Public Accounts committee  Both the Cree and Inuit, I believe.

Public Accounts committee  The Inuit and the Naskapi.

Public Accounts committee  No, because the North Shore Innu do not have a comprehensive claims agreement yet.

Public Accounts committee  I have been in the department for six and a half years.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  On the question of inherent rights, you're right. That's the position we always took about the fact that we have a policy of inherent right to self-government. What we are trying to do in our negotiations is really to find some ways to implement that right and not trying to define, but trying to implement the right, to be practical in those terms.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We are having some discussions with the Assembly of First Nations. We have some working groups with the Assembly of First Nations, and of course through the coalition of the land claim agreements we will have some discussion. I don't say we are too far advanced in the discussions.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  The information that we have up to now is that the Cree are not too concerned about that aspect of the self-government negotiations. They are kept informed. When our negotiator wants to keep them informed, they will be there. They will be participating in meetings. The Naskapi have a different problem.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We think it's around 2,000 people.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  In the kind of process we have there, around negotiations with one of the groups, we have to make sure we keep all of the three groups involved and informed, because eventually, if ever we have to amend, for example, the Cree-Naskapi of Quebec Act to reflect the new agreement, we will need the support of the three parties.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  We are currently negotiating self-government with Nunavik, not with the Cree. We are negotiating a separate agreement with the Cree concerning an implementation plan. Then we will go one to address the issue of self-government.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Not at this time with the Cree.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Sewell may want to say more on the subject, but the government has an O & M agreement with the Cree pursuant to which funds are available to meet specific needs. If a bridge needs to be built, I would imagine the Cree will use O & M funding, unless the need is truly out of the ordinary.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Under the agreement currently being negotiated by Mr. Chrétien and Mr. Namagoose, the Cree will assume responsibility for the obligations set out in the agreement. Perhaps then funds will be made available to move forward with this project.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Lemay, you've put your finger on the problem. When the agreement was negotiated with the Cree 30 years ago, the process did not involve the negotiation of an implementation plan. It was the first modern-day treaty. Since then, new agreements have been negotiated and all have contained an implementation plan.

Indigenous and Northern Affairs committee  Mr. Sewell is our DG for implementation, so I will ask him to take the question.