Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I think that whole issue of how you're going to determine a gross expenditure base of two new territories is absolutely critical. After all, it is the ongoing base funding to provide the essential services to two new territories. Mr. Irwin, in his comments both at dinner and to the press later on the following day, had indicated that it would probably be finance to finance. We're seeking clarification on that issue and trying to get a clearer understanding of what exactly that means. My staff tell me that we are very close to arranging a meeting with Mr. Martin, the Finance Minister of Canada, to speak with him and try to determine an appropriate process for calculating the gross expenditure base for both new territories, and who should be involved in this process.

It's a very, very important question, there's no doubt about that. I don't have enough valid information at this time as to the federal government's position on this important issue and the method or the process in which we would determine two gross expenditure bases. But I want to assure my colleague that it's a priority of all of us, and that we're going to moving quickly to try and get a clearer interpretation of it from the Finance Minister of Canada, the Honourable Paul Martin. Thank you.