Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, this particular issue is included in the Municipal Financing Review and as I am sure everyone can appreciate, it has proven to be one of the tougher issues we have had to deal with because we have representatives from both tax-based and non-tax-based communities participating on that review with us.
As Members are currently aware, there is a higher degree of subsidy available to non-tax-based communities than to tax-based. Understandably, the non-tax-based communities are not really excited about becoming tax-based communities although it certainly does give them a much higher degree of flexibility and authority, et cetera, that comes with being tax-based.
It is not all bad news. Part of our challenge in MACA is to try and provide information to communities, so they do see the advantages, as well as some of the perceived disadvantages to becoming tax-based.
In terms of where we are going to go with this, we do see this as being an issue that will be under discussion at the Association of Municipalities Annual General Meeting which will be held this May in Hay River, when we will be giving a report to the whole membership on the Municipal Financing Review.
I believe it is their practice to invite all Members of the Legislative Assembly to attend that meeting. I suspect it is going to be the subject of some vigorous discussions at that time. At this point though, I can say we are still in the process of identifying what the various issues are and hearing the concerns from both sides of the issue. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.