Mr. Speaker, the report was given to the committee of political leaders this spring, and it was agreed at that meeting that all the members of the political committee -- the Inuvialuit, the Dene Nation, the Gwich'in Tribal Council, the Sahtu Tribal Council, the Metis Nation, and the Members of the Legislature -- would take time over the next few months to bring the report to the attention of their constituents, and the expectation would be that the Dene Nation, the Metis Association, and the Inuvialuit, in particular, would be expected to take the lead in discussing and responding to the recommendations within that commission report.

It was my view that because of the rather intense schedule that the constitutional talks had placed on myself and the members of the staff I work with, that it was not realistic to think we could have staff give adequate time and attention to providing an analysis and critique of the report on any short order. So I had served notice that probably sometime this summer we would be in a better position to provide Members of the Legislature and the public with cabinet's view; and whatever way the Legislature may choose, follow that on what to do with this commission report.

That was the way in which the report was left. It was brought to the attention of the committee of political leaders. There were no decisions made, other than that we would take time and it would be brought back to our respective constituents for review and discussion. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I was of the view that, without wanting to prejudice the discussion that could happen within the membership of the Dene Nation, the Metis Nation and the other aboriginal organizations, we should allow these groups and organizations to take the lead in the discussions. I think we would all benefit as a Legislature if we allowed, for instance, the Dene Nation and the Metis Assembly this summer to discuss it, since they have some equal ownership to the recommendations and observations contained within the report. Politically, I thought it would be wiser for us to allow that to happen. Then perhaps we could have our own discussion in the fall session. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, the only letter that we got from the Deh Cho in regard to constitutional talks was in relation to the national constitutional talks that were happening in Ottawa, not on the process set up by the Western Constitutional Commission. The text of the letter basically said they were serving notice to the world that as far as the Deh Cho chiefs were concerned, I personally and as Minister of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs did not represent the treaty interests of the Dene in constitutional talks. It is an understanding that everyone has had for many, many years, but they felt reason to reiterate that. It has always been understood that the chiefs and treaty Dene are represented by their chiefs, by the Dene Nation and by the Assembly of First Nations in national constitutional talks.

Mr. Speaker, when the commission was set up, it was done in the closing hours of the last Legislative Assembly. I think Members will recall that in the last session there were some questions as to why funding was provided the way it was and, for instance, why there was no funding given for a public campaign on the plebiscite in the West. These were matters that the last Legislature did in haste, and the budget that was provided for the commission was supported by the eastern Members because they were anxious to get on with Nunavut and the plebiscite, and they understood and supported the need on the part of the western MLAs to come up with a process, to begin a process to begin work on a constitution for a western territory.

Since then, as you know, the commission has spent its money and we have gone into a deficit budget. So when we had a meeting with the political leaders, part of my argument for taking time over the spring and summer to review the commission report and to allow it to go to the assemblies and to have the aboriginal organizations took at it carefully, is that in my view, if there is going to be a phase two, it has to be a very well thought out, well coordinated, package deal that has the full support of the Inuvialuit, the Metis, the Dene, and the different organizations that represent the Dene, and, as well, it has to be clear and understood by the Members of this Legislature. They do not want to jeopardize the ongoing work required for the western part of the Territories to work on a constitution by puffing a hastily developed package together. So I think whatever we do, it is going to take some argument to get all Members to provide funding for continuing on to phase two of the constitutional process.

So that was the reason for it. I think there will be an ongoing stage because that is one of the conditions for division: that there be an acceptable constitution developed for the western territory before division should proceed.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do not have the specific details on individuals. However, I am aware of the problem that the Aven Seniors' Centre is facing financially. I have met with the board personally on a couple of occasions, and so have the senior staff of my department, to discuss this matter. We are working on trying to resolve this unfortunate combination of events. As the Member points out, I do not have a contingency plan, because I am not aware of a plan.