier is without a portfolio or responsibility, there would be no need to have an additional executive assistant assigned to the office. That is true. Thank you.

The House will come back to order. Item 20, report of committee of the whole. Mr. Lafferty.