Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I have with me the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Hamilton. Madam Chairperson, colleagues, I am pleased to present the last budget for the Legislative Assembly as we know it today. However, like the Minister of Finance, I am feeling a little nostalgic. I would like to take this opportunity through you, Madam Chairperson, to thank the Members of the 13th Assembly, individually and collectively for their support to me as Speaker. I am particularly pleased that when we were sworn in to the 13th Assembly, we had among us 15 new Members. What I have found, as the longest serving Member of the Assembly, and therefore, the Dean, is that each Assembly establishes its own mark on the history of the Northwest Territories.

The 13th and last Assembly of the Northwest Territories as we know it today is no different. We have a tremendous responsibility and obligation to the people of the future territory of Nunavut and the Western Territory that will be created from division on April 1, 1999. To paraphrase an old saying, so it is said, so shall it be written. History will judge the actions we have taken and the actions we will take in the next few months. Madam Chairperson, I think it is worth reminding ourselves of the vision we have adopted for ourselves, which is;

the Legislative Assembly provides, within a framework of accepted democratic principles, an environment in which the elected representatives of the people of the Northwest Territories can, effectively and to the best of their abilities, pursue a common agenda for the collective good while taking into consideration the demographic diversity of the north.

Madam Chairperson, as your Speaker I would not only like to thank the Cabinet and Members for their hard work and understanding, but I would be remiss if I did not express my appreciation to the staff of the Legislative Assembly. We sometimes take the people behind the scenes for granted and I would like to thank them for their efforts on our behalf.

--Applause

Madam Chairperson, the main estimates before this committee today provides the financial and human resources that will take us to April 1, 1999. The Legislative Assembly is requesting an expenditure of $12,797,000 which includes a capital allocation of $282,000. The estimates of the Legislative Assembly are expenditures that are driven again, by legislation, political direction and historical trends. As we know, Madam Chairperson, these elements carry a price tag. The estimates reflect, as accurately as we can determine, what I feel are the financial and human resources needed to meet the demands as we know them today. Changes in the political environment are not unusual, especially in our jurisdiction, where we are undergoing profound political and constitutional changes. In preparing the estimates, we did not feel we could predict with any certainty how this might change over the next 12 months of this budget.

As you know, there will be 24 MLAs throughout the year this budget covers, but we will loose ten of our colleagues on April 1, 1999 when the Nunavut Legislative Assembly will take office. As a result we cannot foresee how the Legislative Assembly, Cabinet, standing committees and particularly our Nunavut and Western Caucuses will be shaped. Changes in this regard may require us to realign our expenditure allocations throughout the 1998-99 fiscal year. However, I am confident that we will be able to ensure flexibility in reallocating the dollars from within the appropriations before you today. The Management and Services Board has deliberately taken action to ensure services are continued to be provided, without disruption, up to March 31, 1999. The board has structured our major contracts and statutory appointments to terminate on March 31, 1999. This puts no restrictions on the next Assembly and permits them to decide on the level of services they would like to provide.

There has been no significant changes in the estimates presented to the Standing Committee on Government Operations earlier this fall. I am pleased to report, however, that the estimates for the Legislative Assembly will increase in the current fiscal year by $689,000 and in 1998-99 by $1,101,000. This is the result of an agreement signed on November 10th by the Governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories for the financing of elections in Nunavut and the Western Territory.

With respect to Legislative Assembly operations, the staff here will be involved in providing assistance to the emerging Government of Nunavut, with respect to staff training and the establishment of a functioning office, in time for the elections and swearing in of the First Assembly of Nunavut. Our staff will also be of assistance as the structure of the Legislative Assembly as the Western Territory unfolds. The future structure will impact on the level of services and budget allocations that will be required after 1999 and into the new millennium.

Some of us will not be around this table for the next review of the main estimates as the election for the First Nunavut Legislative Assembly will probably be held in early February of 1999. It will be a very busy year for all of us, both Ordinary Members and the Ministers. It will be difficult, as always, to balance our day-to-day duties to our constituencies, the work of the House, committees and Caucuses, and most importantly, our families. Madam Chairperson, along with my officials, I would be pleased to address any questions as to the significance of the main estimates. Mahsi cho.