Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, I would like to apologize once again to the Members for the manner in which the Members found out about the amendments to this policy. However, I believe it is an amendment to a policy which was not equitable to the communities across the territories. The amendments that are being made to this policy make it equitable for all communities.

I think a decision like this, to pick the pockets of the residents of the Northwest Territories, is a very difficult decision that was made. Whenever a government such as ours has to make amendments of this type and decisions like this, it is very difficult. The timing of such an amendment is difficult in that there is really no right time. There was to be an announcement made by myself in the form of a Minister's statement. However, the statement didn't come through early enough to be made here in the House. I apologize for that. That statement was not made earlier in the House, but it still is an amendment that had to be made to make all communities equal in the subsidization for this program.

As for the consultation, it is something that has been mentioned in the annual general meetings of the Association of Municipalities. I think that the department is trying every way to make it smoother for communities to be able to accept this amendment to the policy. The departmental officials in the regions are working with each individual community to try to ease this policy. For the consultation part of it, with the policy having been introduced in 1987, it started out to be a policy which was using Yellowknife as a base rate. However, they didn't go far enough with the policy to make it equitable amongst all communities in the territories. I understand that communities are aware of this policy and the manner in which it is run.

I have also indicated that the water and sewage rates in the city of Yellowknife, which are used as a base, have increased since the policy was introduced in 1987. I also understand that the policy was amended in 1990, which affected some municipalities. So it has been four years, Mr. Chairman, since this policy has been amended. The amendments being made at this time are making it equal for all municipalities in the Northwest Territories. I think it is a roundabout way of saying there has been consultation, but for any more details on the consultation, I would have to ask Mr. Menard to elaborate. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.