Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, MACA is a very important department in the government, and a lot of MLAs have a history with MACA. I just did a little, quick calculation here: I was a mayor, John Pollard was a mayor, Titus Allooloo was a mayor, Kelvin Ng was a mayor, Jim Antoine was a chief, Charles Dent was an alderman, James Arvaluk was an alderman, Silas Arngna'naaq was an alderman, Kenoayoak Pudlat was an alderman, John Ningark was a long-time administrator and Henry Zoe was an administrator. Between all of us, we've had a long and very productive relationship with MACA. I know my own relationship goes back to 1978 when I was first elected to city council. So the reorganization of MACA is something that all of us are quite interested in.

I just wanted to make some comments on the reorganization. MACA, as a department, has worked very well over the years. I would now like to publicly give credit to Al Menard who was a very good deputy minister of MACA, very responsive to community needs. And, his staff, Dennis Adams and Vern, who we've had years of dealings with. The staff of MACA have done a very difficult job very well because, as the Minister knows, the set-up of municipalities in the Northwest Territories is not quite as easy as it is in southern Canada. You have to deal with band councils, municipal councils, Metis locals and there is a mix and match all over the territories. Although there probably is some valid criticism that MACA might not have had the best management system, the reality is they were able to deal very well with communities, and everybody in the Northwest Territories really appreciated that relationship. It was a very, very positive relationship.

I, for one, am willing to give the Minister and the deputy minister a chance with the reorganization. But the real litmus test is that whatever they do with the reorganization, the bottom line is will that type of interaction with the communities be continued. I guess we'll wait, and I think everybody is prepared to be fair about this. But the proof will be in the pudding if those relationships can be maintained.

MACA also was able, over the years, to do something which is difficult in politics. They were able to deal with the concerns of Yellowknife, of the large regional centres and the small communities, in a way that it didn't become one against the other. Each issue was dealt with in a fair and equitable way. Something that we've avoided over the years is conflict between communities. MACA has done a very, very good job of that over the years.

I know for myself, there are four outstanding issues that I'm going to be looking at to judge exactly how MACA is doing. One issue is the whole issue of Ndilo, and I've had some productive talks with the Minister of Finance and I'll be talking to the Minister of MACA about it because it's quite an unusual situation, somewhat similar to the Hay River Reserve. It doesn't really fit in to the system. It's federal responsibility and it's a municipality, but over the years we've been able to ensure that the people of Ndilo were treated fairly. So I'm looking for the continuation of that approach.

My colleague and the chairman of the Finance committee has mentioned the issue of the central business district. We're looking to see how that is resolved.

The issue of the Legislative Assembly site was quite controversial. And I'm pleased so far with the way the department is handling it. It is low-key. I understand the deputy minister and Mr. Lagore have been talking and I look forward to a successful conclusion of those issues.

I shall be waiting for the response on the issue I have brought up today with the Minister about the goings on in Yellowknife with people who have avoided paying taxes. I know there is a solution to that. So, hopefully, the Minister, in her response, will let us know what the government perspective on that is. It is a big chunk of change. We are talking about $4 million. If the city was able to collect that $4 million, it would give much-needed tax relief to an already very overburdened taxpayer in the city of Yellowknife.