Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow I will be returning to my constituency to attend a public meeting Monday night, called by the municipal administrator to discuss the status of the town of Iqaluit. I would like to acknowledge the support I've received from the Honourable John Todd, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, for early appointment of an advisory council. I understand, from Mr. Todd, that the appointments could be made in time for members of the advisory committee to participate, along with myself, in Monday's public meeting.

I also want to thank Mr. Todd for agreeing that meetings of the advisory council and the municipal administrator will be held in public. Finally, I want to thank the Iqaluit Chamber of Commerce and the Iqaluit Ratepayers' Association, and their presidents, Mr. Stephen Roberts and Ms. Anne Crawford, respectively, for their work in soliciting and putting forward a list of very capable and representative citizens of Iqaluit who are willing to sit on this advisory committee at such a critical time for the community. I am confident that whoever Mr. Todd appoints, from the list of names submitted, we will have a very capable advisory committee .

Mr. Speaker, there are very many important issues for them to pursue. The first, being an accurate statement of the current financial situation of the town of Iqaluit, which is still not available today despite Mr. Beaumont having been in office for three weeks; ensuring that the financial statements are prepared by independent auditors with no previous involvement in the debenture controversy; advising on collective bargaining negotiations now under way; planning capital projects, such as a new community hall, paving and dump relocation; ensuring that the interests of ratepayers are protected, in matters such as the future of the Apex road subdivision; the handling of the dismissal of the senior administrative officer; and, finally, and most important, preparing for an early election of a new council.

Mr. Speaker, I know my constituents are anxious to put the recent regrettable events in the community behind them, and look forward to a bright future and the challenges ahead. Thank you.

---Applause