Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this cooperation plan has been worked on by a number of the agencies, and the Government of the Northwest Territories is still a player in this whole cooperation plan, along with a number of other groups and agencies. If the Member wishes, I can give him that information. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the plan here is to complete these different agreements as a result of the plan soon. I do not know what the time line is at this point in time, and once I find this time line out I will share it with the Member. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this Mad Cow Disease or Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy -- as Minister of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development I should actually know the name -- Mad Cow Disease has no impact on any of the wildlife in the Northwest Territories or any of the domestic animal population that we have, which is very little. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this mad cow disease or BSE is generally contracted through the feeding of green meal derived from infected rendered animals. It is like a protein to which wildlife in the North have no access. So we do not monitor the animals as such. All the domestic animals that we have, like I say, are very minimal and we are told that they are not being fed this product. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, this whole incident came to our attention about 20 days ago when the animal was first detected. They realized the animal had this infection or this virus 20 days ago. Since that time, a number of things have happened to the beef industry and it has, like the Member said, had an effect on big game hunting outfitting for even animal products that are coming across. At this point there may be effects on the big game hunting sector due to transfer of meat, capes, and antlers across the border into the United States.

We are trying to determine through the Department of Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development what the rules are, as they seem to be changing all the time. We have a regular update. The federal Minister Vanclief is convening regular telephone conference calls to provide updates on almost a daily basis and weekly basis. At this stage we are saying that there is going to be an impact, the changes to that will be imminent. We are encouraging people to take their hunting trips of a lifetime in the Northwest Territories. There are no problems with the mad cow disease on the wildlife in the Northwest Territories. There could be an issue with the shipping of trophies, as I said, and meat across the borders, but we believe that the solutions are imminent. Our officials are working hard with the federal officials to try to find out what the rules are with the United States at this point in time, and we want to assure people that we will find a solution very soon. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, on the official level, on the Ministerial level, we are in contact with federal Minister Vanclief's office and the federal Minister is taking the lead in talking with his counterpart, the United States Secretary for Agriculture, to try to deal at that level. On the different big game hunters and the different sports hunters that are going to enjoy their sports hunting in the Northwest Territories, Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development is keeping Northwest Territories Arctic Tourism informed, as well as the Northwest Territories Barren Ground Outfitters Association and others who are involved in that. So there is a line of communication between Resources, Wildlife and Economic Development and the outfitter organizations. On the federal level, they are contacting the federal Department of Agriculture. That is the type of communication system that we have. Thank you.