Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I believe the wish of the committee is to at least get the Minister’s opening remarks and some general comments for Education, Culture and Employment. I think so far all we’ve done is the Department of Health, so we need to pick up the pace a bit, so I think we need to use this last 45 minutes of the day. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister: what would get obesity to the point, as she says -- I suppose they call it morbid obesity -- where it affects the well-being of the person? What would set that apart in the department’s policy guidelines from any other illness that someone could have? I don’t understand why this thing would be treated any differently than any other disease people have. Maybe some people are overweight because they are addicted to food, but if we were going to start telling people they couldn’t receive services because they had an addiction, that we wouldn’t be...

Mr. Speaker, so the Minister indicates that there has not been a change in the policy, that in fact in adherence to the policy that did exist. When my constituents began to receive services through a referral to the weight loss clinic at the Royal Alexandra Hospital and are now being told this is no longer, was it an error that they were referred there for surgery and medical attention in the first place? Was that referral made by someone who didn’t know what our policy was? Why now, in mid-treatment, is there a change in the support they received? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The committee would like to continue with the Department of Health and Social Services in Committee of the Whole and then move on to conclude Education today. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, what the Minister has outlined does seem like a fairly substantial body of work that is being undertaken. Does the Minister, from that consultation, have any options or next steps, ideas going forward and even as an interim measure that could alleviate the concerns about the treaty rights for harvesting the caribou? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions today are for the Minister of Environment and Natural Resources. It is on the issue of the caribou. Mr. Speaker, this issue of conservation and use of the caribou as a resource in our Territory is a very complex issue. Mr. Speaker, we heard complaints about the consultation that took place between our government as a public government and the leaders of the aboriginal governments and the people who are affected by the harvest of this resource.

Mr. Speaker, consultation speaks to me about an exchange of ideas, information. It speaks to me of a dialogue, not a...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Judging by the audience we have in the gallery today there is a very important issue there. I was going to speak about something else today, but I feel it’s important that since so many people have demonstrated an interest in this topic of the caribou, that I speak to it from my vantage point as only one of 19 Members elected to this Legislature. I hope this will be received in the spirit in which it is intended.

For the sake of the caribou I implore leaders of all affected stakeholder groups to continue a dialogue that is mutually respectful of all parties. Please don’t...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I did support the motion to report so that I could support my colleague Mr. Krutko from the Mackenzie Delta. Mr. Speaker, emotions were obviously running very high in this House today on the issue that was at hand. I heard Mr. Krutko speak with a great deal of emotion. Mr. Yakeleya speaks with a great deal of emotion. It is the nature of the work that we do that sometimes. That is the kind of impassioned debate and dialogue that takes place in this House.

Mr. Speaker, I supported Mr. Krutko to have the opportunity to raise this point of privilege at the earliest...

Mr. Speaker, just to be absolutely clear so that everyone understands then, the Minister, as our point person, as our leader on this file, is telling us here today in the House and to the public that there are things that could be done to accommodate the rights of people to harvest while at the same time protecting this resource. There is flexibility in terms of our government’s mandate and ability to set rules, that there is flexibility through these negotiations and consultations. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, a few days ago I asked several questions to the Minister on this same topic. I would like the Minister if he could, from his perception, characterize the degree of progress that we have made in dialoguing with our partners on this subject. Thank you.