It doesn't seem that there would be that many natural predators of an animal of that size. Mr. Speaker, what would it take for this government to put in place the kind of -- I hate to say it -- study or review to determine if there would be a sustainable harvest that would not affect the numbers of the bison?

Mr. Speaker, they are a renewable resource. The cows theoretically have a calf every spring. It seems like it is something that could be managed. The Minister talks about the federal legislation. We are embarking on our own species at risk legislation. What does that say about whether or not the bison are protected? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the bison are going to continue to be considered threatened. Work is being done with the federal government on that issue. Given the numbers at this point, I don't think that there is going to be any change in the classification coming.

I can commit to the Member that I can get her information about what may be feasible or not in terms of making use of the herd and who has access, what hunting rights are now currently in place for those aboriginal harvesters that are in there in terms of the subsistence hunt. I can get something more technical on the issue of what is the sustainability in regards to commercial harvest. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Who would we, as a government, need to consult? Who would the stakeholders be who we would need to get some buy-in from if we were going to begin to harvest these animals on a grander scale? Would it be the decision of this government or who all would need to be included in such a decision? Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we would be dealing with the people of Fort Providence. We would be dealing with the Tlicho, given that the range is now expanding into the Tlicho region, with, as well, probably the Wekeezhii board, the renewable resource board, the territorial government and we would also probably be working with the federal government as well. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. The honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, Mr. Beaulieu.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member's statement I talked about the desperate need for a youth centre in Lutselk'e. I have questions for the Minister of MACA. Mr. Speaker, in June of this year the Minister committed to, and I quote, “getting the wheels in motion for a proper, adequate youth centre for the community.” I would like to know the status of this. Are we any closer to getting a youth centre in Lutselk'e than we were in June? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Beaulieu. The honourable Minister for Municipal and Community Affairs, Mr. Robert McLeod.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As the Member pointed out in his Member's statement, the community of Lutselk'e does have access to funding to build a dedicated youth centre should they decide to do so. There are some issues that MACA is working with the band council related to the ownership of assets by the band council. The community is funded for their own capital projects. If the community of Lutselk'e decides that they do want to build a youth centre, then they do have the funds available to them to proceed with that project. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, also as mentioned in my Member's statement, communities the size of Lutselk'e do not get enough capital funding in order to complete a youth centre. I would like to know if the Minister can commit to working with the community to get a youth centre into a capital plan somewhere in the immediate future. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, we will work with the community to get a youth centre into the capital plan, but it will be the community's capital plan; it will not be the corporate capital plan that the government has. We will commit to working with the community, as we have with many communities across the Northwest Territories. We will work with them on their capital plans and assist them with financing and any other help they need from the department. Thank you.

I still feel that there is more need for a capital plan other than what is in the formula in order for some of these smaller communities that don't have the infrastructure that larger communities are able to get in their plan. Will the Minister commit to making sure that the MACA staff go into the community with maybe the idea of moving some capital allotment within the department in developing some sort of funding plan to building a youth centre in Lutselk'e? Thank you.

MACA is more than willing to work with the communities. The communities have to make the request to come forward to MACA to ask for assistance with their community capital plan, then we will sit down with them. We can't dictate to them. We are trying to get away from dictating to the communities what they should be building, but we will assist them in any way possible. Thank you.

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

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to visit the community to meet with the leaders to discuss this important project? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, I am always interested in visiting the communities, especially one that relates to youth issues, and hear from the grassroots some of their issues with youth. If scheduling permits, I will be more than pleased to go into the community with the Member to meet with the residents there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. McLeod. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Menicoche.

Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Lafferty.

Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Certainly PWS has made some arrangement, through talk with the two schools, on the structural engineering -- both Thomas Simpson and Bompas elementary schools -- if they could have a library situated in one of those schools. So those are the discussions that the community will be having with PWS. Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

I look forward to be continually updated on the assessment when it happens. Another approach that I would like to take there, Mr. Speaker, in my Member's statement I spoke of making the John Tsetso Memorial Library in Fort Simpson a regional library. Will the Minister work with me to establish this and call it a regional library?

Mr. Speaker, I certainly can sit down with the Member to discuss this issue. I think we also need to involve other parties as well, the local district education authority and also the divisional education council as well, because those are the decision-makers at the community level. I'm willing to commit to work with those organizations and also the Member to proceed with this initiative. If that's the interest of the communities, then we can certainly work towards that.

As I had stated, we are now only a resource centre and I think even the correct term might be like a virtual library where if you want books, you just go on the computer. The previous facility was more of a gathering centre for youth, visitors, et cetera, so that's what we'd like to work towards. Can I ask this Minister if he's willing to come to Fort Simpson to meet with the residents and meet with the education councils and the newly elected village council to talk about a plan and a strategy to work towards setting up the library once again and/or even designating it as a regional library?

Mr. Speaker, certainly, that's one of the goals of my department, to visit the community. I think there has been some plan arranged for sometime next month to visit the community, to visit the MLA as well and the community leaders to discuss these initiatives that are underway.