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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I'm not an expert on the Nunavut land claims agreement. However, our department is proceeding with the transfer of lands which is required under that agreement. We are assisting the communities to train the necessary staff who need to be trained through Arctic College. This will commence in January, 1995. At the present time, some communities already have staff funded through the municipal governments, through their core funding from MACA. So, there is already money available in the municipalities but there will be additional money made available by the federal government by July 1996 to help pay salaries and train local land administrators. Thank you.

Supplementary, Mr. Allooloo.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. I would also like to ask the Minister, did I also hear that, because this is a procedure she believes is a requirement under land claims, whether the community would like to have the land transferred to them or not would not be up to them. Would it be an obligation of the community to take over that responsibility? Thank you.

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

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Back in 1991, when the Inuit of Nunavut ratified their claim, this was instituted. It is a requirement under article 14 of the Nunavut land claim agreement. In fact, during that referendum, when the Inuit in the communities agreed to this claim, they also agreed to the turnover of lands to the municipal governments. It was included in the agreement that was ratified. Thank you.

Thank you. I would like to disagree with the Minister, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, if I recall correctly, under section 14, if the municipal corporation only wants to take over land administration, that provision is there, and the community also has to vote in order for it to take over that responsibility.

Madam Speaker, I wonder if the Minister could provide us with information that could be well understood by the communities so the community members know the process well in order to take over the land administration. Thank you.

Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs, Ms. Mike.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Through my Minister's statement a few days ago, I indicated that my department and the NTI staff are working together in preparing some materials that will keep the residents of Nunavut communities informed as to how this referendum will take place. I cannot give, at this time, the details of what that information will be, because the staff and NTI staff are developing it or will be developing it soon. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Deh Cho, Mr. Gargan.