Thank you. Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. During the referendum, if the answer is yes to the municipal governments, then it would be up to the municipal government, provided that in the referendum they are given the direction whether they are to sell or lease or just issue permits. It will really depend on the local residents and the results of the referendum in each community. Thank you.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Madam Speaker, I understand that the community residents will have to decide. My question was if they decide yes we're going to take over these responsibilities, how would they exercise this responsibility. And I'll get more specific, what I'd like to know is, if municipalities take over these responsibilities, who is going to pay for the cost of administering the community lands? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of MACA, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The local municipal council would be responsible for these lands. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Patterson.

Madam Speaker, it's well-known that municipalities are hard pressed, financially, these days.

(Microphone turned off)

Especially Iqaluit. I guess I would like to ask the Minister, if MACA is now doing the job at no cost to municipalities, why would a municipality want to take on this responsibility and this financial burden if they're going to have to cough up the costs within the hard-pressed budgets of the local governments? Thank you.

Thank you. Minister of MACA, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I cannot answer on behalf of the municipal council. This is something that the community would decide on. It would be totally up to the community. Like I said in my Minister's statement, this referendum is required under the Nunavut Claims Agreement Act. Thank you.

Madam Speaker, the Minister, in her statement, said that the department and staff are working on a public information campaign to assist community voters to understand the question. I would like to ask the Minister, since I think my constituents are particularly concerned about whether this transfer of responsibility is going to end up costing the community more money than it's costing now to have the department do it. I would like to ask the Minister, will the public information materials being prepared by the department include information on the all-important question of who pays for the new administration, and what are the financial implications of voting yes or no? Thank you.

Minister responsible for MACA, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. The information, I am informed by my department, will be developed between Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and the Municipal and Community Affairs staff. We are working cooperatively with NTI because they were hesitant to lean towards selling lands because of the Inuit traditional value of sharing lands. I hope that is an issue that will be clarified during the referendum. I don't believe the information material will include what the implication will be. I can't assume that because the material is in the process of being developed. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Natilikmiot, Mr. Ningark.