Thank you. Madam Premier.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, as the Member is aware, there was a very great opportunity for all of the Premiers and leaders to spend

a great deal of time together on this trip. One of the main reasons that I thought the trip could be beneficial to the Northwest Territories was the ability, for an extended period of time, to talk to the Prime Minister as well as some of the officials who advise him. The two officials who were travelling with the Prime Minister were Mr. Goldenberg and Jean Pelletier who are his two main advisors. So I had the opportunity to talk a great deal on the issues of the future of the Northwest Territories and all the subjects that the Member has indicated that need to be addressed. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. There is a concern that our Prime Minister did stand up in this House and commit himself to devolving powers to this government during his term of office. I realize he has a few more years to go, but did the Prime Minister indicate any kind of timetable for that devolution to take place?

Madam Speaker, the issue of devolution was discussed in the context of the whole ability of the Northwest Territories to be as financially independent as possible. I did bring to the Prime Minister's attention, and to his advisors, that there was a commitment by the Prime Minister of Canada, and also that we were having some difficulties in dealing with the future of the Northwest Territories in a global sense because the system often doesn't give us the opportunity to make a statement to the decision-makers on what is a package. Also that we want to see that arranged as soon as possible, because one area of the financial arrangement of the formula can't be dealt with in isolation of another responsibility or opportunities for revenue generation such as non-renewable resources, and it can't be dealt with in isolation of the decisions that have also been established under agreements of the aboriginal organizations.

So the commitment is made that, as soon as possible -- I believe a week from Thursday -- a series of meetings will be set up with Mr. Irwin and the Minister of Finance, Mr. Paul Martin. And then, finally, a meeting with the Prime Minister to work through the issue of the Northwest Territories and its future, and a timetable so that we can be self-sufficient, Madam Speaker. Thank you.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. Supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

I would like to ask the Premier whether in fact, during these opportunities she had to discuss the future of the north, the federal government gave any indication of continued support of at least some form of public government in the Northwest Territories.

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, the topic of Mr. Irwin's visit to this Legislative Assembly was discussed with the Prime Minister and his advisors. The Minister of Indian Affairs, upon reflection, saw fit not to come and make his presentation to the Legislative Assembly. I did indicate that, given the various thrusts that various groups were making and the fact that we had concluded a number of land claim settlements -- and in those settlements were embodied self-government agreements -- that we would have to try to address that so it would be financially possible to meet a lot of these commitments; and that it would have to be in the context of the role of this government and where it stands in meeting its obligations. It appears to me that the Prime Minister of Canada, himself, was not totally aware that there were difficulties in trying to get these discussions going and a timetable set.

Hopefully, with my continued nagging about the issue, we might be able to get somewhere in about a week from now in terms of setting up the stage and the process. The Prime Minister did indicate that at the wrap-up of these discussions he would want to hear, first-hand, what the problems were and what he had to do. He did make that commitment. He said he made the commitment to the Northwest Territories residents to continue to devolve and to try to make sure that we can operate on our own. There was a commitment there, and he was a bit concerned that it wasn't moving ahead as he felt was the direction that he had given. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Final supplementary, Mr. Lewis.

I was very pleased today, Madam Speaker, to hear a very full speech from the throne. It's the longest, most comprehensive Commissioner's address that we have had, in fact, during the course of this Assembly. I would like to ask the Premier, in these discussions, was there any timetable for the naming of a new Commissioner for the Northwest Territories?

Thank you. Madam Premier.

Madam Speaker, I did not, in particular, raise that issue with the Prime Minister because I thought the issue of continued financial problems of making decisions on our financial liability, the formula and other outstanding issues around that area were much more important and I didn't want to extend it to the issue of naming a new Commissioner. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you. Item 6, oral questions. The honourable Member for Nahendeh, Mr. Antoine.