Yes, I do, Mr. Chairman. Mr. Chairman, I am pleased to present the Department of Municipal and Community Affair's main estimates for the fiscal year 2003-2004. MACA is requesting $77.9 million in operating expenses for the 2003-2004 fiscal year and $8 million for capital acquisitions. This is a 4.6 percent increase over the 2002-2003 main estimates. This budget reflects the important role community governments play in serving the needs and interests of people in the Northwest Territories. It is my department's vision to support capable, accountable and self-directed community governments as they strive to provide a safe, sustainable and healthy environment for their residents.

The operating funding in MACA provides community government assistance in ensuring quality municipal programs and services are available to their residents. Working in partnership with community governments in this way helps us achieve the goal of providing better governments for the people of the NWT, a key priority included in Towards a Better Tomorrow.

The bulk of MACA's operating expenses are provided to community governments through contributions. These contributions include ongoing community government operations through formula funding as well as additional funding for projects such as sports and recreation, water and sewage infrastructure, senior citizens and disabled persons property tax relief, grants-in-lieu of property taxes, infrastructure contributions and community development.

In total, Mr. Chairman, 71 percent of our operating budget goes to community governments. This funding also includes over $3 million in forced growth, which will go directly to community governments to assist with things such as increased fuel costs and insurance premiums.

I am pleased to announce that the government has allocated another annual funding of $1 million to support a program to chipseal the main streets of non-tax-based communities as a form of dust control. Working in partnership with the Department of Transportation, we will provide necessary road upgrades and chipseal paving and roads beginning with communities on the highway system or with winter road access and will look for other opportunities to carry out the chipsealing projects in conjunction with other prime projects in order to maximize efficiencies. My department is working with the Department of Transportation to develop a five-year work plan that will ensure the most efficient allocation of resources by carrying out upgrading and chipsealing work in areas where work is proceeding to stockpile gravel or to work on highway repairs and runway resurfacing. Part of the funding will be used to purchase the necessary equipment for communities and to provide training to communities so they have the capacity to maintain their roads.

Mr. Chairman, I would like to point out a concern regarding the Standing Committee on Accountability and Oversight support and the review of draft 2003-2004 main estimates. Contrary to what the AOC report states, I did not indicate any community did not meet the criteria for this program. However, I did stress the fact the department must work closely with the Department of Transportation to take advantage of any crushing, stockpiling or chipsealing program that the Department of Transportation presently has scheduled. There were no non-tax-based communities excluded from the program as long as there is an opportunity to split the cost among other highway or airport projects administered by Transportation.

Members in the Legislative Assembly have raised concerns about the availability of sports and recreation facilities in non-tax-based communities and about the government's ability to provide more support for such facilities within the constraints of the current corporate capital planning process. The Special Joint Committee on Non-Tax-Based Community Affairs also raised concerns about access to programs and services in its interim report. As this was a first step towards addressing these concerns, I am pleased to announce the department has been allocated an additional $1 million ongoing annual funding to support community priorities. The new community initiative program will allow communities to apply for up to $100,000 per year to support initiatives in the area of youth, families and active living.

The interim report of the Special Joint Committee on Non-Tax-Based Community Affairs has flagged many important issues and made recommendations on areas that impact significantly on the work of the department. The committee's final report will be a key influence on the department's ongoing work with non-tax-based communities. We will look forward to the release of the final report during this session.

Mr. Chairman, these are some of the highlights of the department's funding request for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. I believe that the investments MACA will make in communities will help us continue to work towards the goals outlined in Towards a Better Tomorrow. I look forward to your comments and any questions you may have. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.