I think I would like to use the word, Mr. Henry implied they were gagged on the budget. I would to point out that this Legislative Assembly has greater participation than any other Legislative Assembly in North America. I mean we could take the conventional European or Canadian approach, keep it all secret and dump it in the House and do battle. The reality is that, right or wrong, we all had a hand in this budget. Yes, there were differences of opinion. I acknowledge that but we all had a hand in this budget. Let us have the courage of our convictions and say

that. Some of you have and I applaud you for it, but we all had a hand in the budget, and while it may not be a perfect system, I would suggest to you it is a darn site better than most that we have in the rest of North America. As a matter of fact, I think we are the envy to some extent of other jurisdictions.

Mr. Henry again, I am just trying to make my notes here and I think it is an important issue, had some concerns with respect to division, and in particular with the language address in my reply in my budget yesterday on how we are going to deal with our employees. I think it is important to point out that once the interim commissioner is appointed he will have the legislative and legal authority to enter into agreements on behalf of the people of Nunavut. It is not that I am trying to avoid the issue. I am just trying to set the tone, if you want for the protocol agreement, that I said in the budget that I said we would enter into with the interim commissioner, to move quickly. We assure our employees that have been with us, some here by birth, some here by choice, who have been with us for a long time, to buy some security to them. I am very much aware of the concern raised by Mr. Henry, but I think it is important to point out that in the end it will be discussions with the interim commissioner.

Mr. Chairman, I do not know whether I answered all the questions that were asked but I hope I have given the Members some overall indication of our response to the concerns that they have raised and I would suggest that, if I may be so bold, we move on to addressing the first item on the departmental order for review and that is the Executive. Thank you.