Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have some concerns that I would like to express on this item. I know that many times since I have come into this Assembly, we have met with Aboriginal Affairs' requests for extra funding. I can remember distinctly asking the Minister at one point if he anticipated anymore growth in Aboriginal Affairs, or if they were going to be coming back to us for more funding. His comments were that this would probably be the last time they would be coming to us because he did not think the department would be growing anymore or needing any extra funding.

As things progressed with the department, there would be people getting freed up from different tables and filling up roles that they needed from beyond. Obviously that has not happened and they keep coming before us for more and more. Now, we seem to be expanding into many different roles and more groups coming on board. This $200,000 for renovations to office space, I guess it is a way of breaking up expenses, but when we look at the cost of setting up an office for a secretariat for the devolution process, this could just as easily be wrapped up in the same figure.

I have not seen a lot of indication where the department is trying to find money from within. When you look at $1.2 million for setting up a secretariat for devolution negotiations right off the bat, that is an awful lot of money. Another $100,000 here for the Dene Nation, and then $200,000 here for renovations, and the costs just keep going up.

Again, as I mentioned today in my Member's statement, all of it comes here. It is all to Yellowknife. Was there any consideration given to maybe moving it outside of Yellowknife? What would be the reason for having to be in a high-rise building in Yellowknife and renovating buildings that we do not own and spending these huge amounts of dollars? Is there any indication that we are even looking at trying to do something outside of Yellowknife? Thank you, Mr. Chairman.