Robert Hawkins

Excellent. I’m just finding that substantial. Unless we had a lot of travel this month, that was a lot of travel, $413,000 this year alone up to the end of February 2004, if I understood it. Did he have an expectation of spending another approximately $200,000 worth of travel? Can the Minister show me or demonstrate how we had a 25 percent reduction in travel in this department? My apologies, I did not see it. As well, can you reiterate your three-year travel average?

Thank you, Madam Chair. Again on this same issue with regard to that position, if I could just get some further clarification I probably would be very satisfied to move on to another issue. I'm just curious on the training of this position. Is it quite unique that this person requires very specialized training, that you can only receive this training in Yellowknife even though the function of this position is to be to fully operate in the Fort Simpson area? I'm a little confused on that one. As well as the fact that maybe for my clarity, as well as Mr. Menicoche's clarity, is it a unique...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wasn't really concerned about the actual name of the individual, more so under which line item I would find it under, if the Minister could point that out.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Just so I didn’t forget to ask, I would also like the comparison of travel dollars for next year as well. Just before I leave this point, I wouldn’t want to forget, how many chief negotiators do we send? How many assistant negotiators would we send typically and how many legal counsel, et cetera, working through the system? You gave me five titles and I’m curious, on an average basis would we send one for each position or two or three, on an average? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Minister, and thank you, Madam Chair. Just again to build on that, are we providing full services, even though at this time…Are there any services not being fulfilled with having this PY here in Yellowknife, when it should be located to the Fort Simpson area? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. Chairman, would the Minister be so kind as to provide me some feeling on tenure service, how long these individuals have had these types of contracts? Has this been an ongoing contract for a number of years that ends in 2005 predictably as pointed out? Can you elaborate on the term that these nice contracts have been out there, because I haven't seen them in the government posting of contracts. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I’m not sure how to proceed on the next one because I’m a little confused. Do we send the whole office on every trip? When it comes to negotiations, is anyone there? Thirty-nine people travel. I guess, well, it’s a silly question, but I need an answer to that one, as well as the fact does this department sponsor travel of other departments? Are we taking everybody we can find on these trips? Let’s get some feedback from the Minister.

I would like to move that we report progress.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It must be late because I think I heard two answers. There were two different answers, and I stress it could be late and it could be me. It is the NACC officials' understanding that the lease is not being lived up to properly so, therefore, I'm asking for commitment from the Minister just to have a look at it. I can't imagine the bureaucracy not having an extra moment to have a good look at it, therefore we've satisfied our concerns. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will stress up front I won't pursue the aggressive line of questioning my honourable colleague, Mr. Menicoche, just did. I would like to follow suit on some of the comments Ms. Lee brought forward with regard to the Northern Arts and Cultural Centre here in Yellowknife. NACC had pointed out that they had an original lease that was established between the GNWT and I guess them, the way I understand it. They brought forward, in a very articulate manner, that they felt the lease was still strong and when it changed to the school board the lease had never truly been...