Systems and communications, total operations expense, $612,000.

Petroleum products, operations expense, total operations expense, $566,000. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have a concern with the petroleum products, especially now that there is a new player at the table, the Northwest Territories Power Corporation, in the talks of privatization of petroleum products. I know for a fact that it has been a couple of years now that the community I represent, Fort McPherson, has been working on trying to take over that operation through the Development Corporation in the community. Now they are in discussions with Gruben Transport, out of Tuktoyaktuk, of possibly taking over that operation because of what has happened with the Northwest Territories Power Corporation stepping up to the batter's box and they are now a big player. It seems to me that we could lose this opportunity for the community to benefit from running such a project in the community and delivering fuel products in the community rather than having it done in Hay River by a company that is already big enough. They have better things to do than take over petroleum products. I would like to ask the Minister, what is the opportunity for a company in Fort McPherson to take over this project versus the Northwest Territories Power Corporation? Will they be seriously considered and have an opportunity to submit a proposal to this government to possibly take over the transfer of petroleum products in Fort McPherson?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will try to be brief in describing where this situation is right now. We in the department were instructed to consider working with NTPC to see whether or not it would be feasible for them to take on petroleum products as a whole, not just community by community, but all the petroleum product responsibilities of the department. We were instructed to come back to the Financial Management Board Secretariat with some form of recommendation. We have reached the stage now where we are in the process of doing that. It will be in the next little while, I would say in the next month, that we will be making a recommendation to the Financial Management Board Secretariat in regards to NTPC taking on all the activities of petroleum products. At that time, we would be better be able to respond at what we are going to do from that stage on, whether we get direction to proceed with NTPC privatization or privatization through individual companies or corporations. I cannot respond to the Member, but in another month's time we will have a decision on the matter. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I feel that if anything the groups that have put in a lot of effort and energy into looking at this from the community level should have had first opportunity to take on this venture versus a new company that has just shown up in the last month, as far as I know. I have never heard of the Northwest Territories Power Corporation looking at this until just recently. I have been working on this with the band in Fort McPherson for almost four years with no success whatsoever. We kept getting delayed. Now we are told that the contract does not run out for another year, you have to wait for the co-op to relinquish the contract before we consider it. So we have been waiting and now you put another road block in front of the community in being able to take it over. We cannot compete against the Northwest Territories Power Corporation because they have deep pockets and the band corporations in the communities do not. I think that the chance of success of the community being able to do this has been totally eliminated by this idea that you put forth to the Financial Management Board Secretariat. I would like to ask the Minister again, how much of a chance does a community have of seriously taking over the petroleum products services in their communities?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, it would not be appropriate for me to respond to that at this point in time. I am required as the Minister to respond to something that has been requested of the department by the Financial Management Board Secretariat. It would not be appropriate to say what chance a private company would have competing with NTPC for the privatization initiative. I cannot respond to the Member in any way at this point in time, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Krutko.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am not too sure if the Minister is aware of the Gwich'in Land Claim Agreement. Under the economic measures chapter, it clearly states that if government will be privatized or looking at any services, they have to give the aboriginal organization first dibs on any public programs in the region through economics. Have you considered that agreement to see if you are infringing on it?

Thank you, Mr. Krutko. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am well aware of the terms of the economic clause in the Gwich'in Agreement. I would like to make the Member aware that all of these specific points, including his comments, will be considered when we present this to the Financial Management Board Secretariat. All of these points will be taken into consideration. I would say they will play a very important part in whether or not NTPC takes on the privatization initiative or whether we go to a public tender with it or whether we go to an invitation to tender. All of these points will be taken into consideration at the Financial Management Board Secretariat because we are bringing them forward. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on this issue of petroleum products, I have a couple of questions. The committee has stated that if anything were to proceed on this matter, that it be a public process. All people are aware of potential groups that want to be involved in this, they would have an opportunity. This is not a deal that will be done and we hear about it in a press release.

The Minister, in committee, seemed to agree with that. For the record, is that message still being sent and being used as part of the whole review? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, the recommendations from the committee will also be included in what Public Works and Services brings to the Financial Management Board Secretariat.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, on the other side of petroleum products, and I threw this question out to the department when we were going through reviews, the news that we had a one-time windfall from the Government of Nunavut that included assets of some of the latest examples of fuel and POL products. At that time, the department said they would have to get back to us. I would like to know if there is more information on this. It was a substantial amount of dollars that were identified. In later questions, it was not all from petroleum products, the fuel and so on in tanks. That was still one of the things. For the record, how much of that actually came in through POL? If anybody were to know, you would figure it was POL, it would be advising the Financial Management Board Secretariat or Finance that this was a potential that was owed to us, especially when we hear a number of times that the west was being subsidized by the volume of the east. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Mr. Steen.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I have been advised that the question should be directed to the Financial Management Board Secretariat when they come up for that department's estimates.

Thank you, Mr. Steen. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I was unable to hear the response from the Minister. Can he repeat it? I had colleagues disturbing my ability to hear.