Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, yesterday I talked about the need in this government and Legislative Assembly to provide energetic and innovative leadership, a team NWT approach to get our economy on the move.

Today I want to talk about a very serious issue that reinforces my belief that we really have to do something and that's the whole issue of financing of division. I've been involved in this process as have many people in this House for many, many years. I remember Mr. Patterson, Mr. Kakfwi and myself in many, many meetings over the years always had a very fundamental understanding -- as did groups, aboriginal leaders in the east and in the west, the federal government, and our Cabinet and MLAs -- that there would be adequate funding to maintain the same level of programs after division so that the two new territories would have a very good chance to be successful. But I'm getting progressively more concerned as to whether or not that commitment is still there with the federal government.

I am one who has been on the record since 1982 as supporting the aspirations of the people of Nunavut for division, and I certainly don't want to see division sidetracked because there's not enough money. I'm also one who thinks it's very, very important that after division and in the years leading up to division, we maintain harmonious and cooperative relationships between the people of Nunavut and the people of the west. I really don't want to see a civil war erupt over diminishing revenues to support and sustain Nunavut and a western territory.

So I think it's very, very important that aboriginal leaders in the west and in the east, our Legislative Assembly and our Cabinet work very closely together in this particular issue and make it very clear to the federal government that unless there is adequate funding for division, there are going to be some serious problems in our constitutional development here in the Northwest Territories. I would like our government to take leadership in this area, and see what we can do to ensure there's unanimity of approach towards the federal government to make sure we can afford two new territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

---Applause