Thank you, Mr. Chairman. We have a fairly lengthy report and I am going to utilize the help of my colleagues. I will start with the introductory remarks.

One of the advantages of the consensus style government practised in the Northwest Territories is the opportunity it provides for Ministers and standing committees to collaborate on the development and the implementation of initiatives aimed at improving public service operations and government agencies. During the Third Session of the 12th Legislative Assembly, the Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions will agree to respond to requests from the Executive Council for input respecting the proposed elimination of three boards.

The current report recommends the standing committee's review of the Minister's plans to eliminate the Board of Directors of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Subsequent reports will deal with input requests regarding the Denendeh Conservation Board and the Student Financial Assistance Board. The standing committee received correspondence on March 26, 1992 from the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation, which requested the committee's assistance in establishing the process whereby the board would be eliminated, but replaced with a more appropriate mechanism to ensure that we have community participation and ongoing policy decisions of the corporation.

The standing committee considered this request briefly at meetings held during the Second Session of the 12th Legislative Assembly and made a decision to work with the Minister by reviewing his proposal in this regard. Accordingly, the standing committee has undertaken and has now completed a review of the principles underlying ministerial plans to eliminate the Board of Directors of the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation. Throughout its review process the standing committee focused on the following aspects: background developments and government directions would precede receipt of the Minister's request for committee input; the rationale for consideration of the elimination of the Board of Directors; the impact of board elimination on the potential effectiveness, efficiency and economy of operations within the Housing Corporation; trends in other Canadian jurisdictions with respect to the organization of housing agencies; and, the development of an alternative framework for ensuring appropriate levels of community and regional input into policies and decisions made within the Housing Corporation.

The Standing Committee on Agencies, Boards and Commissions considered these matters in lengthy meetings with the Minister and his Housing Corporation officials on October 27, 1992, and December 2, 1992. The committee wishes to acknowledge the significant amount of information provided by the Minister and his officials that the committee requested and a constructive fashion in which this review was proceed.

Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ningark will continue.