Qujannamiik, Uqaqtii. ...dealing with financial restraint, employee morale, lay-offs and turnover. Mr. Speaker, I am not only concerned about the "fix-it" role that regional directors have played in the Baffin region, as I mentioned in my Member's statement yesterday. I am more concerned now about the role of the regional director in representing and, if necessary, protecting the interests of the entire territorial government.
I believe that as we move rapidly towards implementing division, it will be especially important to have good communications and working relationships with Inuit organizations and the federal government which is moving back into the Eastern Arctic in a big way. They will be spending $32 million in capital and operations and maintenance in the next few years up to 1999. For the past 25 years in the Baffin, regional directors have represented the Department of the Executive of the territorial government.
I am making these comments, Mr. Speaker, to respectfully suggest to the Premier and the government that some thought must be given now to new ways of establishing a better presence for the executive in the Baffin region. I hope the Premier and Members of Cabinet agree with me that it is especially important that our government have strong and senior representation in the Baffin at the same time as a major transition to the new Nunavut Government and the establishment of a new territorial capital is under way. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.