Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

1. The CDSC is working towards establishing an innovative constitution and structure of government for a western territory;

2. The new government will represent and serve all residents of the western territory.

3. There will be community, central and regional government institutions.

4. The constitution of the western territory will be consistent with the constitution of Canada, including the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

5. The constitution of the western territory will recognize and affirm, and accommodate to the maximum extent possible, existing aboriginal and treaty rights, including modern treaties and aboriginal peoples' inherent right of self-government;

6. The new system of government will include aboriginal government institutions as well as public government institutions;

7. The new government will recognize self-government agreements negotiated by aboriginal peoples and Canada;

8. A division of powers will be developed with a view to allowing authority to be exercised by the level of government which is able to deliver a service most effectively and efficiently;

9. Based on public involvement and direction, and the support of aboriginal governments and the Legislative Assembly, the CDSC will continue to guide the constitutional process to its conclusion;

10. The public will be involved through information distribution, community meetings, regional workshops and constitutional conferences, and residents of the western territory will have the opportunity to ratify a final constitutional package;

11. The CDSC is committed to having a new constitution and structure of government for the western territory in place for the division of the Northwest Territories planned for 1999;

12. The federal government will enact legislation to implement the territorial constitution and aboriginal self-government agreements, and therefore, it must be involved in the western constitutional process;

FURTHERMORE, that this Assembly:

1. Recommends that the principles for the structure of government for the new western territory identified in the consensus emerging from the first constitutional conference be used as the basis for continuing the CDSC process;

2. Endorses the continuation of the CDSC process to ensure ongoing public consultation and discussion and progress on the development, ratification and implementation of a proposal for a constitution and structure of government for the new western territory; and,

AND FURTHER, that this Assembly recommends that the Government of Canada and the Government of the Northwest Territories consider providing an appropriate level of funding to the CDSC to conclude the western constitutional process.

Mahsi.