Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, senior officials of both Indian and Northern Affairs and Health and Social Services have been working on this issue for quite some time without resolve. On February 2, 2000, Premier Kakfwi wrote a letter to the Honourable Robert Nault outlining this concern. Subsequent to that, the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs has responded, holding the line on the position of the federal government with response to this cap on the escalation clause in this contract.
So far, this issue remains unresolved. However, I want to assure Members and Mr. Lafferty that the government is continuing to pursue this. Unfortunately, we may be forced to resign... let me be get the right phrase in here... forced to sign this document under protest with the hope of resolving it at some time in the future. The threat is that this funding, the $16 million that is outstanding right now, will lapse if we do not sign this agreement by March 31, 2000. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.