Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am rapidly losing confidence in this government's approach to dealing with the regional associations and committees that have served our communities so well for many years. There seems to be a headlong rush to implement an untried process of community transfer and to experiment with models of district government that, at the present time, attract the interest of only one or two areas of the north. In the process, the regional and tribal councils comprised of local elected representatives are being ignored.
I was particularly concerned to learn today that the Baffin Regional Council is again experiencing severe financial difficulties, not as a result of current management decisions, but because of long standing issues from previous years' funding arrangements with this government.
I am concerned that the departmental officials are not supplying their Ministers with accurate and timely information about financial matters related to B.R.C. and I am dismayed that even the Baffin Regional Director appears to be powerless in the face of this government's apparent decision to allow our regional council to fall away.
The underlying model is clear. The Beatty Report deliberately overlooks the significant role for our existing regional council and advocates eliminating consolidation and downsizing boards and agencies that allow our people to have input into government decision making. We should not lose sight of the fact that the so-called "Strength at Two Levels" report has never been endorsed by this House and I wish you to know, Mr. Speaker, that I will oppose the implementation of any model of relation between communities and the G.N.W.T. that undermines the legitimate role of our regional councils.
I believe that this concern not only applies to the Baffin Region, but to this government...(inaudible)... represented in this House today. Thank you.