Mahsi cho, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would like to make a statement on formula financing today. Mr. Speaker, I applaud the work of our Premier; the Premier of the Yukon, Mr. Fentie; the Premier of Nunavut, Mr. Okalik; and their stance that they've taken with Mr. Chretien on the formula financing, Mr. Speaker. They've done a very good job in educating Canadians in southern Canada that formula financing based on per capita does not work. I think they've done a wonderful job on that, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, here in the Northwest Territories we face the same thing. Formula financing based on per capita does not work for Northerners. Those people who live in small communities have the same costs as those people who live in mid-sized communities, but our financial arrangement with the communities is based on per capita.
I'd like to thank the Premier for making that very clear, that per capita funding for a small population does not work. I hope that he, along with his government, recognizes that the challenges that communities face in the Northwest Territories, that formula financing based on per capita does not work. The work that we've done through our Special Committee on Non-Tax-Based Communities has expressed that very clearly to us. I'd like to thank the Premier for allowing me to give an example of Ottawa's treatment of the Northwest Territories and headquarters' treatment of the communities in the Northwest Territories. Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.
---Applause