Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I have a number of comments I would like to make. I agree with the Standing Committee on Finance. Generally, I am very pleased with the progress that has been made to date with the municipalities. I have a number of concerns I would like to raise. One is with regard to the issue that is raised. I think the Department of Finance, which is basically responsible for collecting taxes, is aware of it. It is with regard to the general taxation area. We recommended, through the standing committee, that MACA assist the Department of Finance to try to resolve the question of taxes. The issue is that, in general taxation areas, particularly in non-tax-based municipalities, we have a problem there.

The first issue stems from the fact that treaty people claim exemption from paying taxes, particularly with our school taxes. There is a big question being raised in those communities. For instance, I know the department is aware of it because I brought it up on a number of occasions, but this whole question hasn't been dealt with. I hope that the department gets together with Finance and tries to resolve this question once and for all. We have asked that the department start working closely and try to get this thing resolved as soon as possible. It seems like this whole issue of taxation is not being pursued rigorously. I am not sure why, because it is the department's responsibility in my view. It poses a problem because for the non-tax-based municipalities that want to get into controlling their own affairs, that incentive is not there because we have a problem in the general taxation area where people aren't paying their taxes. I note that the department isn't, to date, in my view, really assisting the Department of Finance in this whole area. I wonder if the Minister can comment on that particular concern.

In the Minister's response to the association's concerns, he indicated that they were working with Safety and Public Services and he wasn't too sure as to what the status of that was. I asked today what the status was of the negotiations between his department and Safety and Public Services and he wasn't sure. But, since he has his deputy beside him and his senior officials, I wonder if the Minister could give us an update on the status on the training initiative and the standardization of the fire fighting training at the municipal level?

Another area I wanted to touch on, Mr. Chairman, is about one of the communities in my constituency, Rae Edzo. Although the municipality is funded through formula funding, it appears that the department is currently treating Rae Edzo as two different municipalities. I'm sure that the department is aware that although Rae Edzo is one municipality, it is two towns. I would say it is something similar to the Iqaluit situation with its Apex subdivision.

In Rae-Edzo we have two communities under one municipal corporation that administers the two towns. The department, particularly when they are doing their capital planning, doesn't give consideration to Rae Edzo as two separate municipalities . Edzo wants to start building their basic municipal infrastructure for recreation, basic fire protection, et cetera; the same as any other municipality would get. They've been pushing the municipality for services but when the municipality sends in their wish list, it appears to me that the department doesn't consider them as two separate municipalities and lumps them in under one list. They fund them in that manner. I have been after the department to view it from a different perspective.

Although they are under one municipal corporation, they should be viewed -- particularly for capital planning -- as two distinct municipalities. It may come to the point where, if the residents of Edzo don't get basic programs and services, they may pursue other avenues. They may want to go on their own. That's why I'm strongly suggesting to the department that when they are doing their planning -- and particularly capital planning -- they should view that particular municipal corporation as two separate communities rather than just one.

Mr. Chairman, I know that the department has been doing a lot of work in computer programming for all municipalities. I wonder if the Minister could comment on the progress? I made a number of comments last year during the O and M and capital reviews about the computer program we are supporting in the municipalities. We had a problem with regard to that. I wonder if the Minister could update the committee about what's happening in the computer programming area we initiated before.