Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I would be surprised if you did know before August that you are going to be significantly over. I think that should be built into the planning for the departments. I guess what I am saying is you can expect a hard time from me, at least, if you come back for supplementary funding, not having put in at least the average expenditure for the past 12 years. I will be able to understand the amount that is over the average, but under the average, I think you should have put in here in the first place.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. I did not hear a question there. Ms. Lee.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a question on other expenses. Am I allowed to do that now? Under forest management? Mr. Chairman, when we were elected as an MLA, I do not think we come here with a degree in how to read a main budget for the Government of the Northwest Territories. It is items like this that make you puzzled.

This document is full of little items, like $23,000 grants and contributions, but an amount this big, $22 million, does not get broken down. Could the Minister give us a general idea about what this is? As the Minister of Finance, is there any way...I think this is the recommendation we made as a committee. Is there any way to have it laid out better, so we have a better understanding immediately, without having to ask so many questions? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Ms. Lee. There is a breakdown on page 11-26. I will allow the Minister to answer that.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am always open to suggestions as to how we can make this an easier exercise. I understand the frustration when you have $22 million items all lumped together. To give you some of the larger items, of the $22 million in other expenses, $12 million of it is for aircraft used against forest fire suppression, what is called pre-suppression aircraft. These are tanker basing contracts, not actual fighting. Those make up $11 million out of that $12 million. There are a few other little things in there on forest development activities.

Another large item within that same category is almost $7.6 million, which includes $5 million for forest fire management crew contracts, for pre-suppression across the regions. These are ongoing contracts with community development corporations, band councils and so on who have crews ready to fight fires.

Included in there is some money for forest inventory, for silviculture and other minor contracts. Those two alone make up the biggest bulk of that $22 million.

If Members want, we can give you all of the detail as to how we are assigning this.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. I just want to remind the committee that the information for a breakdown in this area has been requested for next year. That was a committee of the whole motion. Forest management, grants and contributions, total grants, Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, one of the concerns that came out of the committee report regarding the lack of coordination between forest management and the communities, there has to be more emphasis put on consultation, ensuring communities will be fully consulted and there is full cooperation between the department and communities.

I would like to ask the Minister, regarding those comments, has the department done anything to improve the consultation and cooperation between the communities and the forest management services?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Handley.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I will ask Mr. McLeod to give us some more detail on that.

Thank you, Mr. Handley. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, another area I have concern with is the area of the forest development, administration side. What you hear happening in the Deh Cho, where there is a lot of forest development happening, but the people in the communities are not being consulted or do not feel they are involved in the process and the way that forest is being managed.

There are sections of the different land claim agreements, especially the Gwich'in and the Sahtu agreement. There is a forestry section, yet you do not see the involvement of the resource council on how the forest management area is being handled. What role do they play in the forest fire aspect of the forest itself? What are they doing to ensure those land claim obligations are being carried out and they are improving the consultation with the communities affected by forest development?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, has the department worked with the human resource boards in the different land claim areas, to see how the forestry chapter of their land claim agreements will work along with the department?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. We are on page 11-25. Mr. Krutko.

Mr. Chairman, I move we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. We have a motion on the floor. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

We have been reviewing the main estimates for 2000-2001, for the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development. I would like to thank the Minister and his witnesses for appearing before the committee. We will rise and report progress.

The House will come back to order. Item 21, report of committee of the whole. Mr. Delorey.