Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I understand the need to save dollars, but I would argue the fact we are in different situation than we were in a few years back. I think the people of Northwest Territories would like to see some form of movement. The question of transparency is still there. Who is responsible for what within Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development? It has been brought to my personal knowledge that even within Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development people responsible for the different areas that are under Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development are not working well together.
The morale is down because of new direction. Because of that, we are losing people with valuable skills. If that is the case, it is not working. I do not see anyone out there telling me that it is working. People from the communities are not telling me that it is working. People from the industry are not telling me that it is working.
The question about influence in the Mackenzie Valley Resource Management Act for care processes, for permitting processes, I do not see that being done or how it is going to work in the department. It is obvious by the dual Ministerial responsibilities within the department that it is too big for one Minister to handle. Therefore, it has been divided up between different Ministers.
Where an individual who may want to buy stocks in companies that are operating in the Northwest Territories, and he wants to ask information of the government; perhaps he is enquiring about Diavik or oil and gas, where he or she has been directed to one Minister for one area, and another Minister for the other area and the Minister responsible for that area... there are questions to be asked.
I think we could still do better. I know the reasons that we have done this. In light of our aspirations to develop the resources up here and to derive the benefits and financial resources from it, I think we have to do better than that to create an investment climate that is acceptable all around. Thank you.