Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The fire suppression budget for this year, the base budget remains as it’s laid out in the main estimates. We are looking at next year probably a five-year average approach that would see a change, especially if one of the five years includes the $60 million. We’ll see what this fire season brings. The assurance to the people of the Northwest Territories, of course, is that we will, as a government and as a Legislature, put the resources that we need to to protect the homes, people and the safety and property values that we hold dear in the Northwest Territories. We will put the funds there to make sure that we do the job necessary. We will be doing that again, as we do just about every year, through special warrants when the need arises or as the need arises.

The fracking regulations, ENR worked very, very closely for the last couple of years with ITI. ITI and Minister Ramsay have that file. They are moving forward with the regulatory update and I think we’ll find that as we move forward with that, that the best practices will be clearly evident. We have been and continue to be involved. We work with all the other

involved departments, with ITI, along with ENR, and I think, Lands and such, so that we are there at that table.

Energy programs, rebate programs, incentive programs are part of what’s been moved to Public Works and Services. We have a continued role to play on the supply side of the biomass initiative where we’re working with communities on their forest management agreements. We’re playing a role with not only the communities but the proponent for the Aurora Wood Pellets, in this case, trying to navigate through the challenges of starting up a brand new process. We know that there are interested communities, as well, that are watching, and Kakisa and Jean Marie River are too.

As we look at the areas and the forest management agreements and inventory that are there, the Member mentioned the possibility of fire smarting being integrated into this biomass industry. If possible, I think that’s not out of the realm of possibility. I know in Fort Smith, for example, the community and the government worked to make the whole area around the airport right by town a wood harvesting area for regular wood burners and folks that use wood, and it’s been a great boon for everybody. You’re five minutes away from your wood supply and it’s definitely helped fire smarting the community. So I think those kind of options are there to be looked at.

Transboundary updates. We have, for all intents and purposes, concluded the Alberta agreement and we’re working on the logistics, trying to nail down the signing date and time with Alberta. BC, we expect within the next few days to conclude the final discussions on the last i to be dotted and t to be crossed. Saskatchewan, we are confident that, if all goes well in April, before the May/June session we may have an agreement with Saskatchewan, as well. As we sit here today, the folks are over in the Yukon meeting with the Yukon officials in, I believe, Whitehorse, in terms of modernizing, updating the only bilateral agreement that exists, and that’s the one with the Yukon.

In regards to the 802s, the decision was made. We’re moving forward with the purchase of the 802s as we’ve laid out in the plan. We’re in the queue. In the meantime we will continue to use the 215s. One of the big issues, of course, has been affordability, quality, fire protection and the air force that will give us that capacity at a level that is affordable within our fiscal parameters. Anyways, that decision has been made and we’re moving on the purchase of the eight 802s. Thank you.