Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am pleased to announce that the hamlet of Fort Franklin became a charter community on April 1, 1993, and will be known as the charter community of Deline.

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Fort Franklin will be the first NWT community to obtain this status under the Charter Communities Act. The word "Deline", Mr. Speaker, is Slavey for "Where the waters flow."

Mr. Speaker, many individuals from the community were involved in achieving charter community status for Fort Franklin. I particularly wish to commend mayor Gina Dolphus and chief Raymond Taniton, along with the members of the hamlet, band councils and the one community government working committee, for their fresh thinking and hard work. The residents wanted to establish a one-community government and ensure community control in decision-making. The community charter, developed jointly by the band and hamlet councils and approved by the residents, creates a joint council with representation from the band and the community at large. In essence, Mr. Speaker, this will be a one-community government that is truly representative of the people it serves.

Mr. Speaker, the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is currently working with the settlement corporation of Arctic Red River toward charter community status, and other communities have expressed interest as well in exploring the benefits of becoming a charter community.

We are, Mr. Speaker, entering a new and exciting stage in the evolution of community government. Residents of a community have an opportunity, at the grass roots level, to create a governing body that is a true reflection of the people it represents. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

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