Thank you, Mr. Chairman. It is good we have a caring, new-age kind of department coming up here. I support that approach. Like my colleagues, I have other more specific questions. I will try to hold them to the appropriate place.
Another area I think is somewhat related to communities is the issue of the Intergovernmental Forum, Mr. Chairman, and the involvement of the municipal governments at some point in that process.
We have seen considerable debate over the last couple of Sessions on that issue.
I am sympathetic with the Minister's position on it, in that there is a time for involving the municipal governments. It is not right now. There are still foundations to be built between the federal, territorial, and aboriginal levels of government, but I am also very concerned that, at some point, and for the reasons that we were just talking about, Mr. Chairman, municipal governments will need to be familiar, be seasoned, and be recognized at certain points and certain tables in that process.
I would like to ask the Minister, while he has declared very firmly that it is not the appropriate time right now to bring the municipal governments in as a fourth and equal partner, what kind of protocols or what kind of process or information flow is the department setting up to at least be able to brief the municipalities, help them become familiar with what is going on, and satisfy that very clear urge that we have heard from, at least the city of Yellowknife and I think from the Association of Municipalities, not to be left out completely from this process? Thank you.