Mr. Speaker, I, too, would like to raise the issue in regard to the government loan to Discovery Air. I’d like to ask the Minister of Finance if he was aware or did he receive any information that the Gwich’in Development Corporation was one of the businesses that loaned Discovery Air the amount of $10 million in regard to share equity in Discovery Air? Also, was the Minister aware that the Gwich’in Development Corporation offered an extension of the loan to Discovery Air based on the terms of the Gwich’in Development Corporation was prepared to accept? Also, was the Minister aware that the Gwich’in Development Corporation approached the board of directors of Discovery Air with a consolidation of lenders to extend the loan to Discovery Air under similar terms? Was the Minister aware that the Gwich’in Development Corporation is now in the process of reviewing the loan equity share in Discovery Air because of its decline in equity that basically the government’s put into it? Also, does the Minister accept the premise that one of the terms of the Gwich’in Comprehensive Land Claim Agreement is that this government will assist the Gwich’in to participate in the northern economy and not to compete against these Gwich’in land claim investments?

During the evaluation of the loan requested by Discovery Air did government officials or Deloitte Touche provide any information about the possible ownership and management options that were available to those individuals and groups that had equity in regard to this loan, the Gwich’in Development Corporation and other private sectors and institutions who were willing to lend money to this organization? Was that even considered?

Finally, I would like to know if this government is prepared to provide the Gwich’in Development Corporation with compensation on the basis of lost equity in a business opportunity that they have made major investments in and now the government investment has taken that opportunity away. At the appropriate time I will ask the Minister with regard to the loan to Discovery Air for $34 million and putting the Gwich’in Development Corporation out $10 million.