Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to advise Members today of the progress that has been made on the Municipal Finance Review. This review is being done by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs, in partnership with the NWT Association of Municipalities. Members may recall this was an initiative highlighted in MACA's 97-98 and 98-99 business plans.

Mr. Speaker, community governments have raised concerns with the current provisions of MACA's funding programs. The NWT Association of Municipalities also requested this review in a resolution at their 1996 Annual General Meeting.

Mr. Speaker, last Friday the NWT Association of Municipalities and MACA presented the first two public consultation documents to community governments at the association's annual general meeting in Hay River. I will be providing copies of these two documents to Members of this Assembly today. The first document is called the Municipal Finance Review portfolio. It is intended to be a consultation primer and provide stakeholders with a brief overview of the issues, components, possible outcomes and consultation schedule. The second document is called Part 2, Building Key Concepts. It discusses issues that are important for early consideration, before proposals to revise existing funding arrangements are fully developed. In September a third document called, Understanding the Funding Distribution Options, will present stakeholders with proposals for a new financial relationship with community governments. It will also include analysis of how these possible changes could affect the funding available to each community and their financial bottom line.

Mr. Speaker, I invite all Members to take the time to review these documents and discuss them with their constituents. Any comments, concerns or other feedback from Members would be very much appreciated. In addition to consultations with community governments, a number of other stakeholders will be consulted by MACA and the Association. These include band councils and Metis locals, the Office of the Interim Commissioner, Nunavut Tunngavik Incorporated and other First Nations organizations.

Mr. Speaker, consultation on the Municipal Financing Review will continue through to mid-December. Then the feedback and advice received will be combined. Final proposals will be developed for joint recommendation by the association and the department for presentation to the two new territorial governments on April 1, 1999. It will be up to the two new governments to decide when and how these recommendations might then be implemented. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

--Applause