Thank you, Madam Chairperson. Our feeling is that if you think about oil and gas development and supply side issues and our support around those initiatives, they are much different than some of the conservation issues that we have been talking about, and we think they can be adequately differentiated and think they are better headed up by the two separate departments.

We have talked in the past and had a lot of discussion through the last budget, and I know the Member made a number of points about the Arctic Energy Alliance, there was some discussion, questioning of the efficiency of that organization. We believe that it also plays a role. We are unable, in many cases, to partner with various different agencies without a vehicle like the Arctic Energy Alliance. It is able to lever additional resources from federal government, much the same way that the CMHC funding flows to the Housing Corporation, a corporation of this government with our various federal programs that are more adequately partnered with the Arctic Energy Alliance.

We think there is a purpose and certainly a justification, for continuing to fund that agency. Thank you, Madam Chairperson.