Thank you, Mr. Roland. Your motion is in order. We do have to get copies made, so we will take a short break and come back to vote on the motion.

-- Break

I will call the committee back to order. Can you read your motion for the record, Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I move that activity, corporate management, under the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and of 2000-2001 Main Estimates be deferred at this time. Thank you.

The motion is in order. The motion is not debatable. All those in favour? All those opposed? The motion is carried.

We are deferring corporate management and we will move on to page 11-13, environmental protection. Total operation expenses, $1.951 million. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am wondering if this is the activity that would tie into the environmental situation out at Giant. I was wondering if we could get an update on what is happening in terms of the clean-up at Giant. I remember reading in the media that there were to be less federal funds available in the next fiscal year for that clean-up. I would like to find out from the department what is happening in terms of clean-up and how we are co-ordinating with the federal government on that issue?

Mr. Handley.

Mr. Chairman, I will ask the deputy minister to give us details. Thank you.

Mr. Bob McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The deputy minister has said that a work plan had been developed. That is, the work plan has been developed for the next year and between the two governments there is a plan to spend just over $1 million? Is it expected that in future years, the spending will be in the same relationship? It looks like just over two-thirds, one-third split.

Mr. Minister.

Mr. Chairman, one major issue that needs to be resolved is the whole question of liability. Even though the liability issue is set aside this year, the intention is to resolve that issue. Then the two governments would each be responsible for their share, depending upon liability, and how that question is answered, so it could be quite different. Thank you.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Going back to my question about the work plan, has it been developed? If so, over what period of time does it see the clean-up of Giant Mine taking place?

Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The deputy minister has said that there is a three year work plan in place. I take it that the three year plan is to develop the long term plan for the clean-up. Is there any estimate yet how many years it will take to resolve the environmental liability at Giant Mine?

Mr. Minister.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. There are two factors that come into play here, one is specifically with how they are going to remove the arsenic trioxide from underground. I do not think they have come to a firm conclusion on that. That is one issue that has to be resolved.

The second is the amount of money. The surface alone is about $16 million and the underground is going to be a lot more than that, probably in the neighbourhood of $200-250 million. Again, it is very difficult to estimate how long this whole clean-up is going to take. There is no doubt in my mind it is going to be five years or more. That is a guess, not knowing what the research is telling us, particularly for the underground. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I am assuming that the Minister is meaning five years in addition to the three years that it is taking to develop the plan, so we are hoping to see things cleaned up within the next eight years.

Could the Minister advise us what are the plans to involve the public in developing this work plan, to make sure that there is public understanding and support for whatever process is proposed?

Mr. Minister.