Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. The honourable Minister responsible for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Member keeps referring to the public transit funding as Yellowknife's money.

---Laughter

I'm not sure where he's getting that idea. Mr. Speaker, the public transit funding was announced with no clear definition as to allocation. Mr. Speaker, we've been working hard over the last while to try to come to getting a contribution agreement signed; we're expecting to have one either by the end of this month or early in the new year. The pot of money that's available is now $1.7 million and it's anticipated that Yellowknife will be able to get a good portion of it, but it is now open to the NWT. We've developed a criteria that will allow the communities to buy their own community buses or vans. Some communities have indicated that they'd like to have support for purchasing transportation for the disabled; some communities wanted the ability to purchase transportation for seniors; and we're trying to accommodate all that. Mr. Speaker, I'm not working with this in isolation. We have a working group and the NWT Association of Communities is an organization that we bounce a lot of our ideas off and we anticipate to have an agreement shortly.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, Mr. Speaker, the information I have is a federal document and, on it, it says Yellowknife. Okay. So let's start with that, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the fact is, public transit is a green-friendly transportation system and, as we all know, and especially this Cabinet, they know the transportation industry is the second largest offender in the Northwest Territories for greenhouse gas emissions. So, Mr. Speaker, given the environmental advantages for a growing public transit system for the North, again, largest community, why isn't this department making it a priority to make sure Yellowknife gets its fair share of this

money and quit changing the definition? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I think the document the Member is referring to says Yellowknife has the only public transportation system and it doesn't define the criteria. The criteria that is in place is something we had to negotiate; we had to sit down and talk to our NWT Association of Communities and also the federal government to work out a mechanism that would allow us to spend money in different areas. That's what we're doing and the money will be available. I'm sure the bulk of the money would be able to be applied for and received by Yellowknife, but it's also now a fair process where all NWT communities can apply for and have the ability to apply for these dollars.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I appreciate the fact that the Minister knows what document I'm talking about. The document also made reference to the fact that PEI and Nunavut, which didn't have...They made special acknowledgements because they did not have transit systems. But Yellowknife has a transit system and it was intended for any community that has a transit system. So, Mr. Speaker, the Minister is changing the definition. Can he guarantee today that these funds are bankable; that we will not have lost any of these funds because the Minister keeps negotiating and changing the definitions? My fear is we're going to lose this money by him sitting on his hands on this issue. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't know where he's getting the idea that I'm sitting on my hands on this issue. It's been a very long process. We have to deal with the communities in the Northwest Territories; the NWT Association of Communities has got a working group. If he's asking me to ignore them, I don't think I can do that. We have to move forward, along with them and along with their recommendations, Mr. Speaker. We're just about at the end of the process. We're not going to be losing any of the funding; the money is already committed. That money is $1.7 million and that money will be there ready and available as soon as we sign the agreement in the new fiscal year. He can work with the City of Yellowknife and apply for these monies like everybody else. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Final supplementary, Mr. Hawkins.

Mr. Speaker, may I remind the Minister, as I clearly said in my Member's statement, that B.C. and Ontario have been spending their money for a year and a half? So, Mr. Speaker, the fact is, what has taken the Minister of Municipal and Communities Affairs so long to get on and deal with the situation? What is taking so long? Thank you, Mr. Hawkins.

Thank you, Mr. Hawkins. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you. Mr. Speaker, may I remind the Member that we have a consultation process with the local governments in our communities; we work with them, we take their recommendations. There was also an election halfway through our negotiation process that really slowed things down. Mr. Speaker, we have come forward now; we have a good agreement that we think we can sign; we're still working with the NWT Association of Communities to give us their final sanction on this and the money will be available in the new fiscal year. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker...(English not provided)

Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Minister McLeod. We talk about respecting our agreements that we have with our neighbouring aboriginal governments. I'm specifically talking about the Tlicho Government, chapter 12 of their agreement on wildlife management. I'd like to ask the Minister, did the Minister obtain permission from the Wekeezhii Renewable Resources Board before coming onto our Tlicho land to monitor caribou, Mr. Speaker? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister responsible for Environment and Natural Resources, Mr. McLeod.

Mr. Speaker, I don't know if we have obtained permission. I know we worked with the whole management groups and we've also been very active in the different communities in the Tlicho area to talk about the different issues around caribou. But as to obtaining a formal position, I'm assuming that we had to get approval from the Wekeezhii, but I'd have to confirm that, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, assuming that permission has been granted, I think it's a process that we must consider when we're dealing with the various boards; not just my region but the Sahtu and different respective regions, as well. It's important that we need to have an open communication dialogue. That's with the board, Mr. Speaker.

I'd like to focus on elders now. I'd like to ask the Minister, can the Minister demonstrate how the elders are being consulted, and their involvement with respect to caribou and the development of a department and Northern Strategy to deal with this important matter? Mahsi.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, we try to make it a practice to involve the elders from the affected communities, especially if it's a specific herd, whether it's in the Sahtu or the Gwich'in or the Tlicho area. When we have our workshops, we always make it a practice to bring in elders to do the prayers and also to provide some of the history on caribou and caribou hunting, and also to provide traditional knowledge. Our members are travelling to, and have travelled to, all the communities in the Tlicho area to hear and share information with all the members of those communities. That includes elders, also. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Minister has stated the recognition and importance of involving elders and traditional knowledge. It's great to hear that from the department, especially coming from the Minister. We have to respect that, as well. I'd like to ask the Minister when was the last time the department of ENR, Environment and Natural Resources, met with the Tlicho elders and sought their advice on how to deal with the increasing number of predators in our region? Mahsi.