Thank you, Mr. Chairman. If I can, I would like to start off by perhaps addressing Mr. Ootes' concerns with respect to money. The two things that we have asked the federal Minister and I believe I was fairly clear in my opening comments, Minister's statements, when I tabled the document. One is we would like to take a hard look at re-examining the regional $150 million submission that went in to the Cabinet in March of 1996. We have asked Ms. Stewart and the parties if they would be prepared to reprofile some of that money if it has not been, perhaps the greater priorities that may now be today which were not there when that submission went in. I think it would be fair to say that she and her assistant deputy minister, Mr. Moore, agreed to that. The other thing that is important is that Ms. Stewart has agreed to a table for a review of transitional costs, and I think that is a significant step forward that was not there two weeks. Both these initiatives hopefully will be able to bring us to an appropriate compromise as to what we can accomplish and what we cannot. That is what I said in my opening comments. It is important that Mr. Enuaraq or his staff will call as soon as possible a meeting of all the parties so we can get to the table and just see if, in fact, arrangements can be made on both these financial questions. I think the other thing that Mr. Ootes talked about is the intergovernmental arrangements that we believe will be necessary to continue some of the level of servicing of the Nunavut government while it moves towards putting its new government in place.

It is important to point out that decision is the Interim Commissioner's. If he chooses to use the current government or the future western government, that will be his decision. We are suggesting that there is some corporate knowledge in this government, which is fair to all, and there would be some significant value in that. We have identified in the report there is going to be a cost attached to it. I suppose from Mr. Ootes' point of view and the constituency he represents, we need to get some clarity on that issue as quickly as possible so that we can know what changes we have to make with respect to our staff so we need to give some security to those that may, assuming that the Interim Commissioner wants to agree to a variety of intergovernmental agreements, that those staff may have to continue to deliver for a period of time, until such time as the Nunavut government takes full responsibility for some of these services.

Right now discussions are under way on the intergovernmental agreements. We have certainly sent them a list that identified some of the agreements that we have in place with the federal government and other governments. Discussions at the official level are under way right now to determine what kind of intergovernmental agreements would have to be reached. I am optimistic that the Interim Commissioner will see some value in the corporate knowledge this current government has and the future government will have and utilize some of those services. I would caution everyone that decision will be his and he may choose, as he has every right to do so, to buy those services somewhere else. Thank you.