Mr. Chairman, when the Quebec election happened, there was a real sense of a tremendous momentum in favour of the separatists. With the Bloc Quebecois and the PQ together, they had sufficient momentum to muster the forces required to have an early referendum and to have a very clear categorical yes to separation. They both had different suggestions and ideas. The Prime Minister's office was to keep out of it; to simply suggest that they believe the Quebec people didn't have their heart in it and that people were concerned about economics. Different provincial Premiers, Romanow and Klein had different reactions; so did Harcourt. In the end, everyone has taken a low-key approach as if to say whatever Quebec will decide to do, they don't need to have any external pressure brought on them. This has been our view as well because Quebec hasn't always been receptive to helping the Northwest Territories, certainly not in the discussions we had about trying to become equal partners in the different forums that provinces have protected for themselves over the years.

Other than monitoring and keeping abreast of issues with regard to Quebec, we have had no request for meetings with the Ministers or the Quebec government. I don't think any of the other provincial or territorial governments have done much of that either. Thank you.